We have purchased a motorhome and toad in the US and will be flying down to drive it back to Canada. I have checked with our insurance and that is not a problem as they will cover us while we are in transit.
How do you handle the licence plate issue until you get home? Do you get a temp permit from Alberta or what?
How can we find out in advance what modifications are required, or rather I should say how hard (or expensive) are the modifications to do for the vehicles we are purchasing? I do have the link for the RIV site, so know that we need the day running lights, etc. I know some vehicles don't take much to modify as they are all set up for it. Others I assume are more difficult and will be more expensive. We can still decline the toad if we find that is the case. It is a Chevrolet HHR. Since Cdn Tire seems to be the one that RIV trusts (!! ) with checking the vehicles out would they be the ones to contact or the manufacturer?
We are in the process of selling our DP to a Canadian. Because his wife doesn't drive and he doesn't have a toad, we will be delivering the coach to the border and we will walk the coach through both US & Canadian Customs together.
This is what I understand is needed to import a US coach into Canada:
1. Must have DRL. Nothing fancy; the headlights must come on when the ignition is turned on. I am wiring that using Roadmaster toad tail light diodes so the headlights will also come on independently with the headlight switch.
2. Must have CHMSL (Center High Mounted Stop Light). Our coach came with one and I upgraded it to LED style last year so the buyer is really happy about that.
3. Must have KPH markings on the speedometer. Our coach came that way.
4. Must have legible manufacturer placard with VIN and I believe the build date (month & year)
5. The seller must obtain clear recall status letters from BOTH the coach manufacturer and the chassis manufacturer. These letters are faxed from the respective builder to the seller. We received the clear status letter from Spartan within 10 minutes of my calling Spartan last week. The recall status letter from Monaco is the only bureaucratic detail we are waiting on before closing the deal. I'm hoping it happens tomorrow (Wednesday). FYI, Monaco does not have records for Beaver's built in 1994 because of the Beaver bankruptcy. Orphan coaches with no access to manufacturer records would fail this process.
6. Canadian buyer must have air brake endorsement on their Canadian driver's license, prior to driving coach in Canada. My buyer is taking his air brake class this weekend, the exam on Monday and assuming he passes he gets the air brake endorsement on Tuesday. He told me it's a $500 fine if he drove the coach across the border without the endorsement.
7. Seller must fax a form to US Customs at the Port of Entry so the coach can be exported. This must be done 72 hours before exporting.
8. Buyer must pay taxes at Canadian Customs when the coach arrives in Canada.
9. What happens with the Washington state license plates? Well, they will be on the coach when we deliver it to the buyer in Canada. I'll find out tomorrow at the WA DOL if I need to bring the plates back but I doubt it. Obviously, we will maintain our insurance coverage on the coach until it is in the buyer's possession in Canada AND we have filed the proper release form with WA DOL.
The buyer came down last Sunday and we spent the day going over the coach in detail. He will come down again a few days after the final payment is made, and we will spend another day training him on the intricacies of the coach as well as driving techniques. For insurance reasons, his training will be of the Show & Tell variety until we deliver it to him in Canada, get it in his name and on his insurance. Then, we will spend another day with him and his wife before returning home.
Questions? Please feel free to PM me. I'm certainly not an expert on the process (yet), but it doesn't seem to be difficult IF you have your ducks in a row and IF you don't cop an attitude and get a Custom's Officer PO'd.
* This post was
edited 04/02/08 01:37am by SteveRankin *
Steve & C. J.
"Gracie" the Rough Collie & "Bo'sun" the Bichon Frise
If your insurance company is supplying temporary registration and insurance then no problem. Tape the permit to the windshield and go. I was able to do it all by fax from the US.
To find out if the vehicles are admissible to Canada check with the RIV. The list can be found at Transport Canada. It looks like the HHR doesn't need any modifications other than DRL. If you are not sure about anything, phone the RIV.
#1 needs to be done before or during the safeties. Canadian Tire has a DIY kit for about $40. You need both a federal safety and a provincial safety.
#2 does this apply to motorhomes? The way I understood it, it was for cars and light trucks. Need to double check.
#4 if the vehicle is 15 years old or older, no recall clearance or federal safety is required. Neither is the RIV import process.
#6 clear title must be faxed along with a contact number and estimated time of arrival at US border. Should be done by the exporter, which is whoever is driving it across the border. They verify the serial numbers and stamp the title.
#7 GST, PST (if applicable), RIV fee $205 (if under 15 years old), Excise tax for air conditioning ($100 whether it works or not).
#8 depends on the state. If the plates usually stay with the vehicle after a sale, the won't have to be removed for a Canadian sale. I have the original 1963 California plates to my Scout.
1993 Winnebago Vectra 37'
P30 - JetCo Air Ride w/Tag
If you're buying from a dealer, arrange with him for an intransit permit from that state DMV. If it's a private sale, that state DMV rules apply and you may have to contact DMV yourself to get an intransit permit.
Bill
2000 Hitchhiker II Rio Grande
2000 Dodge 3500 dually Cummins 5 speed Edge EZ and guages
Well this has been interesting and very frustrating. I thought getting a transit permit would be the least of our problems. Not so!! The glitch in the works is that the toad is Kentucky registered and in KY they do not issue temporary transit permits. The plates stay with the vehicle. They told me the bill of sale would cover our transporting the vehicle. However, that is just in KY. He couldn't tell me what happens beyond their border. The MH is registered in FL, so I am not sure what their policies are however going to FL to get a in transit permit is not an option.
I have talked to everyone from RIV, Canada Customs, AB DMV, Transport Canada, KY DMV to name a few. We still do not have a great solution, but we were given some strange suggestions. (Put it on the back of a transport truck and have them drive it to the border??)
The seller has agreed to let us use his plates (reluctantly) as we cannot find another option. Traveling without any type of plate on either vehicle can almost guarantee being stopped by every state trooper that passes us.
As this is a private sale we are on our own. If you buy it thru a dealer they can issue a permit apparently.
Someone suggested getting a in transit permit from the next state, which will be Missouri. I will call them and see if that is an option.
Wish me luck as I only have a week to get all our ducks in a row.
If all else fails, put the toad on a Uhaul car trailer.
You'd be surprised at how little the police look at plates on big vehicles. We drove through three states without any plates (just a paper permit on in the front window) without any looks from anyone.
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) with checking the vehicles out would they be the ones to contact or the manufacturer?
