The Appendix F and Appendix G Pre-clearance Programs make border processes more efficient for Canadian commercial importers of eligible vehicles.
The imported vehicles must be new, fully compliant with Canadian specifications, and bought directly from foreign manufacturers registered with the programs. These vehicles have not yet been sold at retail, owned, titled, or licensed.
The Motor Vehicle Safety Act S.C. 1993, c.16 requires that imported vehicles comply with all applicable regulations at the time of manufacture, before entering Canada.
You can find classes of vehicles and standards in "Schedule III" of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations.
Vehicles imported under Appendix F and Appendix G do not qualify for the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) program.
On this page
- Appendix F Pre-clearance Program
- Appendix G Pre-clearance Program
- Contact us for more information on importing vehicles
Appendix F Pre-clearance Program
The Appendix F Pre-clearance Program is for Canadian commercial importers who import over 2,500 vehicles per year. Importers listed on Appendix F are not restricted to a particular class of vehicle.
The requirement for a Vehicle Import Form (Form-1 declaration) is waived, and vehicles are documented according to protocols managed by the Canada Border Services Agency and other government departments.
The commercial importer must be listed on Appendix F to import vehicles via Appendix F pre-clearance.
Appendix G Pre-clearance Program
The Appendix G Pre-clearance Program is for Canadian commercial importers who import less than 2,500 vehicles per year from foreign manufacturers. These must be from vehicle classes registered in the program.
The vehicles' entry must be recorded on the Vehicle Import Form (Form-1 declaration) or on an E-form from the Registrar of Imported Vehicles.
The foreign manufacturer of the vehicle, and the class of vehicle must be listed on Appendix G.
Find out more by visiting our Frequently Asked Questions about Appendix G.
Importers who buy new vehicles directly from foreign manufacturers that are not listed on Appendix G must use Transport Canada's case-by-case importation process.
Contact us for more information on importing vehicles
Transport Canada
Motor Vehicle Safety
Telephone: 1-800-333-0371 (toll-free), 1-613-998-8616 (Ottawa region)
Email: mvs-sa@tc.gc.ca
Related links
- FAQ – Appendix G pre-clearance Program
- Appendix F List of Canadian recognized vehicle importers
- search Appendix G List of Foreign Vehicle Manufacturers
- Vehicle Import E-form
- Guidelines on Enforcement and Compliance Policy
- Importing a vehicle (main page)
This web site is meant as a helpful reference. It has no legal force or effect. To fully understand the law, consult the Motor Vehicle Safety Act S.C. 1993, c.16, and the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations.