Five easy steps for the newbie importer

Note to self, always ask questions. And then ask more questions. Be polite and maybe feign the ‘innocent, bewildered blonde’ look and ask more questions. 

The border officer kindly gives you a printout of the steps needed to ‘properly import’ your vehicle. 

Step 1) Consult the list, note yet another almighty government website, visit said website. 

Step 2) Go through the ritual and confirm that yes, there’s no recalls issued for your vehicle. And pay the inspection fee.

Step 3) Email the governing authority of vehicles, as indicated, a copy of Form ‘x’ from the border. 

Step 4) Wait three business days to receive Form ‘x2.’

Step 5) Receive said form and get RIV (registrar of imported vehicles) inspection done.

Once this process is done, you may now be able to properly license and insure your vehicle in Canada.

Got it. This will be easy peasy. No problem-o.

Steps one through three I checked off rapidly.

Step four… a week goes by and nuttin’. I call, using a frustrated pleasant tone of voice.

Automated message ensues… select a number… “If you’ve have not received Form x2 and did send us a copy of your recall clearance letter…”

Hold the phone.

I had to send in the bloomin’ recall clearance letter?!??

Thank you, almighty government website, for once again screwing with me; that would have been nice to know a week ago.

More web page searching, find the appropriate number for the recall clearance department of my vehicle and I explain my predicament. Thankfully, it’s painless conversation and I’m assured I will receive an email with the letter in three business days.

A week goes by.

I call back. Good thing I kept that number, eh?

“Oh, it looks like that email bounced back. Was it spelled like….?” Umm, no. Piece of fluff from the other end had somehow transposed two letters in my email. Crucial, ya?

Once again I’m reassured of another three business days.

Finally, the recall clearance letter has hit my inbox!

Forward that baby immediately!

Surprisingly two days later I had a notification that Form x2 was ready to download.

Now, for step five!

I go to my local Canadian Tire and ya sure you betcha we can do that pesky RIV inspection right now.

To my dismay and disgust, this ‘inspection’ which cost me approximately two hundred dollars was just a brief check that my truck had daytime running lights, air bags, seat belts and other odds ‘n ends. The kid, probably still in high school or collegiate, as they like to say; signs and stamps, done. He faxes (faxes?!?!?!) the signed form off to the RIV and then I’m done.

Yaaaaaay. That was so cool. No hint of sarcasm there, right?

Whew! That’s done now I can make my way to the local office for licensing and insuring. Eh, I’ve busy this week, I’ll do it next week. (Keep in mind though, that you have forty-five days from import to get that all done.) Business days or regular days, is anyone’s guess. 

I get my RIV sticker to put on my driver’s side door, proof that it’s been properly exported/imported, I guess? And I’ve got time, let’s get this licensing business done.

Paperwork, paperwork… drivers’ license. Sure let’s do that too.

‘Sorry but we have to take your old license. They don’t allow you to have both here in this province.’

Oh, well, that’s a bummer. Not going to lie, I was pretty sad about that. I had been hoping to keep it as a memento, not to mention I had a really great SMILING color photograph on that license. Plus, I’ve had a SoDak license my whole driving life. It was really hard to let it go, she practically had to peel my fingers off of it one by one.

‘Shall we license and insure your truck today as well?’

Well, ya, that’s kind of the whole point of getting this crappy temporary paper driver’s license (I’m assured the actual one will arrive via mail in a couple of weeks, with the black and white, grim reaper-esque photo). Mug shot anyone?

And then it begins again. ‘Do you have this form… that form… etc.?’

‘Wait, where’s the safety paperwork?’

The safety paperwork from the RIV is right there, on your desk.

‘No, no, you have to have an ‘actual’ safety done. The RIV and this other safety.’

Well, double crap.

My fairy godmother of paperwork aka paperwork gremlin had struck again.

The hopes, dreams and wishes of registering and insuring my truck fell flat and died. They died right there on her desk with a pathetic ‘oomph!’

Apparently, paperwork lightning can strike the same place (or person) more than once. 

In my ramblings and reading of many, many web pages and almighty government websites did it not mention that a ‘safety’ had to be performed, like a conductor to his orchestra so there must be a safety to my truck.

Thank goodness for cell phones, mobile internet, data and google. I locate a number with the focus and intensity of hawk watching a mouse. It’s Friday at 4:30, maybe I can still sneak it in.

‘Sorry, bring it in Monday.’

Dang, well, no worries, Monday and it’s done.

Monday morning rolls around and I’m bright eyed and bushy tailed like the squirrel sitting in the tree outside my window and it’s show time.

I roll in, park, nonchalantly stride into the office. I’m ready, confident that this will all be done by lunchtime.

‘Bob isn’t in today. I thought he’d be back today but he said tomorrow.’ (Bob being the owner and guy doing the inspection for this fancy safety thingie.) ‘Come back tomorrow, same time.’

It’s Monday.

Time to go drink coffee.