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D19-12-2 - Importation of Tires

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MEMORANDUM D19-12-2

Ottawa, December 31, 1997

IMPORTATION OF TIRES

1. Amendments were made to this Memorandum to first reflect new names and addresses.

2. In addition, paragraph 14 was amended to indicate that shipments of regulated commodities originating in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming must also be referred to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency at the first point of arrival for authority to release.

3. Appendix A has been amended to reflect the following:

(a) in cases where no written or stamped declaration of compliance is provided at the time of entry, Transport Canada now requires the importer's telephone number (if available) and description of goods for new, on-road tires;

(b) entry documentation should contain the manufacturer's written or stamped declaration that the tire was manufactured to comply with the applicable Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for new, on-road tires imported from countries other than the United States; and

(c) it should also be noted that the requirements in Appendix A apply to shipments of tires and not tires mounted to a vehicle or a vehicle's spare tire.

MEMORANDUM D19-12-2

Ottawa, December 31, 1997

IMPORTATION OF TIRES

Revenue Canada assists Transport Canada with the administration of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act and the regulations established thereunder. In addition, the Department assists the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with the administration of the Plant Protection Act. This Memorandum outlines and explains the criteria that must be met in order to import new and used tires into Canada.

GUIDELINES AND GENERAL INFORMATION

1. The import requirements under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act and the Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations are provided by tire type in Appendix A.

2. The release requirements provided in Appendix A apply to shipments of new and used tires and not to tires mounted on a vehicle or a vehicle's spare tire.

Symbols

3. Symbols serve as the manufacturer's certification that all applicable safety standards have been met at the time of manufacture. These symbols are located on the sidewall of the tire. Symbols that apply to tires imported into Canada are:

(a) National Safety Mark or NSM: symbol used by manufacturers as certification that all Canadian safety standards have been met.

(b) DOT: symbol used by manufacturers as certification that all United States safety standards have been met.

(c) DOT-R: symbol used by the U.S. industry as certification that all United States safety standards have been met prior to being retreaded, remolded, or recapped.

(d) JIS: symbol used by manufacturers as certification that all applicable Japanese safety standards have been met.

4. Appendix B provides examples of these symbols.

Retreaded, Remolded, or Recapped Tires

5. Retreaded, remolded, or recapped tires that were built for sale in the United States must bear the symbol DOT-R on the sidewall.

6. A Tire Importer Identification Number (TIIN) is issued by Transport Canada to Canadian importers of used truck tires for retreading purposes from countries other than the United States. This number should appear in the description field of the customs release document and consists of two numeric characters or one alpha and one numeric such as "13" or "A1".

Non-complying Tires

7. In cases where tires do not comply with the release requirements outlined in Appendix A, Revenue Canada will either deny entry or detain the shipment except for new on-road tires that may be released upon providing shipment details to Transport Canada.

8. Detained tires will be subject to Memorandum D4-1-5, Storage of Goods Regulations.

9. Forfeited or abandoned tires will be subject to Memorandum D4-1-6, Disposal of Abandoned and Forfeited Goods.

Penalty Information

10. Any corporation that imports tires that do not comply with the safety standards made pursuant to paragraph 17(1) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act is guilty of an offense and is liable:

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding $100,000; or

(b) on indictment, to a fine not exceeding $1,000,000.

11. Any person who imports tires which do not comply with the safety standards made pursuant to paragraph 17(2) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act is guilty of an offense and is liable:

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both; or

(b) on indictment, to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Requirements

12. Imported used tires arriving in Canada are frequently found contaminated with soil and related debris. Many exotic plant pest organisms capable of causing economic loss to Canadian agricultural production can be transported in soil and related matter.

13. The following are subject to import requirements and inspection procedures to prevent the entry and establishment of injurious plant pests in Canada:

(a) used agricultural vehicle tires,

(b) used earth moving vehicle tires,

(c) used passenger and recreational vehicle tires, and

(d) used military vehicle tires.

14. Tire shipments of all regulated commodities identified in paragraph 13 must be referred to CFIA at the first point of arrival for authority to release. This requirement does not apply to used passenger and recreational vehicle tires originating from the continental United States.

15. All regulated commodities must be washed free of sand, soil, earth, and organic residue in the country of origin.

Additional Information

16. For additional information regarding the importation of new and used tires, the importer should contact either Transport Canada or Revenue Canada at the following locations:

Transport Canada
Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation Directorate
8th floor
Place de Ville, Tower C
330 Sparks Street
Ottawa ON K1A 0N5

Telephone: (613) 998-8616/1-800-333-0371
Fax: (613) 998-4831

Canada Border Services Agency
Admissibility Branch, Border and Compliance Programs Directorate
Sir Richard Scott Building, 14th floor
191 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa ON K1A 0L8

Telephone: (613) 946-0240
Fax: (613) 946-1520

17. Further information regarding the CFIA requirements may be obtained from the CFIA offices listed in Memorandum D19-0-0, Directory of Other Government Departments and Agencies.

APPENDIX A

Import Requirements under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act and the Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations

TYPE	ORIGIN	CUSTOMS RELEASE REQUIREMENTS
NEW ON-ROAD Passenger, truck, motorcycle, trailer, bus, or MPV,	USA	1) Entry documentation should contain the importer's written or stamped declaration that the tire was manufactured for sale in USA and meets all the requirements established under the United States National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966. 2) If no written or stamped declaration of compliance is provided at the time of entry (or time of release for CADEX participants), do not detain but advise Transport Canada, Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulations Directorate by phone or fax of the importer's name, address, and telephone number (if available), description, and quantity of goods.
	Other countries	1) Entry documentation should contain the manufacturer's written or stamped declaration that the tire was manufactured to comply with the applicable Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. 2) If no written or stamped declaration of compliance is provided at the time of entry (or time of release for CADEX participants), do not detain but advise Transport Canada, Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulations Directorate, by phone or fax of the importer's name, address, telephone number (if available), description, and quantity of goods.
NEW AND USED OFF-ROAD All types (For example: earth mover tires, racing slicks, farm tractor tires)	All countries	1) Designation for off-road use must be clearly and permanently marked on the sidewalls; i.e., off-road use only, not for highway service (NHS), for racing only, farm equipment; or 2) tire is of an obvious off-road design.
USED ON-ROAD All types except truck tires	USA	Tires must bear the U.S. DOT symbol on the sidewall of the tire (see Appendix B).
	Other countries	Not admissible. Deny entry.
USED ON-ROAD Truck Tires	USA	Tires must bear the U.S. DOT symbol on sidewall of the tire.
	Other countries	1) Tires must fit on a rim with a diameter of greater than 16 inches; 2) bear the Natioanl Safety Mark, the U.S. DOT symbol or the Japanese JIS symbol on the sidewall (see Appendix B); and 3) the Tire Importer Identification Number (TIIN), issued by Transport Canada, must appear on the customs release document.
RETREADED, REMOLDED, OR RECAPPED ON-ROAD	USA	Must bear the symbol DOT-R on sidewall of the tire (see Appendix B).
	Other countries	Not admissible. Deny entry.
RETREADED, REMOLDED, OR RECAPPED OFF-ROAD	All countries	1) Designation for off-road use; i.e., off-road use only, not for highway service (NHS), for racing only, or farm equipment, must be clearly and permanently marked on sidewall of each tire; or 2) tire is of an obvious off-road design; e.g., earth mover tires, racing slicks, or farm tractor tires.
SCRAP	All countries	Admissible for scrap rubber if at the time of entry the tires are rendered permanently unserviceable and irreparable either through slashing or puncturing the sidewall, or by otherwise permanently damaging the tires so that they cannot contain air.
EXEMPTIONS	All countries	Under section 7(1)(a) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, tires entered for exhibition, demonstration, evaluation or testing are admissible if a letter from Transport Canada authorizing temporary import is provided by the importer at the time of entry.

APPENDIX B

SYMBOLS

Tire symbols DOT, NSM, and JIS will appear on the outside of the sidewall between the widest portion of the tire (see profile below) and the bead. Tire symbol DOT-R will appear on the outside of the sidewall between the bead and the tread.

The sidewall is the portion of the tire between the tread and the bead. The tread is the portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road. The bead is the part of a tire that is shaped to fit the rim.

1) DOT

DOT