RIV Update For BMW Imports - Admissibility and Recall Information

Please note: Information regarding admissibility and recall information is only provided by BMW Canada.

This list is based on information supplied to Transport Canada and The Registrar of Imported vehicles by the Vehicle manufactures on a voluntary basis. Therefore, they do not have to provide it under any circumstances.

Moreover, if a manufacturer fails to supply any compliance or modification information at all on a particular make or model; the vehicle is also deemed inadmissible.

This information is under the control of the manufacturer, and therefore must be obtained directly from them.

If you wish to import any BMW into Canada then, please contact an authorized Canadian BMW or MINI Retailer to request a letter of admissibility and for information regarding the exact nature and costs of modifications required. The modifications vary by model and may be expensive. ALL modifications MUST be performed by an authorized Canadian BMW or MINI Retailer and must be completed before a recall clearance letter can be issued by BMW Group Canada. Prior to reviewing your request for a letter of admissibility, the following information must be
provided:

- Model
- Model year
- 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)

An official letter of admissibility from BMW Group Canada must be presented to a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer at time of importation. In addition, the official recall clearance letter obtained from BMW Group Canada once the required retrofits have been completed and documented by an authorized Canadian BMW or Mini Retailer must be presented to the Registrar of Imported Vehicles in order to properly register a vehicle.

Please note: BMW, Transport Canada and The RIV have all agreed that if you can prove that you've purchased the BMW BEFORE November 26th, BMW will issue a letter of admissibility free of charge.

You can contact BMWs Customer Relation department at 905-683-1200 for a letter.

Please be aware that as of June 1, 2007, BMW has initiated a new policy regarding recalls. We can only accept a letter from BMW Canada's head office typed on their official letter head. To obtain a recall document when you take your vehicle to an authorized BMW dealership, have it undergo a visual inspection, complete all recalls, and pay a fee of $500. At that point, BMW North America will issue a recall letter directly to you. The RIV will also automatically receive a copy of said letter directly from head office as well.

Under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act the responsibility for bringing an imported vehicle into compliance with Canadian safety regulations lies entirely with the importer; the RIV cannot be held responsible for any reason should the importer fail to complete the process successfully. Any information provided by the RIV is strictly based on the facts presented by the importer and reliance upon such information is at the importer's discretion.

The information contained in this email is intended to assist individuals interested in importing a vehicle from the United States, and contains information on the admissibility of various makes, models, model years and class of vehicles provided by the original equipment manufacturer. This information is contained on the List of Vehicles Admissible Form the United States which is available to the public on our web site at www.riv.ca or directly at:

http://www.riv.ca/english/US_vehicle_admissibility.pdf

The admissibility of any particular make, model and model year of vehicle can only be ultimately determined by a) the presentation of the vehicle to Canada Customs at the time of importation, b) the decoding of the VIN contained on the vehicle import form - form 1 as presented to Canada Customs, and c) the successful completion of the federal inspection.