Join the community and post your question. Use our Ask-A-Tech for free now! ASE experts standing by.

Forum > Out of State Vehicle > Question

Thinking of Buying a Car from Canada

I'm thinking of purchasing a used car in Canada. It passes British Columbia's Air Care test, but I'm not sure if that means it will also pass California's test. It may also not have all the physical equipments installed on vehicles sold in California. What would you suggest I do to ensure that this car can be registered in CA prior to purchasing the car?

Answer:

Vehicles from other countries including Canada are less likely to meet U.S. specifications. Vehicles that were not built to meet U.S. specifications must be imported as gray-market vehicles. This can be extremely expensive and time consuming. If you are considering importing a foreign vehicle, you should review what the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has to say on this subject, as CBP controls what vehicles may be brought into the United States. Your intended vehicle must clear customs before it can be registered in any state, including California. The costs for a laboratory to modify and certify the emissions and safety equipment on a gray-market vehicle are considerable. You may wish to contact the California Air Resources Board to learn whether the specific vehicle you intend on importing will conform to California emissions regulations. The ARB number to call is (800)242-4450. posted by SmogTips Support

Related questions and answers you might find useful:

How Do I Get a Smog Check Waiver? by Margaret

Do I Need a Smog Check This Year? by Joy

Mini Cooper DMV Registration Due in 5 Day Won't Pass Smog by anne

2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo with K&N Air Filter by David

1995 BMW M3 Gross Polluter High HC & NO @ 15MPH by Jared

View SmogTips.com in: Desktop / Mobile