Importing a Prius hybrid to Canada – US Customs forms
July 14, 2007
I went ahead and bought a Toyota Prius in the US. As part of the import (or export, depending on your point of view), you are required to provide information to US Customs at least 72 hours prior to taking the car out of the US.
For those of you who are based in BC, here are the instructions from Blaine / Pacific Highway US Customs:
(1) – Information packet
(2) – Worksheet
(3) – Status Form
Make sure to use these documents when submitting your vehicle’s information.
By the way, I was unable to fax the forms over to the Customs office – it was constantly busy. Instead, I scanned them all and emailed them to the email address listed in the Packet. Within an hour I had received an email confirmation, with the date on which I’ll be able to export the car from the US.
I’ll be picking up my new car next week, as which point I’ll post all about the actual border crossing experience.
— Oren
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1. Importing a Prius hybrid to Canada - Step by Step Guide « The Mobile Net - From Useless to Useful | July 19, 2007 at 3:23 pm
[...] Send all the required info to US Customs (see my previous post) at least 72 hours before your pick-up [...]
2.
Dave | August 29, 2007 at 9:05 pm
I found your info very helpful. I printed them off and will finish with the cost process and proceed sending the documents via email. The salesman from my dealership wants me to wire the $ beforehand. Is that what you did as well?
3.
orenf | August 29, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Dave,
I did not provide any $$$ in advance. I gave the dealer my credit card number, as a “deposit”, although they did not charge it. I then showed up with a Canadian bank draft, in US $. I paid $1000 USD on my credit card, and the rest with the bank draft.
4.
Andrew | September 28, 2007 at 3:06 am
Hi There,
I am importing a Prius from the States.
The process seems fairly straightforward aside from the info that I have to provide to US customs.
How do I get the MSO? Who will provide this? The dealership? I am being coy about the fact that I am importing the car to Canada. Will asking for the MSO blow my cover?
5.
orenf | September 28, 2007 at 6:15 am
Andrew,
I’m not sure being coy about it is at all possible. If you don’t tell the dealer you’re exporting the car to Canada, they will:
(a) ask you for proof of US address,
(b) have you pay sales tax in the US (you’ll still have to pay GST/PST in Canada),
(c) have you license and insure the car in the US.
So there are clear disadvantages to not telling them you’re buying the car for export.
AND you need the MSO in order to go through US customs on your way back.
Theoretically you can buy the car in the US, get the MSO, send it to US Customs by fax, leave the car in the US for 72 hours, and then take it across the border.
You’ll also need No Recall Letter for Canada RIV – how are you going to get that one? Usually it is the dealer who provides it…
Why not let them know you’re exporting to Canada? If they can’t sell to Canadians, simply move on and try to find a dealer who will, IMHO.
6.
orenf | September 28, 2007 at 6:17 am
Andrew, one more thing – if you are forced to license the car in the US, you may lose tax rebates in Canada. Don’t know about the rest of the country, but in BC you only get your PST refunded if the car was never registered elsewhere.
7.
AU | September 28, 2007 at 8:43 am
Thanks for your responses Oren.
The dealer has been instructed not to sell for export to Canada.
I have not had any luck finding a dealer close to me who will sell for export to Canada.
As far as the dealer knows, I am registering the car in another State so I will not have to pay sales tax in the US. As for the US address, I am using my brother’s address (he lives in the US).
Again, I think that my only worry is getting a hold of the MSO. Will the dealer automatically provide me with a MSO? In other words, do you know if MSOs are only issued for the purpose of export or are they automatically issued with the sale of a new car?
Again, thanks for your help. Toyota is starting to get on my nerves….
8.
orenf | September 28, 2007 at 9:21 am
If memory serves me right, you need the MSO in order to register your vehicle for the first time. I certainly got mine from the dealer when I bought the car. They stamp the MSO and put your name as the purchaser. I’ll email you a copy of my MSO, so you could see what I’m talking about.
Then again, my dealer knew I was exporting, so my experience may differ from yours. But I _think_ you get the MSO. Either way, you get SOMETHING which is valid for US Customs (MSO, title, certificate of ownership, etc.).
It means you’ll buy the car, then have it spend +72 hours in the US, and then you can take it across the border.
9.
Syed | October 13, 2007 at 9:02 am
Please tell me where can i go and buy the Toyota Camry Hybrid car in USA. I don’t want to pay the local taxes in US. and how can i get the rebate for Hybrid in Canada ?
Thanks, Syed
10.
Serge Bergeron | October 17, 2007 at 3:14 pm
Thanks for all that info. I have found a dealer about 7 hours south of the border and I will be finalysing the sale tomorrow. I plan on paying – getting my registrations in the mail, faxing to the US custom and then 3 days later drive down to get my car and bring it back into Canada. I need to get the no recall letter and I think that is it. I have a new question I think?
The Prius is built in Japan, the US dealer must have paid duty to the US treasury – when it is imported into Canada it looks like they charge the 6.1% duty (because it in not a NAFTA production) somehow I see why Canada wants it duty but shouldn’t we be able to claim back the USA duty that was collected? Same principle as sales taxes GST etc. Souldn’t we be paying duty only in one country?
11.
Glen | October 25, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Did you convert to kms when you brought it in? I know the speedo switches with the press of a button, what about odometer
12.
orenf | October 25, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Glen: The odometer cannot be switched to kms. It is not required in order to register the car in Canada. note that all fuel-related calculations/displays are MPG, and the temperature is in F, not C.
Only the speedometer adjusts.
Oren
13.
Chris | November 5, 2007 at 8:42 am
We are purchasing a slightly used toyota in michigan from a dealer, we were charged 6% state taxes. We were told that we must pay state taxes and then of course canadian taxes. Does anyone know if there is a way to get a rebate on the state taxes?
14.
orenf | November 5, 2007 at 10:01 am
Chris, I don’t think you can get around it. See – http://www.michigan.gov/documents/485_72279_7.pdf – it clearly states you must pay the 6% if exporting the car.
At most, you should try and argue with Canada Customs so that you don’t pay GST/PST/Duty (if applicable) on the 6% tax. Not sure if they’ll go for it (you do pay GST/PST on the Duty they impose, so they seem not to care about double taxation).
— Oren
15.
Almost a Prius owner | November 6, 2007 at 11:54 am
Please note that the 2008 Prius is inadmissable for import to Canada as per RIV. Here’s the link to the most recent information:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/importation/VAFUS/list
16.
Almost a Prius owner | November 6, 2007 at 11:55 am
Please note that the 2008 Prius is inadmissable for import to Canada as per RIV. Here’s the link to the most recent information:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/importation/VAFUS/list/VAFUS.pdf
17.
Barney | November 14, 2007 at 8:55 am
In terms of driving the vehicle back – did you have plates for it? Were these ICBC or dealer supplied? Who provided insurance between you picking it up and it being ICBC registered?
Many thanks!
18.
orenf | November 14, 2007 at 9:25 am
Barney:
Before heading down south, I arranged for a temporary insurance binder with ICBC. It allows you to drive the vehicle from the US to your home (it expires as soon as you reach your home).
The dealer arranges for temporary WA state permit, which allows you to drive the vehicle out of state.
Together, both documents allow you to bring the car home.
Then, on the day you take to Canadian Tire for inspection, you get another temp binder from ICBC, get it inspected, go directly to ICBC and register the car.
19.
Jean-Marie | November 27, 2007 at 2:26 pm
seriously considering getting a prius from the US myself. am I mistaking or an 08 model showing a manufacturing date prior to 1st of september 07 would be admissable. I am thinking about having my wife doing the transaction with her passport from a European country. does that sound feasible? thank you for the very valuable infos.
20.
orenf | December 1, 2007 at 5:43 am
Jean-Marie:
I don’t know whether a foreign passport will make a difference. At no time are you required to present any form of ID, other than something that shows you’ll be exporting the vehicle. I showed a Canadian license + BC Hydro bill with a Canadian address.
As for ‘08 vs. ‘07 model: Since I bought an ‘07 model, I cannot comment on ‘08. If in doubt, simply call RIV and ask them whether a particular vehicle is approved or not.
21.
Ed | December 19, 2007 at 11:54 pm
orenf, the forms you left were awesome. I scoured everywhere and couldn’t find anything like them. Thanks
One thing…what are they asking when they ask on the worksheet:
“Is this a Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin?”
I’m planning to bring back a Toyota truck from New Mexico…possibly made in Japan.
22.
orenf | December 24, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Ed,
When you import a car, you need to show vehicle registration documents to US Customs (as well as to various Canadian agencies).
If you’re buying a brand new car, it has never been registered. You don’t want to register it in the US (otherwise you (a) pay sales tax in the US and (b) value of your car goes down), so the dealer provides you with an MSO. So the answer to the question on the forms “IS this a Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin?” is YES.
If you’re buying a used car then you’ll have US registration (title) to show.
23.
Eileen Skirrow | May 1, 2008 at 8:35 pm
What is the name of the port of crossing for Vancouver BC?
I cannot find the email address to send the documents too?
24.
Lori | June 7, 2008 at 6:06 pm
I was just wondering how it would work from Ontario. Do we need to find one still in Wa or can we do the same thing but in Detroit.
25.
Lori | June 7, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Also wondering all said and done what do you believe you saved in real dollars and time spent.
26.
orenf | June 7, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Lori,
Yes, the same would work in Ontario (PST rebate and all). The trick is to find a US dealer close to you, who’d be willing to sell to a Canadian. As the Prius is in demand in the US, it is even harder than it used to be.
All in all, back in 2007, I saved about $9,000 ($7,000 if you consider the federal rebate, which only applies to Canadian vehicles). Time spent was minimal – I spent some time on the phone, with the dealer; all the forms were emailed or faxed. Then I spent one day going to the US to pick up the car, and another day getting daytime running lights and registering the vehicle in BC.
In 2008 Toyota Canada lowered its prices, so the savings may be smaller. However, the US $ also dropped, so it may still be a great deal – use the posts on this blog, but plug in current Prius prices in US and Canada, and see what you come up with.
— Oren
27.
Marnitz Kritzinger | August 27, 2008 at 4:01 am
Hi there
I bought a used F150 when visiting the USA. I bought it in Arizona and told the dealer that I was exporting the vehicle to Canada. They charged me $770 sales tax. Can I claim the Tax back and how do I do it?
28.
orenf | August 27, 2008 at 8:27 am
Marnitz,
I don’t know much about your situation. There’s no process I’m aware of, in Canada, that will allow you to claim US sales tax.
As for Arizona, you should search for the DMV (department of motor vehicles) website, and see what they say about buying cars for export – sometimes there is a tax exemption in place.
— Oren