Importing a Prius hybrid to Canada – Step by Step Guide
July 19, 2007
Just got back a couple of hours ago from WA state with my brand new Prius.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to import your Prius, based on my experience:
(a) Find a Toyota dealer who’ll deal with you. This is a lot more difficult than it sounds, since Toyota does not allow its US dealers to sell to Canadians.
(b) Finalize the deal.
(c) Send all the required info to US Customs (see my previous post) at least 72 hours before your pick-up time.
(d) On the day before you pick the car up, get a temporary insurance binder from ICBC (or your provincial authority). This will allow you to drive the car home, provided the dealer set you up with temporary US permits.
(e) Go across the border.
(f) Pick up your car.
(g) Go back to the border crossing. Present your MSO to US Customs. They’ll compare it against the information you had sent them, and then they’ll stamp your MSO. This took about 45 seconds.
(h) Go to Canada customs. They’ll fill out RIV Form 1 for you. You’ll pay $206 RIV fee + duty + GST. All can be put on a credit card.
(i) Go home (don’t collect $200…) 
I picked it up from the dealer just in time – they told me that Toyota is applying more and more pressure, and that they (the dealer) have now suspended sales to Canadians. Up until now they were just about the only dealer in WA state to sell to Canadians.
— Oren
7 Comments Add your own
Leave a Comment
Some HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <pre> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed
1. Toyota Fan's Club | July 20, 2007 at 2:06 am
Hybrid Car Grabs A Victory For Toyota
I know, you still got the hangover from the news two weeks ago about the Prius going 105 miles per hour! That’s amazing but we have a different story right here. It’s not about the usual Subaru brake calipers or any car parts. This is something speci…
2.
Craig | July 23, 2007 at 9:03 pm
Hi,
Thanks for the info, very interesting.
Do the dealers need to know I am from Canada? Do they need to see a driver’s license or anything to sell me a car?
I am quite interested in a Prius myself. Should I just phone around to dealers and be upfront that I am from Canada, and hope someone will sell me a car? Is that what you did?
Do you know anything about their availability? Are they hard to find?
thanks,
craig
3.
orenf | July 23, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Hi Craig,
If you don’t let them know you’re from Canada, you’ll have to pay sales tax in the US (although in some states there is no sales tax).
That not withstanding, you run the risk of them refusing to deal with you once you show up with your bank draft.
Just shop around – email/phone, etc. Eventually you’ll stumble on someone who’ll take your $$$.
Two dealers that come to mind in the NW are: Wilson Motors in Bellingham and Tonkin Toyota in Portland OR.
As far as I know, as of last week, sales to Canadians have been suspended (this may no longer be the case).
4.
Linda Mooney | February 3, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Hi Oren,
We are considering buying a 2008 Prius and it seems I read somewhere on your site that they are not allowed to be imported into Canada. Is that still valid? Also, I think I read that the GST rebate is not applicable to imported cars. Am i remembering right?
Thanks so much for all your comments. We’ve been looking on-line to find a 2008 Prius and think we may have to go to Tuscon AZ to find a dealer. We live on Van. Island. Sure would be nice to just go across the border. What’s the current status with the dealer you bought from. You mentioned they were ‘open for business again’. Had they closed?
Thanks, I look forward to hearing from you.
Linda
Sooke, BC
5.
orenf | February 4, 2008 at 9:09 am
Hi Linda,
Re status of ‘08 Prius – I don’t have any first-hand information, as I bought mine in ‘07. The easiest way to resolve this is by calling RIV (www.riv.ca) and asking them. They are quite friendly.
I bought mine at Wilson Toyota in Bellingham, WA. Dealers “open” and “close” their doors to Canadians depending on how desperate they are to sell. Formally, they are not allowed to sell to Canadians (not a legal issue, a Toyota US issue), but ever so often you find a salesperson who wants to play ball, and push the transaction through.
Just call and ask. Call them towards the end of the month/quarter, when sales quotas are all-important.
Read the other posts/comments – other dealers were mentioned.
— Oren
6.
Dave | April 27, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Hi Oren, I was wondering, when importing a prius from the US did you have to pay the 6.1% tax since the car is built in japan?
also has any one imported a prius in Ontario?
Thanks!
7.
orenf | April 27, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Dave,
Yes, I paid the 6.1% duty.
You can try and look for Ontario folks on the Prius board – http://www.priuschat.com – simply post any questions on the main forum.
Yours,
Oren