Leaving the the car for a while after importing it

[zabrodov]

Hi all,

I am planning on landing in the beginning of September and I am bringing my car to Canada.

I want to export the car from the US, import it into Canada.
I am going to park my car at my friend's house.
Then I want to fly back to my home country (Russia) for a month.
After a month I want to return to Canada and complete all registration procedures and all.

Can I do that? Will my US insurance work until I register the car in Canada?

Thank you!

 

[21Goose]

I believe you have to get the car registered within 30 days of exporting it. Not 100% certain but there's definitely a deadline of some sort.

 

[Alex54321]

Hi all,

I am planning on landing in the beginning of September and I am bringing my car to Canada.

I want to export the car from the US, import it into Canada.
I am going to park my car at my friend's house.
Then I want to fly back to my home country (Russia) for a month.
After a month I want to return to Canada and complete all registration procedures and all.

Can I do that? Will my US insurance work until I register the car in Canada?

Thank you!

All process is very clear described at riv.ca.
If you do export, you have to do import with CBSA right away.

"It is the importer’s responsibility to complete the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) inspection within 45 days (or 1 year for salvage vehicles) from the date of import."

What I suggest you to do ( which we did) is to land and put your car on the Goods to Follow List. You can do the landing, cross your car in Canada, explain customs that you will be doing export/import later. I assume that after landing you still is able to enter in USA to do export.

Also I assume that your US insurance covers the car in Canada for "a visit". I requested from them (a US insurance company) a yellow Canadian Certificate Insurance Card to present to Canadian Police in case of stop/etc.

 

[zabrodov]

Thanks guys! I can't return to the US though as my visa will have expired and I will need a new visa if I want to go back to the US.

But it's good to know that I have 45 days.

 

[zabrodov]

Also, I found out that I would need to install Daytime Running Lights on my car to comply with the Canadian law. I was wondering if anyone knows where to do this at a reasonable price in Ontario or Quebec.

I know about dealerships and Canadian Tire but those places quote enormous price for such kind of service

 

[Alex54321]

Also, I found out that I would need to install Daytime Running Lights on my car to comply with the Canadian law. I was wondering if anyone knows where to do this at a reasonable price in Ontario or Quebec.

I know about dealerships and Canadian Tire but those places quote enormous price for such kind of service

It depends on the car. For my 2014 GLK 250 that's the only thing I did to satisfy RIV inspection and only with Mercedes dealer, since they had to contact Germany directly and download / install software. The DRL update were on software level only and took almost 2 days since they ( Windsor dealership) had a problem; had to call Germany for help; time difference, etc. When you are done with RIV, you can relax and delay a bit all other steps, like to get Canadian DL, get proof of Insurance, pass the car Safety Test (in many local shops) in order to get car registered/plated in Canada.

 

[zabrodov]

It depends on the car. For my 2014 GLK 250 that's the only thing I did to satisfy RIV inspection and only with Mercedes dealer, since they had to contact Germany directly and download / install software. The DRL update were on software level only and took almost 2 days since they ( Windsor dealership) had a problem; had to call Germany for help; time difference, etc. When you are done with RIV, you can relax and delay a bit all other steps, like to get Canadian DL, get proof of Insurance, pass the car Safety Test (in many local shops) in order to get car registered/plated in Canada.

I have Toyota Prius and it doesn't come with the DRLs, so I will have to physically install them. I wish it was only a software update

 

[Alex54321]

Thanks guys! I can't return to the US though as my visa will have expired and I will need a new visa if I want to go back to the US.

But it's good to know that I have 45 days.

I has to add that the car we imported was titled to my wife's name and she also could not return to US, so I ( dual citizen) did all export/import myself for my wife's car. No questions asked on both sides of the border. So, a relative/friend can do it.

 

[zabrodov]

I has to add that the car we imported was titled to my wife's name and she also could not return to US, so I ( dual citizen) did all export/import myself for my wife's car. No questions asked on both sides of the border. So, a relative/friend can do it.

Thank you!