Foreigner registering a bike in Canada
 

Hi I am looking to buy in Canada (Vancouver area) in the next 2 weeks. Are non residents premitted to register bikes in Canada? Also is someone able help me out with an address to register the bike?

Thanks

Craig

Craig,
Any luck on your intent to buy a bike and ride Canada? Any info will be o great help as I am planning to do the same Summer 2013.:innocent:

Amzah

Hey I did do this, in BC - the most amount of time they will let you register a bike for as non-resident is 6 months (and in my case only 3 months initially and I could only renew it in BC) and it is expensive. I still have the bike but it now registered in the US after the BC registration expired.

My suggestion is to buy, register and insure in the US and ride around Canada on US registration, much cheaper all round.

Hi,
Thanks for the info. At the moment I am thinking of buying a 2009 Wee in Alberta, as I am being assisted by our fellow HU members who lived in Calgary. But I have no clue what and how difficult it would be to register under my name. Any idea of cost implication incurred on you?

Amzah

Cost in BC was about $1,700 for insurance, transfer, tax etc. I think this will be much less in Alberta.

Amzah:

I am not aware of any legislation here in Canada that explicitly states that there is any different process for a "non-resident" to register a motor vehicle. So, if you have friends in Alberta, and they don't mind you using their address, I think you should be able to just register the thing like anyone else would. Heck, you don't need to have a driver licence to own and register a motor vehicle - any old grandmother out there who has never driven a day in her life can purchase and register a vehicle. But, to drive it, it is obligatory to have liability insurance, and that is where things might get a bit tricky.

Basically, don't volunteer any information about being a visitor, and see what happens.

Alberta has a lower sales tax rate than the rest of Canada (there is no provincial sales tax there, only the Federal GST, which is 5%. So, the whole purchase process will be less expensive (subject to less tax) than in any other province.

You might encounter a bit of difficulty getting insurance for the moto if you don't have a Canadian driver licence. The most likely problem that you would encounter is that you would be treated as if you have no driving experience at all, resulting in a fairly high price for insurance.

Best advice I can give you is to ask your friends in Alberta to make a few inquiries on your behalf, both at the registry office and at an insurance broker.

Michael

Ensure you have an International Drivers License class 6 (Motorcycle) and it would prove easier then just one from your home country. Alberta is definitively the best place to Plate a MC as they figure you will only run it for 6 months a year. In BC I pay over 1700 a yr with a 40 % discount. but thats with full coverage including theft and collision, in Alberta it was WAY cheaper. But here in BC on the west coast I ride year round while my friends in AB are digging snow from their cars.:D

It wasn't legislation as such, it was ICBC who said only 6 months for a non-resident.

Hi All,
Thanks lot for the info. What if I rent a bike from my friend; he owned the bike, insured under his name and authorised me to use his bike? Reckon that would be less hassle to ride across Canada and even into the US (Am planning to ride Alaska too)?

Amzah :confused1: