U.S.-owned vehicle by Canadian
Posted date : Dec 20, 2023.
I have a car registered and insured in North Carolina, where we own property and spend four or five months each year.
Even though my home is in Vancouver, B.C., I grew up in Ontario and have many friends and relatives in Ontario. I like to take a driving trip from N.C. to Ontario each summer to visit and wanted to take my U.S.-registered vehicle, especially with today’s rental car prices.
So, each year I search and two years ago, I found the Canadian Program TVIS. It stands for temporary vehicle import system and while it’s primarily intended to allow racers, promoters, etc. to bring their wares, section (h) is for people like me.
It reads, “in the case of a vehicle that is licensed in the United States, a visit to Canada by its owner, if the owner has a residential address in Canada, and is the holder of a Canadian driver’s licence.”
I’ve successfully applied online the last two summers and driven my N.C. Jetta up into Ontario and back several weeks later.
Hope this helps others,
Mike Valiquette
Whistler, BC
Ed.: Good advice. You can apply to make a declaration to import non-compliant vehicles temporarily for special purposes. Eligible vehicles include vehicles licensed in the U.S. and owned by Canadians – the Canadian owner must have a residential address in Canada and hold a Canadian driver’s licence.
The Registrar of Imported Vehicles offers this service. You can “google” TVIS Transport Canada or go directly to this link: www.riv.ca/OnlineForms/Home/Landing
