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CSA TRAVEL INFORMATION GUIDE
Vehicles imported under the one-year provision that do not conform to U.S. safety and emission
standards may not be sold in the United States and must be exported within that one year. Standards
may vary from the standards enforced in your home province/territory. Standards may also vary
between states, or differ from those of the federal government. Proper registration of a vehicle may
depend upon satisfaction of its requirements.
It is recommended that you contact the appropriate state standards and emissions authorities prior to
importing a vehicle. Be aware, however, that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will not
accept compliance with a state’s emission requirements as satisfying the EPA’s requirements. Vehicles
entering the United States on a long-term basis that do not conform with U.S. safety standards must
be brought into compliance, exported back out of the U.S., or destroyed.
It is also important to note that Canadian automobile insurance is not applicable on a Canadian
vehicle that is left in the U.S. on an ongoing basis. Besides obtaining local U.S. state vehicle registra-
tion, it will be necessary to obtain separate insurance coverage from a U.S.-based insurance broker. To
obtain coverage it may also be necessary to first re-register your Canadian vehicle with state licence
plates. If you eventually decide to bring your now U.S. plated vehicle back to Canada, it may be
subject to import duty and provincial certification and emissions testing. That is why it is important
to ensure your vehicle is properly registered as “exported”with the Canada Border Services Agency
(CBSA) prior to leaving Canada.
Helpful reference brochures include Know Before You Go (Customs Hints for Returning U.S. Residents)
and Customs Hints for Visitors Visiting the United States (Customs Regulations for Non-residents). Copies
may be obtained from a local U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) office or by writing to U.S.
Customs, P.O. Box 7407, Washington, D.C. 20044; or from U.S. embassies and consulates in Canada.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also produces a detailed automotive fact manual
describing emission requirement for imported vehicles. You may obtain a copy of the Automotive
Imports Facts Manual, or other information about importing motor vehicles, by calling the EPA’s
imports hotline at (202) 564-9240 or by writing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel
Rios Building, Manufactures Operations Division (6405-J), Investigation/Import Section, 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20460; or by visiting the EPA web site at
www.epa.
gov/otaq/imports/factmtop.htm
.
You may also reach the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) vehicle hotline at 1-800-424-9393,
by writing to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NSA-32), 1200 New Jersey Ave SE,
West Building, Washington, D.C. 20590, by submission via a contact form on their website at www.
nhtsa.gov/contact, or by telephone at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Vehicle Safety Hotline - 1-828-327-4236.
Additional information on emission control requirements from the EPA Vehicle Programs and
Compliance Division/Imports can be obtained by calling (202) 564-9660.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT) produces a comprehensive guideline document for vehicles being imported
from Canada. The document includes contact information for Canadian manufacturers from whom
you may obtain a compliance letter concerning your vehicle. You can obtain a copy by logging onto
your computer and visiting the NHTSA web site at:
www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import and look
for the link for “Vehicle Importation Guidelines (Canadian)