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Importing Vehicle From Canada

My question is about bringing a car or truck from Canada to the United States. Will it pass the California emissions inspection (smog check)? The car is made in and for Canada emissions. Thank you.

Answer:

Vehicle built in Canada are certified to Canadian requirements. While most Canadian cars and trucks are manufactured identical to U.S. emission standards it is possible they may be manufactured with or without a U.S. emissions compliance label; meaning they have not been approved as conforming to United States EPA requirements. If you plan on bringing a Canadian car or truck into the US, specifically California, you should verify the vehicle's Underhood Emission Label for an indication that it conforms to US EPA standards (including California emissions), even if the vehicle appears to be identical to its US counterpart. For model year 2002 and newer, most vehicles from Canada are acceptable for California import (or the US for that matter) without any emissions modification, and these vehicles can pass the California smog check. Keep in mind however that there are specific vehicle models that are built to "Canadian-Only" specficiations and are not eligible for US import. Questions about Canadian-Only vehicle models will be treated on a case-by-case basis by the EPA. posted by SmogTips Support

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