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Memorandum D19-12-2
Locator No: 048B
In Brief
Ottawa, December 31, 1997
SUBJECT
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.
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Memorandum D19-12-2
Locator No: 048B
Ottawa, December 31, 1997
SUBJECT
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.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Guidelines and General Information 1
Symbols
2
Retreaded, Remolded or Recapped Tires
2
Non-complying Tires
3
Penalty Information
3
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Requirements
3
Additional Information
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Appendix A - Import Requirements under the Motor Vehicle
Safety Act and the Motor Vehicle Tire Safety
Regulations
Appendix B - Symbols
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.
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(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:
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(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 Canada Border Services Agency at the following locations:
Transport Canada
Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation Directorate
Place de Ville, Tower C, 8th floor
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 .
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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.
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TYPE
ORIGIN
CUSTOMS RELEASE REQUIREMENTS
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.
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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
2) DOT-R
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3) JIS
4) National Safety Mark
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REFERENCES
ISSUING OFFICE
Trade Policy and Interpretation Directorate
LEGISLATIVE REFERENCES
Motor Vehicle Safety Act
Plant Protection Act
Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations
HEADQUARTERS FILE
7624-3
SUPERSEDED MEMORANDA "D"
D19-12-2, June 30, 1995
OTHER REFERENCES
D4-1-5, D4-1-6, D19-0-0
SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT ARE AVAILABLE IN BOTH OFFICIAL
LANGUAGES.
THIS MEMORANDUM IS ISSUED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF
NATIONAL REVENUE.