A hard stop
The manufacturer won’t give a recall clearance
This is one of the situations where the answer is genuinely “you can’t” until it’s resolved. Proof of no outstanding recalls has to reach the Registrar of Imported Vehicles before the vehicle is imported — and without it, the vehicle can’t be imported. No fee or workaround changes that.
No recall clearance = you cannot import
Recall clearance is mandatory and must be provided to the RIV before importation. Some manufacturers refuse to issue clearance letters for once-salvaged vehicles, and some charge a fee to issue one. If a clearance can’t be obtained, that vehicle may simply not be importable — better to learn that before money is spent moving it.
What to do now
- Confirm what’s outstanding. Identify the open recalls on the VIN so you know exactly what a clearance would need to cover.
- Ask the manufacturer directly whether they’ll issue a recall clearance for this VIN — and, if the vehicle was ever salvage-branded, ask specifically, since that’s where refusals cluster.
- Get the recall work done and documented where that’s what’s blocking the clearance.
- Check with the RIV before spending more. If the manufacturer won’t issue a clearance, confirm with the RIV whether any path exists for your case before you pay to transport the vehicle.
The RIV help line is 1-888-848-8240. The governing rules are on Transport Canada’s FAQ on importing vehicles from the US.
Common Questions
Can I import a US vehicle without recall clearance?
No. Proof that there are no outstanding recalls must be provided to the Registrar of Imported Vehicles before importation. Without recall clearance, the vehicle cannot be imported — this is a hard requirement, not a fee or a delay you can work around.
The manufacturer won’t give me a clearance letter. Why?
It happens, and Transport Canada acknowledges it: some manufacturers refuse to issue recall clearance letters for vehicles that were once salvage-branded, and some charge a fee to issue one. The refusal is the manufacturer’s, not something the RIV can override.
Is there any way around it?
There’s no path that skips the clearance. Your options are to resolve it at the source — get the outstanding recall work done and documented so a clearance can issue — or, if the manufacturer simply won’t issue one, that vehicle may not be importable. Confirm your specific case with the RIV before spending more.
Where to go from here
Guidepost is not a law firm. This is general information, not legal advice — for your specific vehicle, confirm requirements with the RIV and Transport Canada. Full disclaimer. Last updated: July 2026.