Anyone have insight on importing an Ambulance (From U.S.A to Canada) for conversion?

AuroraBorealis

New member
I know its an extremely broad question, but Im sort of running out of time to figure things out and whether I want to secure a possible Ambulance from the states.

Im getting lost in all of the details such as,
  • Emissions testing requirements in Canada (Ambulance is a 2000 Type 1 Ambulance 7.3L Power stroke engine, Diesel)
  • Do I need anything beyond a G level drivers licence?
  • Registration specifics (This is my first vehicle so literally this whole thing is brand new to me)
  • Purchasing the unit from the dealer.
  • Importing it into Canada and all of the paperwork and rules.
  • Having to either fly down and pick it up which has an estimated cost of between $1,000 - $2,000. Or pay a shipment company to deliver it which Im estimating at $2,000 - $4,000. (Total distance is roughly 1500 miles)
  • Removing all decals and lights and making it road worthy for every state I might drive it through, as well as Ontario.
  • INSURANCE! Which seems to be an entire ordeal in and of itself...

E.t.c with anything else I might be missing because I've been researching a lot of these things non stop and its literally 7 a.m. and just getting to sleep.


Has anyone ever bought an ambulance from the states and imported it? Do you have any advice for me with anything I wrote or anything I might be forgetting?

Id love to get into this whole life and post my (Middle of no where winter camping with wood stove) conversion, but Im starting to get discouraged. Both by the possibility of high cost (All in) to acquire the unit and the chance it may never see the road or be allowed into Canada due to some issue I didn't expect. Maybe its best I just forget about this for the time being but at the end of the day I think Ive found the one unit that feels like the right one for me. I'll stop typing because I don't think I can ever feel like I've asked enough questions, but literally anything is appreciated. Whether you've gone the 9 yards or even just bought an ambulance that was already IN Canada/Ontario, or perhaps to link another post with some helpful stuff in it.
 

Stevemo

Member
You need to investigate getting a RIV for it. If you can't get a RIV don't buy it. A G license should be fine as it isn't a bus.
I would register it at the maximum weight possible without requiring an annual inspection.

Importing a vehicle is well documented, you need to have all of the documentation in hand and send it to the US government a couple days in advance of going across the border. I'm not sure how you would drive it into Canada without plates, that would be something to figure out. I towed a car across the border and it went well. There was some disagreement on what I paid for the vehicle as the border agent thought my $2200 piece of junk was worth millions of dollars but eventually we got past that... He thought I must have brought down a $2200 bank draft and a suitcase of cash with me to pay for it but luckily I had some notes and correspondence with me that proved the value of the car.

Getting insurance will be expensive unless you inform the insurer that it is an RV and not a commercial vehicle. It is clearly an RV so don't even talk about it being an ambulance and don't say the word conversion/modified. Just tell them it is a Crestline RV or whatever brand ambulance it is. Maybe somebody in Ontario that has an ambulance can chime in more on this.

Here is a recent video on how to do it but this guy paid somebody to help him:
 

AuroraBorealis

New member
You need to investigate getting a RIV for it. If you can't get a RIV don't buy it. A G license should be fine as it isn't a bus.
I would register it at the maximum weight possible without requiring an annual inspection.

Importing a vehicle is well documented, you need to have all of the documentation in hand and send it to the US government a couple days in advance of going across the border. I'm not sure how you would drive it into Canada without plates, that would be something to figure out. I towed a car across the border and it went well. There was some disagreement on what I paid for the vehicle as the border agent thought my $2200 piece of junk was worth millions of dollars but eventually we got past that... He thought I must have brought down a $2200 bank draft and a suitcase of cash with me to pay for it but luckily I had some notes and correspondence with me that proved the value of the car.

Getting insurance will be expensive unless you inform the insurer that it is an RV and not a commercial vehicle. It is clearly an RV so don't even talk about it being an ambulance and don't say the word conversion/modified. Just tell them it is a Crestline RV or whatever brand ambulance it is. Maybe somebody in Ontario that has an ambulance can chime in more on this.

Here is a recent video on how to do it but this guy paid somebody to help him:


Luckily, it seems as the vehicle is older then 15 years I am exempt from RIV intervention. Which is a plus, although provincial and national regulations still seem to be applied.
Im trying to figure out the gross weight thing right now, the GVWR "Gross Vehicle Weight Rating" is 12,000 lbs / 5450 kg, but the actual weight is only about 7,000 lbs / 3,175 kg. Ontario mentions a "Registered Gross Weight". Im hoping this is the actual weight of the unit, otherwise I risk possible annual inspections and CVOS certificate requirement.

While Im trying to be cost effective I may just get a customs broker to handle the customs work, but still looking into that avenue and what the actual paperwork is without all of the RIV stuff. My big concern is that its an Ambulance so it just creates more layers of possible complexity. When you towed your vehicle, did you have to be present at the border? What was the cost like?

Going to call a ton of insurance companies tomorrow to get possible information on temporary travel insurance, but you're right about the plates..... Add that to another reason to support shipping it.
 

Stevemo

Member
You do not need to register the van for its full GVWR, register for 1 kg under the weight requiring annual inspections and do not exceed that weight.

The cost was OK, the US part of the paperwork is weird because you have to submit it in advance and they give you no confirmation information (this was 5 years ago I think?). I also had a problem leaving the US because you are on the wrong side of everything when exporting. You need to cross all of the oncoming lanes and go to the location where they would interogate you. I went the long way around and did a u-turn which they were not too excited about... :) Once you arrive you tell them what you are up to and somebody will come outside to verify the VIN on the vehicle. If that is OK they give you paperwork and you head to the Canadian side.

When you get to the Canadian side you show them the US paperwork and they give you more paperwork to bring to the MTO. I think they also charge you federal tax but you pay the provincial tax when you register the vehicle in your province.

One thing to consider is that you will be driving what appears to be a commercial vehicle in various US states. In some states they require all vehicles with custom work bodies to go in to the scales but I think you'd be taken off the road considering the unknown condition of the vehicle and lack of paperwork. I towed my car with an RV so I was able to skip dozens of scales despite being overweight.
 

Pntyrmvr

Adventurer
Get the insurance sorted out first. Emissions inspections are provincial jurisdiction. Look it up. Ontario dropped in April 2019.

If you are tight on time and money hold off.

Panic abounds and interferes.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk
 

AuroraBorealis

New member
Hey, just want to post an update regarding things. Ive been super busy figuring out all the details.

In terms of shipping the Type 1 Ambulance to a border location that was roughly 1,000 Miles from pick up location, I was quoted $2500 US (+ Tax). Not a binding quote, just a run of the mill hopeful quote. Ive heard of people being actually quoted 2-3x of the amount listed.

For a company who was willing to deliver it to me personally, they quoted $2500 US (+ Tax) to get it to Toronto (300 to 400 Miles).

From Toronto to my Home city (Approx 1400 Miles with this route), I was quoted $4400 US (+Tax).


Seems like Im paying out the wazoo if I want to get it shipped, compared to an estimated $2000 CAD if I flew down and picked it up myself. Even though this brings much more stress.
 

Stevemo

Member
Call the US DOT and see what you need to legally drive it. Maybe you can make some decals that say "Recreational Vehicle - Not For Hire" or something along those lines. I was in New York this week and noticed one of the inspections stations only required trucks 5 Ton and above to pull in.

Can you pay the seller to drive it to the border or have them find somebody who will drive it? Driving it to the border with the plates still on it would reduce problems significantly. Where is it located and where are you located? You could have a tow truck grab it from the US side and drop it at an Ontario garage for the safety. I seem to remember the MTO offering me temporary plates when I registered my car from Carolina but it didn't have an engine so I passed on that one. If you got a temporary plate you could drive it home and deal with the safety later. The MTO also let me pick the 4-letter vehicle brand when I brought the car over. I picked HUPP because it was a Hupmobile. You could pick the brand of the ambulance if you wanted, it's a weird operation. The insurance company will run the VIN and know what the chassis is but it doesn't have to be registered that way. I ended up picking up that car myself after getting some bizarre responses from people on u-ship...they are just fishing to see what you can afford to pay, it's nothing to do with what it costs.

Lastly, you want the insurance slip to refer to it as a "2000 Crestline RV" or something similar. I had a "1991 Dodge B250 Roadtrek" previously and there was a misunderstanding between me and the insurance company. It had been insured as a "Dodge Passenger Van" because they would not insure Dodge Commercial Vans (they ran the VIN and said it was a commercial van, I explained to them it was a camper that started out as a commercial van...long messy conversation with somebody that goofed things up trying to be helpful). Well, it ended up it shouldn't have been insured as a Dodge at all...they reissued insurance slips 3 years later indicating it was a "1991 Roadtrek Versatile" and cut my insurance rate in half. They also said they may not have provided coverage it if it was involved in an accident while insured as a Van. I now have a 2004 Roadtrek and they had to get permission from their underwriter to insure it and because of age only gave liability insurance. The 2004 is still worth a lot of money so I had to then go get an appraisal on it to obtain full coverage. The 2004 Roadtrek is a Chevrolet Express 3500 so again it was a big battle over it being a commercial vehicle and took several days before they decided they would cover it...all very painful.
 

Bikersmurf

Expedition Leader
I’d consider buying North of the 49th. I bought mine for way less with no hassles. Provincially maintained ambulances are worked hard, but are religiously maintained with essentially no budget. In contrast I’ve read quite different stories of ambulances owned by for profit companies.

When I bought mine for a song, I brought the transfer & registration papers to an Autoplan office, got it registered and was leaving within 20 minutes... no headaches and ok insurance rates for a business vehicle.
 

Bikersmurf

Expedition Leader
7.3

6.0 w/18k of engine work last year... either a good option because the 6.0 is fixed or a sign to run away.
 

AuroraBorealis

New member
I apologize for the delay since last posting, I was a little bit too busy to be able to come to the forum but unfortunately I wasn't able to acquire that ambulance. Had someone swoop in last minute that offered enough over asking where I didn't think it was worth it anymore.

Granted, Id like to update this with some more information in the event another Canadian is looking into this whole thing.

  • First is the CVOS certificate, where the vehicle must be registered or have a GVWR of under 4500kg, (I read somewhere personal trucks could have been increased to 6500kg provided they meet specific requirements).

- While this issue was on the forefront of my mind, I no longer believe it would apply. Should I buy an ambulance to convert it, it would not be a commercial vehicle under any circumstances as it would be registered as a RV/Motorhome/Camper. While I am not entirely certain, a RV is not limited by the 4500kg weight rating on a G licence, or at least I have not been able to find otherwise. Which means I could register it as 11,000 kg and not need any additional documentation.

Canadian legislation is very difficult to understand on this issue, as it almost implies the GVWR must be under 4500kg to be exempt from the CVOS or other driver licence requirements such as D or A. And that it all comes down to misinterpretation or asking the question wrong. I do believe an RV is not bound by any of these rules.


  • To import it into Canada, you very likely need a broker.

- Very unfortunate to have to pay between $200 and $500 for a broker, but It seems its necessary. Apparently there is a thing called an ITN which is required to export it (Could be named something else). Ive heard you can pay about $80 online to get it yourself to avoid the higher broker fees.

In my opinion, its probably best to get the broker. I was quoted $300 to handle both the export and the import of the vehicle. While Id love to save a couple bucks I think it may be worth the peace of mind in and of itself.


  • As of my last post, shipping is bonkers.

- Boy. I wasn't expecting 7 grand USD for such a mediocre distance. If you want to import the vehicle, it might be best to get a flight down and pick it up yourself. I was able to assume a cost of about $500 CAD for a one way flight from Ontario to NY area, plus about $200 CAD bucks to take buses/trains/taxi to the location. Plus about $2000 CAD for the cost of gas, food, e.c.t if I drove straight back. Total about $3k CAD. Expensive but can be a good deal if you already secured a solid price for the unit.

I've heard bad things from U-ship, and when I called to get a quote I was ping ponged around to about 4 people, and every time I felt like I just stepped foot into there bedroom and woke them up from a nap. In the end, after they made me feel like I was a pariah, they quickly gave me a phone # which I didn't hear correctly and immediately hung up. If you have had good dealings with them then Im happy for you, but boy oh boy Id be extremely careful. They dont exactly instill confidence or even competence.

In my case, I am reconsidering flying if I find a US unit. I am tempted to just rent a car so I can take my dog with me and not have to kennel her. Probably will equal about the same cost as flying in total but i get to bring my best friend.


  • Plates, insurance, e.t.c

- When it comes to insurance Im getting a bit annoyed. It seems like to insure it I have to insure it as what the chassis is. And despite it being an RV they want to charge me truck prices. I was quoted $1500 CAD a year for the absolute minimum Ontario insurance. About $2700 CAD for total comprehensive insurance with a $2k CAD deductible. Im not sure if this is normal but I was expecting much lower rates for a RV, but its hard to find a reference as everyone's case is different.



  • A question Id love to ask, Ive seen some more units with lots of outside storage that take up a lot of room on the inside compartment. Are these easily removed? Is it worth it to take an angle grinder and cut them out or should I just look for a unit with a comfortable amount of space from the get go? Im a perfectionist so Id hate to cut out solidly installed metal compartments.



Ill update with more in the future, but I just wanted to give a bit of info. Id like to thank everyone who commented aswell.

I see Stevemo has said a lot of helpful things of which I just reread and he speaks of several things I just mentioned and solves a lot of problems Ive been having. While I havent directly referenced it I will soon! Thank you for the personal experience, you've helped more then you know!
 

Bikersmurf

Expedition Leader
Those insurance rates seem nuts. ICBC isn’t known for giving any deals... but even with business coverage, I’m paying about $1300/year with a $200ish deductible. I’ve got the maximum discount of 45% for 10 years of accident free driving, but we get 40% after 4 years.

Crestline Newera boxes have a minimum number of external compartments. @Abitibi has gutted his. I believe he just left the external doors and didn’t attempt to fill them in. They can allow for easy access to get things from inside.

The construction of the box is very robust so welding over the holes wouldn’t be difficult. Making the patch disappear would be much harder, but not impossible. I’m not a fan of filled, so I’d rather see an imperfect patch than have a gallon of filler to blend it in.

Our licenses are a bit different here. The standard class 5 allows for even a 19k garbage truck (with air endorsement), up to 12 passengers, and even an ambulance that’s not in service. You have far more hurdles to jump through there... but it’ll be worth it in the end.
 
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Joe917

Explorer
I don't Know what province you are in but weight should not be an issue. In Ontario you can drive an RV up to 11000KG on a G license.
RVs are exempt from commercial scales.
When it arrives it will be an ambulance not an RV. That will be the biggest issue.
 

Stevemo

Member
Try calling these people to see if they have an ambulances coming up: https://www.adesapublicauctions.ca

I attended an auction in Ayr run by these people back some 10 years ago and it was a total criminal operation so be mindful of that. :) If you go in person to bid do not talk to anybody as the handlers are trying to figure out what you are after and will bid you up when the time comes. The antics were too frequent and broad to go into right now so stand back for a few hours and watch it all go down before you try to bid. The did have a pack of ambuli back then.

This is another option as the miliary has ambulances. https://www.gcsurplus.ca/mn-eng.cfm?snc=wfsav&vndsld=0
As for them, do not bid until the last second once you understand how the website operates. I had a friend who was trying to buy an AWD van from there for months but kept getting outbid. He eventually went down to the pick-up place to see what was going on and he determined it was always the same people buying the vans. They had figured out a way to know the highest bid and would snipe it at the last minute.
 

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