Tanner2305

Wow, thought I had everything down to a science however when I presented myself to the motor vehicle license centre in toronto to pick up my temp tag I was told that I had to have a form 1 before they would grant me one. Well a week ago I explained to a woman at the same centre whaqt I was trying to do she said just come on it and get one before oyu head out to Buffalo to pick up the car......not!

so I called the MVA in Buffalo to ask the question. My insurance company rushed the pick slip for my car to me knowing that i need it to cross the boarder. Well the MVA told me they won;t accept the 'pick slip' rather want a letter singed for the insurance company....news to me at 3:00 pm on the Friday before the Monday I'm to pick the car up. I called the insureance company right away and they faxed me the letter within two hours...does it have all the info I need to get the in-transit tag .... who knows.

This last month has been trying to say the least. You ask 10 people a question and you get 8 different answers.

Wish me luch on Monday when I attempt to get me 'new' car accross the border.

Dan

Zookie

lol i just got back from Buffalo went to pick up $3000 in Turbo Parts from US ADDRESS for our Rabbit GTI Project... Paid $50ish at the Border

JimV8

It is interesting thats for sure. Form one is the RIV. There is a process thats in play and Lord help you if you deviate from it. Hope it worked out.

Brian 162

I'm bringing back a Chev. Tahoe from North Carolina.(I'm in West Virginia as I type this). I will be at the Queenston Lewiston border crossing Mon. am.
My insurance co. wouldn't insure my vehicle either until it had Ontario plates.
They did fax the dealer saying I have coverage so I could drive the vehicle ( on my existing policy).I didn't get an Ontario tag either. I.m using a North Carolina tag.
You will need a recall letter before you can get the RIV application started.
Did U.S. customs get a copy of the title for 72 hours?

Tanner2305

I faxed the title and worksheet to them on Thursday morning then followed up with a call. I asked if they could confirm receipt and he said there was far too much volume for him to go and look through the faxes. He said that as long as I have the fax confirmation everything should be ok.

The recall letter is in the glove box of the car so I should be good with that also.
Good luck on Monday. I should be at the border sometime mid morning.

Dan

JasonKM

i had the same issue with trying to get Ontario temp tags when I imported my 997. I bought is Mass, who don't issue temp tags. Ontario said I need RIV 1 form complete, so I explain that could only be done at the border so how was I suppose to drive the car there. I explained that I would have to get the car to the border crossing, leave it there while waiting for Ontario temp tag and go back and get it. They thought it made sense?

Went to another MTO office who said I only needed the original purchase agreement. They would not accept a fax, even from the dealer directly and it didn't matter that I had a copy of the wire transfer.

No issues with getting pick slip so I simply used the plates from my old car and drove back from Boston. No questions at the border, although they never looked at the car

jason

Turbodan

plates from old car is no longer allowed...I think you could face some serious charges for that now.

Bergamasco

I just brought mine over the border at Buffalo earlier this week and had very few problems.

Tanner2305

Did you gety a temp tag or did the dealer provide one for you? I'm sure I'm prepared for the border however don/t have a contingency plan should I get turned away.

dan

petee_c

I was tagless for about 2 weeks when I brought my '01 BoxsterS back from Chicago last year..... no problems, just a weird look from US Customs.

Apparently I was going to get a 10 day temp tag from Illinois from the Porsche dealership where I was buying the car.... but the day of delivery (wife and I flew down to Chicago on a morning flight) I got there and informed that apparently they can't get a temp tag for a Cdn resident.....

They - the dealership told me to drive tagless to the border. I drove the speed limit all the way home.... Getting insurance from statefarm was easy... just phoned in my VIN and they sent me a slip effective the date I was going down to pick it up.

Getting a temp tag from the Ontario MTO was equally as frustrating. They said I need an Illinois one, or one withing 7 days of the purchase date..... It seems I gota different story from everyone I talked to... Dealership, Cdn Customs officer who started the RIV at the border, MTO..... For some reason, it's just not as simple as here's a 30 day tag, cost you $50. Go get your car safetied, and canadianized, and come back for your real plates.

I found illinois temp tag online, and had something similiar (thx to Photoshop and inkjet) taped to my back wind blocker for 2 weeks while driving around sparingly to get RIV inspection, safety, new tires etc. Having a new toy, I did take it to work once or twice.).... I had copies of my bill of sale, insurance, RIV paperwork in the car with me....

no problems out here in the hicks.

P

aron in toronto

I was told over the phone by a Canadian Customs official prior to importing my car that I could drive it over with the sellers plates and a Bill of Sale, but when I arrived at the border crossing, I was told that my info was wrong and that I couldn't cross w/o a temp tag. They said the tag issue was out of their jurisdiction, but not to worry as they had already radioed an OPP officer waiting outside the border station and had given him a description of my vehicle and the plate number and that he would stop me and impound my vehicle if I attempted to drive back to Toronto.

I was (mis)informed that my only option was to trailer/flatbed it home from there.

Luckily I found a MTO office in nearby Fort Erie where a clerk advised me to leave my car at the border station and, drive over in a second vehicle with valid plates, pick up a temp tag, go back to the station and bring the my car in with the temp tag.

I was disappointed with the Canadian Customs giving conflicting info and border officials that were hostile through the import process and were unwilling to offer any helpful suggestions for a solution to what must be a common issue they deal with on a near daily basis. There is more to this story but what I wanted let you know that you should be able to leave your car at the border and get a temp tag at the closest MTO “counter” and bring the car in w/o any issues.

Hopefully this is water under the bridge at this point and you back home enjoying your new car.

Regards,
Aron

boman993

Great info here guys!

Tanner since you haven't posted in a while I'm guessing you're enjoying the new
Carrera! Make sure to fill us in on what happened at the border Monday.

Bergamasco

I got a temp tag from my dealer. I have had no problems. There was a minimal charge to purchase it.

Crazy Canuck

I got a temp tag from a dealer in Illinois and drove my car home. No problems at the border.

Hottest customs agent (female) I've ever seen says "I can't see your plate" I answer "I don't have one" She laughed.

I was in and out of both US Customs and Canada Customs in under 1/2 hour. I crossed at Port Huron/Sarnia.

Brian 162

I came through Lewiston this morning.As long as you have the proper paperwork the process was painless. They didn't even look at the vehicle. The staff on the US side were very helpful.
The Canadian side was just as easy. Paid the fees and I was on my way.
I'm now working on the RIV portion. I went to the office in person and got the Form 2 doccument.
As far as the plate goes I have a North Carolina temp. tag.