Prius Available In WA or OR

I haven't found any yet. Thought I had a line on a few on the Oregon coast, but haven't been able to confirm.

 

Be carefull when closing a deal this week unless you want a big sales tax surprise. There are some cars in the Seattle area but the car tags must be PURCHASED by Friday which is almost impossible at this point. I had received a lot of mis-information at dealers when I shopped at the beginning of the month and many of the WA notices did not include the footnote of what defines "deliver." It means get the car tagged and titled, not just drive it off the lot. So the dealer would need to agree to send someone to the tag office with the paperwork and bring the tags back by Friday as part of the sale. BUT you can't get the tags without a certificate of sales and use tax exemption (I obtained mine from the WA Dept. of Revenue after faxing the MSO and copy of PA - my understanding you need it in order to get tag). Most of the WA notices to the public about the premature end of the tax credit simply say vehicle must be delivered. Only a few have the footnote that delivery means title/tag. I made sure I had the proper certificate by dealing with a nice guy in Olympia. So if he can make a deal tomorrow he has a chance...but I would write it in the contract!

 

what do you mean by 'tag' exactly? do you mean metal plates with expiration sticker? Or do you mean the temporary paper plate that gets taped in the rear window?

I signed all my paperwork last Saturday, taking delivery on Thursday.

 

I think temporary tags are fine, my Dad called the DOL and they seemed to believe that that would work. You could call the DOL customer service at (360) 902-3770 to make sure.

 

Don't assume that the temporary paper plate is sufficient, as all new cars drive of the lot with these. I suggest contacting DOL directly, and being ready to do a bunch of footwork yourself on Thursday or Friday.

It might get miserable with this record-breaking heat.

 

Thanks cksasaki and fuzzy1. I'll be spending my lunch time on the phone trying to get an answer out of the DOL. Will report my findings here afterward.

I'm calling today "Prius Eve."

 

Wheeler toyota, grants pass, or had two as of yesterday afternoon.

 

Burien Toyota south of Seattle (South 150th and 1st Avenue South) claims to have one package 4 in Blizzard Pearl.

 

While I'm on hold with the DOL...

The doc at this location:
http://bit.ly/4tEq3A

says:

 

They said the same thing to me 2 weeks ago. I'd be really, really surprised if it is still there.

 

Dr. Tax Facts, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the WA state tax exemption

Note: the below info refers specifically to WA, I know nothing about OR...

So, A rep at the DOL suggested I call the department of revenue and gave me the number. which goes to voicemail for a guy named Joe at the dept of revenue.

I left him a vmail with my question and asked for a return call. He called me back w/in five mins. very pleasant surprise. Here's what I learned from Joe, and I reworded the question a couple of ways to make sure we weren't miscommunicating:

The phrase "registration and titling must take place during the qualifying time" means only that the dealer must submit the sale info to the DOL to start the registration/titling process before the end of business on Friday.

There are no special requirements for driving it off the lot, your temporary plate in the back window and your documentation from the sales office are what you need, just as with any normal new car purchase.

Joe said of normal non-exempt purchases, "we don't bill the buyer directly for the tax, that is charged to the dealership."

When I asked "so if the dealership doesn't get everything handled in time then the onus would be on them to cover the tax."

Joe responded "Well, I'm not a lawyer, but as long as they send in the info to the DOL on time then the sale qualifies for the exemption."

He also referred to the doc I linked to above, attached here, as being the doc for the facts on the exemption and requirements.

I think this deserves its own thread. I'll be crossposting.

 

Re: Prius Available In WA or OR/Sales tax exemp

DOL employees appear to have discretion but the strict interpretation of the law by the WA Dept. of Revenue inlcude getting your tag and title (subject to lien, etc.). The process is that when you pick up your tag, you provide the DOL employee with the DOR form that says you don't have to pay sales or use tax. My contact at DOR said that if you wait until next week, DOL employees are supposed to collect tax unles you have the waiver. Thats not to say I was told that no DOL will take it...I was not willing to gamble on $2,200. I have had the form but not yet picked up my tag for other reasons. The definition of delivery is not clear on all state notices and certainly not on many dealer sites.

“Delivery” means that registration and titling must take place during the qualifying time period and that the purchaser must take possession of the vehicle during the qualifying time period.

http://dor.wa.gov/Docs/Pubs/SpecialNotices/2008/sn_08_GreenVehicleExmpt.pdf

 

Re: Prius Available In WA or OR/Sales tax exemp

Please see my post above about my conversation today with a Dept of Revenue staffer.

There hasn't been a "strict interpretation of the law by the WA Dept. of Revenue" yet because no case has been put before them to decide on yet. If you know differently please post a link to information about the case and the written strict interpretation/decision document to which you are referring. The sn_08_GreenVehicleExmpt.pdf doc is a description of the intent and guidelines for the law and is not itself a "strict interpretation" and as you can see is itself open to interpretation, hence the confusion.

Who is your "DOR" contact and what phone number did you use to reach them?

Repeating my unanswered question above, what is this "tag" to which you refer? Are you talking about the metal plates, the temp paper plates, the expiration tab or something else?

Why are you using the phrase "when you pick up your tag" when all relevant documents are either handed to you by your dealer or mailed to you by the state?

How can a DOL employee be charged with collecting the tax when the dealer's finance/business person has already done the math and approved you for a loan and submitted the sale, request for registration and title to the DOL via computer.

Or did you buy your car with cash?

If you choose to answer only one of these questions, please make it this one:

What is this "tag" to which you refer? Are you talking about the metal plates, the temp paper plates, the expiration tab or something else?

 

Big thank you to my brother who posted this on my behalf. Proud owner of a Pruis 2010 IV with Navi.

As for the sales tax thing, both dealership and the DOL informed me that I must take care of this by Friday. This means that the title must be dealership to the DOL (I choose the one in Renton), and I also need the required documents from WA Dept of Rev. (which I just picked up). The dealership is doing an overnight mailing. I'm going to go in the office tomorrow. Will update when I know.

 

What are the "required documents from WA Dept of Rev"? What is the name and/or document number at the top of the documents please.

Are they available online or only in Olympia at the WA Dept of Revenue?

 

You must go into a local Department of Revenue and fill out a document with their official stamp. It was easy. All you need is your Purchase Agreement. Took me less than 5 minutes to get that done.

Here's more info: Name of the document: Declaration of Use Tax -then in smaller letters under that is "Chapter 82.12 Revised Code of Washington

I didn't have the document on me. I just went straight to the office. For me, I went to a local one, in Kent.

 

Sorry by tag, I mean lisence plates I am going to pass on the name of my DOR person as the person was nice and went out of his/her way...but anyone at their "compliance dept." should be able to assist. 1800-647-7706 (not sure which option as it was a maze). The form I am taking to DOL in the morning is called a "Declaration of Use Tax" form. They checked box number 7 (other) and said Hybrid tax exemption. No sales/use tax for WA resident. We are having a heat wave here so did not want to stand in line this afternoon!

 

Thanks. It strikes me as really strange that the Department of Revenue staffer I spoke with specifically said that I don't need to do any extra paperwork and that the dealer would handle it all.

Did your dealer mention why this was your responsibility when the state gets the tax directly from the dealer rather than directly from you?

Did you get a loan from Toyota, a different lender via the dealer, a different lender that you worked with yourself or did you pay cash?