What is the pre-clearance system?
The pre-clearance system is essentially a “contract” between Transport Canada, the Canadian importer and the foreign manufacturer. Under the pre-clearance system, authorized Canadian importers can avoid the cost and inspection of the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) system, if the Canadian importer purchases Canadian specification vehicles directly from the foreign manufacturer. The foreign manufacturer must have a certification program in place, which ensures that all the vehicles produced for Canada complies with the applicable Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (MVSR). The Canadian importer ensures that only the Canadian specification vehicles from the foreign manufacturer are imported under this pre-clearance “contract”.
