Importing a New Car from the USA to Canada: Eligibility, Documents and Steps

The Short Answer

Most new passenger cars, SUVs and light trucks built for the US market can be imported into Canada because US and Canadian safety and emissions frameworks are closely aligned. In practice, the process runs through four parties: US Customs and Border Protection for export, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for customs clearance, the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) for federal safety compliance under Transport Canada rules, and your provincial or territorial licensing authority for registration. Skipping or mistiming any one of these steps is the usual cause of delays, extra costs or a refused import.

Who This Applies To

This guide covers a Canadian resident buying a new or nearly new vehicle in the United States and bringing it home for permanent use. It does not cover commercial importers, temporary visitors driving a US-registered car in Canada, or vehicles old enough to fall outside the federal safety compliance requirements, which follow a different and generally simpler path. Rules and fees change over time, so the current requirements published by Transport Canada, the RIV and the CBSA should be treated as the final word for your specific case.

Step One: Confirm Vehicle Eligibility Before You Buy

Vehicle eligibility is the first and most decisive check. Transport Canada maintains a list of vehicles that are admissible from the United States, organized by manufacturer, model and model year. A vehicle appears on that list when it was manufactured to US federal safety standards and can be modified, if needed, to meet Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS). If the exact model and model year you want is not listed as admissible, it cannot be imported for regular use.

Eligibility can vary by variant. A model may be admissible in one body style or powertrain and not in another, or admissible only from a certain model year onward. Check the specific configuration you intend to buy, not just the model name.

Recall Clearance

Before the RIV will certify a vehicle, any outstanding safety recalls must be addressed. Importers typically need a recall clearance letter or equivalent confirmation from the manufacturer or a dealer showing that no open recalls remain. For a brand-new car this is usually straightforward, but it is worth asking the selling dealer to confirm recall status in writing at the time of purchase, since obtaining it later from a Canadian dealer can take time.

Safety Standards and Emissions Compliance

US vehicles are built to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), while Canada applies its own CMVSS. The two are similar in most respects, which is why so many US vehicles are admissible, but there are differences. Items commonly checked or modified during the import process include daytime running lights, an approved electronic immobilizer, speedometer and odometer readings that display metric units, and certain labels that Canada requires in both English and French. Depending on the vehicle, some of these may already be compliant from the factory and others may need a dealer or shop to make changes.

Emissions compliance is generally less of a hurdle for new vehicles. Canada's vehicle emissions regulations are aligned with US federal standards, and a vehicle certified to US EPA requirements, with its emissions label intact, is normally acceptable. Do not remove or alter emissions labels or equipment before import, since they are part of what demonstrates compliance.

Market Specification Considerations for a New Car

Even when a car is fully admissible, the US market specification may differ from the Canadian version of the same model. Differences can include standard equipment, trim packages, cold-weather features, infotainment and navigation settings, connected-service availability and, for some vehicles, how the manufacturer supports software updates in Canada. These differences do not usually affect legal eligibility, but they can affect what you actually get for your money and how the car behaves once it is registered in Canada.

Warranty coverage deserves particular attention. Some manufacturers honour US-market warranties at Canadian dealers, some apply conditions, and some limit coverage for vehicles purchased outside Canada. Policies vary by brand and can change, so confirm with the manufacturer how a US-purchased car will be treated before committing to the purchase.

It is also worth knowing that some US dealers are restricted by their manufacturer agreements from selling new vehicles to buyers who intend to export them. A dealer may decline the sale, ask you to sign an export-related declaration, or require the car to be titled and registered in the US first. Clarify this early to avoid a deal falling through after you have travelled to collect the car.

Step Two: Gather Import Documentation

Organized paperwork makes both the US export and the Canadian customs clearance far smoother. The core documents are summarized below.

Document | Why it matters; Original title, or Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin for a never-titled new car | Proves ownership; required by US customs for export and by CBSA at the border; Bill of sale or purchase invoice | Establishes the purchase price used to calculate duties and taxes; Recall clearance letter | Required by the RIV before certification; Lien release, if the vehicle was financed | US export generally requires the vehicle to be free of liens, or written consent from the lienholder; Personal identification and proof of Canadian residency | Required for customs processing; Vehicle Import Form (Form 1), completed at the border | Starts the federal import and RIV process

If you finance the vehicle, contact the lender before purchase. Many lenders will not release the title for export, and US export rules generally require the original title or written lienholder authorization.

Step Three: US Export Clearance

The United States requires vehicles leaving the country to be reported for export. You must submit the vehicle's title documents and related information to US Customs and Border Protection at the port of exit you plan to use, at least 72 hours before the vehicle crosses the border. Many importers call or visit the specific port in advance to confirm its hours, submission method and any local requirements, because procedures can differ between crossings. Arriving at the border without completing this step usually means being turned back.

Step Four: Canadian Customs Clearance

When you arrive at the Canadian border, declare the vehicle and present your documents to the CBSA. The officer will process the Vehicle Import Form, which identifies the vehicle as requiring modification and RIV certification, and collect any applicable duties and taxes along with the RIV fee. Customs clearance is most predictable when you use a commercial crossing or a port that regularly handles vehicle imports, and when you arrive during business hours.

Duties and Taxes

Whether customs duty applies depends mainly on where the vehicle was manufactured, not where it was purchased. Vehicles that qualify as originating under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement are generally duty-free, while vehicles assembled elsewhere, for example in Europe or Asia, may be subject to duty even if bought from a US dealer. The vehicle identification number and the manufacturer's information indicate where the car was built.

Separately from duty, you should expect to pay the federal Goods and Services Tax or Harmonized Sales Tax at the border, and possibly provincial sales tax at registration depending on your province. Additional federal charges can apply to certain vehicles, such as an excise tax on vehicles with air conditioning, a levy on fuel-inefficient vehicles, and a tax on vehicles priced above the luxury threshold. Because amounts and thresholds are periodically revised, check current figures before calculating whether a US purchase actually saves money once currency exchange, taxes, fees and any required modifications are included.

Step Five: RIV Inspection and Certification

After you cross the border, the RIV process takes over. You will receive instructions and a deadline for completing any required modifications and having the vehicle inspected at an authorized inspection location. The inspection confirms that the vehicle now meets Canadian requirements, including the items noted earlier and the recall clearance. Once the vehicle passes, the RIV issues a certification label to be affixed to the vehicle and stamps or releases the import paperwork needed for provincial registration.

Missing the inspection deadline can complicate or delay registration, so plan the modifications and inspection appointment as soon as the car is home.

Step Six: Provincial Registration

With the RIV-cleared import form and the inspection label in hand, you can register and plate the vehicle in your province or territory. Many provinces also require a provincial safety inspection for imported vehicles, and some collect provincial sales tax at this stage. Arrange insurance before driving the car on Canadian roads under Canadian plates; your insurer may ask for the import documents and the vehicle's market specification details.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Buying before checking that the exact model, model year and variant is admissible. Forgetting to submit export documents to US customs at least 72 hours before crossing. Financing the car without confirming the lender will release the title for export. Assuming the US warranty will be honoured in Canada without confirming with the manufacturer. Overlooking that a non-North American-built vehicle may attract customs duty. Leaving the RIV inspection until close to the deadline. Comparing only the sticker price without accounting for exchange rates, taxes, fees and modifications.

Is Importing a New Car Worth It?

Importing a new car from the USA to Canada can make sense when a model or configuration is unavailable in Canada, or when the total landed cost is clearly lower than buying locally. It is less attractive when the price gap is small, when the manufacturer restricts warranty support for imported vehicles, or when the Canadian version offers equipment better suited to local conditions. The practical approach is to confirm eligibility and warranty treatment first, calculate the full cost including all taxes and fees, and only then negotiate with a US dealer that is willing to sell for export.