1. This notice is to clarify the border declaration procedure for new Canadian specification vehicles (Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) compliant) being imported into Canada from foreign countries, including the United States.
2. Please note that NEW Canadian specification vehicles bearing a valid Canadian Statement of Compliance label cannot be entered into the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) Program.
A vehicle is considered “NEW†when it is purchased directly from a manufacturer. Acquisition documents must clearly indicate a purchase at the manufacturing level. Vehicles purchased at the retail level in the United States are not considered “NEWâ€.
A “Canadian specification vehicle†is defined as a vehicle built to Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and bearing a Canadian Statement of Compliance to that effect.
3. When a NEW Canadian specification vehicle is presented, authorization must be confirmed by consulting Appendix F or G of Departmental Memorandum D19-12-1, Importation of Vehicles, to ensure that the importer is listed as an authorized Canadian importer for the vehicle being imported.
4. When the importer is listed in Appendix F, or the importer and manufacturer are listed in Appendix G proceed as usual as outlined in D19-12-1.
5. When the importer is not listed in Appendix F, or the importer and manufacturer are not listed in Appendix G, the entry requires an authorization letter from Transport Canada and can only be released in the presence of such a letter.