(Legally) avoiding BC PST?

[Rural]

So I'm contemplating a trip to Vancouver to pick up a Delica. Being an Albertan, I'm new to this whole tax thing. Now, if I were to import the Delica directly from Japan into Alberta, I could avoid BC PST on the purchase price of the Delica. But is there any (legal) way of buying the vehicle from a BC dealer, bringing it into Alberta, but not paying the PST?

My expectation is that this isn't possible... At least, not easily. It would be nice to benefit from the selection of Delicas on the coast, but not have to pay a premium for it. Not that I wouldn't like to help the BC economy out even more than just paying for food, lodgings, and a vehicle while I'm there.

And I see that HST is coming pretty quick. I'm not sure if that will give me an incentive to move quickly or wait...

[Green1]

As long as the dealer has proof of alberta residency (a photocopy of your driver's license should suffice) he can sell you a vehicle PST free because it is being "shipped" out of province.
This is how it was done for me when I bought my L400, the dealer just had to have proof that I wasn't from BC and that the vehicle was not going to be registered in BC.

[jessef]

You pay GST & PST at the dealer

You pay PST when you register the vehicle in your name if you buy privately

*edited for my forgetfullness *

[Rural]

Wicked awesome!

[William]

I think a dealer must charge pst at the time of sale too ? Could be wrong... ? Doesn't a business have to charge both taxes on their products ?

[jessef]

When you buy a used car from a dealership, the dealership must charge you PST and GST.

When you buy a used car privately -- you just pay the "seller" the price they ask for the car.

When you take your transfer papers into an Autoplan agent in BC, they will collect the PST on the purchase price of the car that you declare on either the bill of sale or the transfer document (or both).

[Green1]

When you buy a used car from a dealership, the dealership must charge you PST and GST.

Unless you are not registering the car in BC, in which case they can avoid the PST because it is being shipped out of province.

[mdrive]

You don't have to PAY PST if you are not registering the vehcile in BC. After the purchase, don't register in BC, you need to get a Temporary Permit to drive out of BC. Dealer must make copies fo your DL as a proof that you are non resident of BC. You can read this:
http://www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/documents_libr ... ldKnow.pdf

[EnviroImports.com]

ALL the Deisel BC Delicas can get 100% of their purchase PST back from the goverment, and NO it does not have to be charged, Yes Im sure I just raised some eyebrows, but if you either go down the the PST office, Here in Victoria , its on the corner of Herald& douglas, or sent your recipt in by mail, with proof that your van is a DIESEL, IE: the bill of sale/ registration.......yes a photo copy is ok, your DIESEL is an alternative fuel vehicle and can run Pump fuel, Bio diesel, WVO , there is green incentives for alt fuel vehicles, you qualify for the pst rebate, your dealer should know this..... they can get the rebate number to enter into your bill of sale/ transfer form and you are exempt from the pst,
but if they did not do that, take your info down to the office or send it in, get your chq in the mail.....

but don't take my word for it, call them up, verify it for your self. Here in Canada, you want to get all the tax back you can. we sure pay alot of it every day, and its nice when it works out to help us...
Noel

[DeliTan]

ALL the Deisel BC Delicas can get 100% of their purchase PST back from the goverment,
....
Noel

Needless to say I was very intrigued to hear this. I looked it up on the net and found nothing so I called the Ministry of Finance who insisted there is no such program. I want to believe there is a chance to get my $826 back. Am I a sucker for a late April Fools joke or is there more info somewhere? Who should I talk to? Web page?

john

[Profister]

http://www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/documents_libr ... st_085.pdf

[EnviroImports.com]

follow the above posted link and make sure to specify that you have an alternative fuel vehicle.

[DeliTan]

These are the definitions from the above link. Even if we installed a separate tank, I don't see how we could get past point #2...

Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Definitions
A qualifying alternative fuel vehicle is a motor vehicle that meets the following three criteria.
1. It is manufactured to operate exclusively on electricity, ethanol, methanol, natural gas or propane, or operate as a:
 hybrid electric vehicle (see definition below),
 hydrogen fuel-cell bus (see definition below), or
 bi-fuel vehicle that has two separate fuel storage tanks so the vehicle can be propelled by:
 an alternative fuel, other than electricity (i.e. ethanol, methanol, natural gas or propane), or
 gasoline or diesel fuel.
2. It is new. A vehicle is considered to be new if it has not, since its manufacture,
been sold or leased at a retail sale or retail lease.
3. It is designed for use on a highway and is, or will be, licensed for use on a highway.

[insideout]

Any recent information on this? Who has done it successfully?

[izack98]

There seems to be some confusion by Noel on the definitions in the bulletin. I will admit the wording is confusing.
It says:
Definitions:
A qualifying alternative fuel vehicle is a motor vehicle that meets the following three criteria.
1. It is manufactured to operate exclusively on electricity, ethanol, methanol, natural
gas or propane, or operate as a:
- hybrid electric vehicle (see definition below),
- hydrogen fuel‐cell bus (see definition below), or
- bi‐fuel vehicle that has two separate fuel storage tanks so the vehicle can be
propelled by:
- an alternative fuel, other than electricity (i.e. ethanol, methanol, natural
gas or propane), or
- gasoline or diesel fuel.
2. It is new. A vehicle is considered to be new if it has not, since its manufacture,
been sold or leased at a retail sale or retail lease.
3. It is designed for use on a highway and is, or will be, licensed for use on a
highway.

What #1 means is - for it to be defined as an alternative fuel vehicle - it must operate exclusively on electricity, ethanol, methanol, natural gas, or propane OR operate as a hybrid electric vehicle, or hydrogen fuel-cell bus.
OR if the vehicle has two separate fuel tanks (one of which will contain) an alternative fuel (ethanol, methanol, natural gas or propane) and the other will contain gasoline or diesel. So - you have one tank that has gasoline or diesel which can make the vehicle operate, and you have another tank containing an alternate fuel (ethanol, methanol, natural gas, or propane) which you can switch it over to and also make the vehicle operate. It must be able to be operated on gasoline or diesel AND an alternate fuel. Not just diesel alone.

If you read it any other way - every brand new diesel truck you bought would be tax free....and I know that's not the case.

And yes.....the fact that there are no new Delica's here also impacts your ability to ever get any PST back (see #2).

Hopefully this clears it up. That's how I read it.
If anyone has had success getting their PST back (or not being charged) I'm sure we'd all be interested in hearing about it.

Here's the link to the bulletin: http://www.ryan.com/Assets/Downloads/Ta ... st_085.pdf