Using Evo car share in B.C.: how to sign up, what it costs, where to end your trip, and how BCAA members save

1. What Evo is and where it works

Evo is run by BCAA, the automobile association of British Columbia (section 5 explains more). Evo can be used in two ways:

Evo's "How it works" page also mentions Tofino, but the FAQ lists only Surrey and Nanaimo. Before you go, tap "Return" in the app to see the current pick-up locations.

What the service area is. Evo calls it the Home Zone. It is the area where a trip can start and end. You can drive the car outside the Home Zone, anywhere in Canada, but you have to bring it back and park inside the Home Zone to end the trip.

Metro Vancouver and Victoria are two separate Home Zones. A car you take in Victoria must be returned in Victoria. You cannot end the trip in Vancouver. The same Evo account works in both places, so you do not need to sign up again. For example, if you take the ferry to Vancouver, you can pick up a Vancouver Evo there and end that trip in the Vancouver Home Zone.

How big the Victoria Home Zone is. According to the map on Evo's website, the Victoria Home Zone covers downtown Victoria and a large area around it: east to Foul Bay Rd, north to around McKenzie Ave, and west across the Inner Harbour to around Victoria West (Vic West). Beacon Hill Park is not included. Outside the Home Zone, there are also a few Evo designated parking spots where trips can start and end: the University of Victoria (UVic), Camosun College's Lansdowne campus, and near Station Ave in Langford. At these spots you can only use the Evo reserved stalls. The boundaries can change, so check the app for the exact area: tap a car in the app and the map shows the Home Zone boundary. The car will also tell you when you leave the Home Zone.

What the cars are like. Every Evo is automatic and seats five adults, and the back seats fold flat for large items. Every car has a roof rack for two bikes and room for four sets of skis. The cars are Toyota hybrids, and the website also mentions plug-in hybrids. Vancouver also has fully electric Kia Niros. There are no fully electric Evos in Victoria right now, so in Victoria you do not need to think about charging.

Evo and Evolve are not the same. Evolve is the same company's e-bike and e-scooter service. Its rules and charges are separate, and this guide does not cover it.

Do not count on Evo in other provinces. Cities such as Calgary and Toronto have no Evo. Before you travel, check what car share services exist there. The end of section 10 covers Zipcar.

2. Who can sign up and what to prepare

Signing up itself is free. The one-time registration fee of $35 is charged only when your membership is approved, and BCAA members do not pay it. If you are not approved, you are not charged.

First, check the conditions. Evo lists these screening conditions:

• You are at least 18 years old;
• You hold a valid driver's licence, at minimum a B.C. N licence (Class 7);
• You have 2 years of driving experience. If you hold an N licence, your time on an L (learner's) licence counts toward the 2 years. Evo suggests you call ICBC and ask them to add your learner's time to the cover letter that comes with your driving record;
• You have a credit card;
• Your driving record passes: no more than two traffic violations (Evo does not say over how many years); fewer than 6 penalty points in the past two years (out-of-province licences use the equivalent demerit points); never charged with or convicted of a Major Traffic Violation (no time limit is stated for this one either); and no B.C. driving prohibitions in the past two years.

How to send your driving record (B.C. licence). First register on the Evo website or app. Then contact ICBC and ask them to send your driving record for the past two years directly to Evo at records@evo.ca. A driving record is also called a driver's abstract. Evo only accepts records sent directly by ICBC, not ones you forward yourself. The ICBC phone numbers Evo gives are 1-800-950-1498 and 604-661-2800, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A Canadian driving record cannot be more than 3 months old when Evo receives it. On the phone you can say: "Please email my driving record for the past two years to records@evo.ca."

Licences from another province or country. You can sign up under the same conditions. You need to send two things: photos of the front and back of your licence, and a driving record for the past two years from the authority that issued it. If the record is not in English, include an English translation. Email it to records@evo.ca or fax it to 604-268-5560. A driving record from outside Canada cannot be more than 6 months old when Evo receives it. Note that your documents must show your two years of driving history. Proof that your licence is valid is not enough. If you are not sure where to get the record, Evo has a tip sheet (see the list of links at the end), or you can call Evo.

How long a licence from elsewhere is valid in B.C. A licence from another province or country is often valid in B.C. for only a limited time, commonly 90 days. Evo reminds you to check how long your licence is valid in B.C., because once that time is up, the insurance may not cover you. If you are moving to B.C., there are two separate deadlines: Evo asks you to get a B.C. driver's licence within 90 days of becoming an Evo member and update your Evo account, and ICBC says you have 90 days after moving to B.C. to switch your licence. Whichever comes first applies. To learn how to exchange your licence for a B.C. one, see No. 6 · Driver licensing.

You will take three photos during sign-up. One selfie, which must match the photo on your licence or you will not be approved, plus one photo of the front of your licence and one of the back, taken on a plain surface.

How long approval takes. After Evo receives your driving record, it is usually processed within a few business days, and Evo emails you the result. You can also check yourself: try to book a car in the app. If it works, you are approved.

Your account is for you only. Each person has one account. You cannot lend yours to family or friends, or use someone else's. During a trip you booked, another approved Evo member can drive, as long as their account is not suspended and has no unpaid balance. But all charges and fines for that trip are yours. If an unauthorized person drives, Evo charges $200, and the insurance will not cover that driver, or you, for any loss they cause.

3. How the charges work: start with this table

These are the prices on Evo's website on November 3, 2026. The website says they took effect on March 1, 2026:

You are charged the cheapest rate automatically. Evo has per-minute, hourly, daily, 3-day and 5-day rates, and its website says it always charges the rate that is cheapest for you. But this only applies within one continuous trip. If you drive three times in one day for 20 minutes each, that is three trips, and each one is charged by the minute.

A few examples (before tax):

• A trip to the grocery store, 20 minutes of driving: 20 × 0.49 = $9.80, plus the $1.85 trip fee, for a total of $11.65.
• A round trip to Costco that takes 1 hour: by the minute it would be $29.40, but the hourly rate is only $17.99, so you are charged the hourly rate. Add $1.85, for a total of $19.84.
• A full day: by the hour, 6 hours already comes to $107.94, which is more than the $104.99 day rate, so the day rate applies.
• One trip of 26 hours: PVRT is charged once at the 8-hour mark and again after 24 hours, $3 in total, plus GST.

A stopover keeps the clock running. If you get out to run an errand and do not want anyone else to take the car, tap "Stopover" in the app. The car locks and stays reserved for you, but you keep paying for the time. Until the trip ends, the charges keep adding up.

Pre-billing for long trips or trips out of B.C. If a trip lasts 48 hours or more, or you drive outside B.C., Evo may charge the day rate to your credit card each day until you end the trip.

Tolls and tickets also go on your credit card. Tolls, parking tickets and towing are all charged automatically to the credit card on your account. For a parking ticket, Evo adds a $35 processing fee. If the car is towed, Evo adds a $150 processing fee plus the cost of the tow.

Where to see your bill. Within 5 to 10 minutes after each trip ends, log in at evo.ca and click "Billing" to see the trip details. There is no monthly fee.

4. Does Evo cover gas, maintenance and insurance?

Gas: included in the price. Gas is included, and there is no extra charge for kilometres, no matter how far you drive. Evo says the cars are usually fuelled, so most of the time you will not need to fill up.

If you do need to fill up. On a long trip, you may need to stop for gas. There is a card in the glove compartment explaining the process (it is called the Process Card). Follow it:

• Use regular gasoline only. Never use diesel;
• Pay with your own money, take a photo of the receipt, and email it with the licence plate and the time you filled up to info@evo.ca;
• Send it within 90 days after the trip ends. After 90 days, Evo will not reimburse you;
• Evo reimburses you within 60 days of receiving it, in one of two ways. One: a direct refund, by e-Transfer or back to the credit card on your account. Two: a driving credit worth the fuel amount plus 15%; put "CREDIT" in the subject line of the email. The driving credit is valid for 6 months and only covers driving rates. It cannot be used for the all access fee, the Passenger Vehicle Rental Tax or parking tickets;
• Put the Process Card back where you found it. If it is not back in its holder, you cannot end the trip.

Maintenance: included in the price. Evo says every trip includes maintenance, 24/7 support and BCAA roadside assistance. If the car breaks down on its own, you do not pay for repairs. If you damage it, see "Insurance" below.

Parking: free in approved spots. When you end a trip in an approved spot inside the Home Zone, you do not pay for parking. During a stopover, if you park somewhere else, such as a private pay lot, you pay for that parking yourself.

Insurance: included, but you are not off the hook for everything.

• Evo cars have third party liability insurance, which pays other people if you damage their car or injure someone. Its limit is at least the minimum B.C. law requires. They also have collision and comprehensive coverage for damage to the Evo itself.
• If the car is damaged during your trip, or you are found at fault for an accident, you pay a Damage Fee for each claim, up to $250.
• If damage was already on the car when you started and you did not report it, or you damaged the car and did not report it fully and accurately, the Damage Fee can be up to $750.
• If you break the Member Agreement, there is no cap. You may have to pay the full repair cost, and your membership may be cancelled. Examples that Evo's Member Agreement or FAQ says are not allowed include letting an unauthorized person drive, driving into the United States, and off-road driving, including forest service roads.
• Evo does not sell a damage waiver. If your credit card's rental coverage is willing to pay, you still have to pay Evo first and then claim the money back from your card company. Evo will give you the documents you need.
• Evo says it makes no promise that its insurance is enough for you. If you want more protection, you can ask your own insurance broker. Insurance brokers must be licensed, and you can look them up on the Insurance Council of B.C. website (see the list of links at the end).

Cleaning fees. If you leave the car dirty, you pay a cleaning fee. Minor, such as garbage or a light mess: $75. Moderate, such as spills, stains or a lot of dirt: $150. Severe, such as smoke smell or anything that needs extensive cleaning: $250. Pets must be in a carrier, and pet hair or smells left in the car also lead to a cleaning fee. No smoking or vaping in the car. You can eat, but clean up afterwards. There are no child seats, so bring your own car seat or booster seat for children.

Other common fees:

Do not fix the car yourself. The Member Agreement does not allow you to repair the car, not even to change a flat tire or jump-start the battery. Call Evo first.

5. BCAA membership: what it is, what it costs, and how to get the Evo perks

What BCAA is. BCAA stands for the British Columbia Automobile Association. It is B.C.'s automobile association, a member of the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) and the American Automobile Association (AAA), and it serves B.C. and the Yukon. Many people know it for roadside assistance, such as towing, fuel delivery and lockout help when their car breaks down. Evo is run by BCAA.

BCAA membership and Evo membership are two different things. BCAA membership is an association membership with an annual fee. Evo membership is the account you use to drive Evo cars. BCAA members get perks when they sign up for Evo, but they still have to register with Evo, send a driving record and be approved.

BCAA has four membership levels, and every level includes the Evo perks. These are the prices on BCAA's website on November 3, 2026. "Who it suits" is BCAA's own description:

BCAA members get these Evo perks:

• No Evo one-time registration fee of $35;
• 60 free minutes when you newly sign up for Evo, valid for 30 days from the day Evo approves you;
• 10% off driving rates, saving up to $110 a year. The 10% only applies to per-minute, hourly and daily driving rates. The $1.85 all access fee per trip, the $2 annual operator fee, the registration fee and all service fees are not discounted;
• When you end a trip at Vancouver airport (YVR), at the Templeton Canada Line station or the Park'N Fly lot, the $5 drop-off fee is refunded.

How to get these perks.

1. First join BCAA on its website (click "Join") and get your BCAA membership number;
2. Then sign up for Evo and enter your BCAA membership number on the registration page;
3. If you are already an Evo member and joined BCAA later, call Evo at 1-844-386-2386 and ask them to add your BCAA membership number to your account. BCAA's page says that perks such as the 60 free minutes are only for new Evo members.

Can you combine promo codes and referral codes? BCAA's page says its offer cannot be combined with other offers. Evo also says only one join promo code can be used at sign-up and it cannot be combined with other offers. A friend's referral code gives you free registration and $25 in driving credit, valid for 30 days after approval. After your first trip, the friend who referred you also gets $25. Promo codes you see on the street or online, such as ones offering free registration plus 60 minutes, each have their own expiry dates. The websites do not clearly say whether you should use BCAA or a promo code, or whether you can still add a BCAA number for the 10% discount after using a promo code. Call Evo before you sign up and ask: "I'm a BCAA member and I also have a promo code. Which one should I use, and will I still get the 10% BCAA discount?"

Doing the math: is a GO membership worth it just for Evo?

• Year one: GO costs $48. The registration fee alone saves $35, and with the free hour you have about made it back. Every 10% discount after that is extra savings.
• From year two: you only pay the registration fee once, so in year two only the 10% discount is left. You would need to spend $480 a year on Evo driving rates for the 10% to save $48 and cover the fee. If you spend less, it depends on whether you use other BCAA discounts, such as up to 50% off passport photos, 3¢ per litre off at Shell, up to 20% off BCAA home, travel and other insurance, and partner discounts.
• The 10% saves at most $110 a year. In other words, once you have spent $1,100 on driving rates, driving more does not save you more.

BCAA roadside assistance and Evo are separate. If something goes wrong with an Evo car, call Evo. Every Evo trip includes BCAA roadside assistance. Your own BCAA membership's roadside assistance covers your own car, and the rules for each level are in the table above.

6. Your first trip: from finding a car to ending the trip

Finding and booking a car

1. Open the Evo app. The black car icons on the map are available cars. Tap one to see the licence plate, how far away it is and how much fuel it has.
2. You can walk up to a car and drive it, or book one for free up to 30 minutes ahead in the app. If your plans change, cancelling is free.
3. If there are no cars nearby, use the "radar" feature in the app: set a location and time, and you will be notified when a car becomes available nearby.
4. When you reach the car, look at the reader on the windshield: green means available, orange means someone has booked it, and red means out of service. If no light is on, the car is asleep; select it in the app or tap your member card to wake it up.

If you do not have a smartphone, you can call Evo and ask an agent to book a car for you, then unlock it with a physical member card. You need to request the physical member card separately.

Check the car before you drive

5. Before the trip starts, the app asks you to report any damage. Report all damage you see inside or outside the car. If damage already has an Evo sticker on it, it has already been reported. Damage you do not report may be charged to you.
6. Check whether the car is clean and whether it smells. You can report a dirty car in the app or by phone. If the car cannot be used or is unsafe, call right away and do not drive it.

Unlocking and starting the car

7. Unlock the car with the app, or tap your member card on the reader. When the light turns from green to orange, your trip has started and so have the charges.
8. There is no key. Press the brake and push the "POWER" button. Hybrids make almost no sound when they start, but you can still put the car in gear and drive.
9. Where the parking brake is depends on the model: it may be a lever on the centre console, a pedal by your left foot, or a button marked P on the centre console. If you cannot find it, check the instructions on the centre console, or press the in-car help button or call Evo.
10. The key fob and the Process Card are in a holder in the glove compartment. Do not take them out of the car, or you will not be able to end the trip. The keys for the bike and ski rack locks are also on the key fob. The roof rack only takes bikes under 40 pounds with rims up to 26 inches. With bikes on the roof, the car will not fit into underground parking, and any damage is your responsibility.
11. If a warning light comes on during your trip, stop somewhere safe as soon as you can and call Evo. If the agent or the vehicle manual says the car is not safe to drive, do not keep driving.

Making a stopover

12. To keep the car while you run an errand: after you get out, tap "Stopover" in the app to lock the car. Tap it within 60 seconds, because the car locks itself after 60 seconds. When you come back, tap "Resume Trip" to unlock it. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone: Evo cars have no key, so the app is the only way to lock and unlock during a stopover, and Bluetooth still works if your phone has no signal.
13. You keep paying during a stopover, and you still have to follow local parking rules. If you park in an approved Evo location, Evo covers the parking. If you park somewhere else, any tickets and parking fees are yours.

Ending the trip

14. Drive back into the Home Zone and park in an approved spot. Section 7 explains the rules in Victoria.
15. Take your belongings, get out and walk around the car. If there is new damage, call Evo to report it before you end the trip.
16. Press "POWER" again to turn the car off, close all doors, windows and the trunk, and put the key fob back in its holder in the glove compartment.
17. End the trip in the app, or tap your member card on the reader. The trip has truly ended only when the doors lock by themselves and the reader shows a green light. Before you walk away, pull the door handle to make sure it is locked.

If the trip will not end, there are four common reasons: the key fob is not back in its holder; a door, window or the trunk is not closed; the car is not turned off; or you are outside the Home Zone. If the trip does not end, you keep paying, and you may also be charged the $100 unsecured vehicle fee.

7. Victoria: where you can and cannot end a trip

You can end a trip here, and parking is free:

• Street stalls marked "Evo only" and the Evo designated lots shown in the app;
• Residential parking within the City of Victoria;
• Street spots with a 2-hour, 3-hour or 4-hour limit, but not ones that turn into a no stopping zone at certain times;
• 90-minute City of Victoria meters;
• Three city surface lots: Royal Theatre, Royal Athletic and Wharf Street;
• These city parkades: Broughton (use the library entrance off Courtney St), Johnson (7 a.m. to 9 p.m. only), View, Centennial and Yates Street;
• The Evo designated parking spots outside the Home Zone (UVic, Camosun College's Lansdowne campus and Langford). Use the Evo reserved stalls only; use the designated overflow lots only when the reserved stalls are full.

You cannot end a trip here:

• 20-minute meters and overnight meters. You can only make a stopover there, and you pay the meter yourself;
• Stalls in underground or above-ground parkades that are not marked for Evo;
• Stalls marked "no overnight parking" or "car coop" (reserved for co-op car share, such as Modo);
• Commercial lots such as grocery stores and malls, fire zones, unmarked private residential property, and park board property;
• Back alleys, unless a city sign says "permit only";
• Event parking;
• Time-limited spots other than 2, 3 and 4 hours, commuter lanes, loading zones, valet, taxi and bus zones, disabled stalls and reserved stalls;
• Anywhere with temporary no-parking signs, for example for street cleaning, road work, construction or filming.

Where the rules say different things. The parking schedule in Evo's Member Agreement is broader than the FAQ: it says you can end a trip in street spots signed "90 Min Parking", at City of Victoria meters other than 20-minute ones, and that members with a valid accessible parking permit who follow the permit's conditions may use accessible stalls. But the Member Agreement also says that where it conflicts with the parking FAQ, the FAQ governs. This guide follows the FAQ. For these kinds of spots, call Evo and check before you end your trip.

What happens if you park in the wrong place. Tickets and towing are your responsibility. If you end a trip where it is not allowed, Evo charges $300 plus a loss of use fee. A parking ticket comes with a $35 processing fee, and towing comes with a $150 processing fee plus the cost of the tow. If you are not sure whether you can park somewhere, call Evo and ask before you leave.

You cannot end a trip at a ferry terminal. Evo says no ferry terminal is part of a Home Zone right now. You can take an Evo onto the ferry, or leave it at the terminal as a stopover, but the clock keeps running, you pay the parking yourself, and in the end you still have to drive it back to the Victoria Home Zone to end the trip.

Vancouver has different rules. Which meters and residential areas you can use differs between Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster, and Vancouver airport (YVR) has its own drop-off spots. Before you use an Evo in Vancouver, read Evo's parking page. A car you drive over from Victoria cannot be returned in Vancouver, including at the airport.

8. Leaving town, taking the ferry and winter driving

How far you can go. You can drive anywhere in Canada with unlimited kilometres. However:

• You can never drive into the United States;
• No off-road driving, including forest service roads;
• If you are more than 200 km from the Home Zone, have taken a ferry, or are somewhere remote, it is hard for Evo to send help. Any extra costs for towing, repairs or bringing the car back to the Home Zone are yours.

Taking an Evo to Vancouver. A Victoria car cannot be returned in Vancouver, so the whole time from leaving until you are back in Victoria counts as your trip, including the ferry and your time in Vancouver. You will be charged by the day: $104.99 for one day, $264.99 for three days. Evo says its rates include gas, insurance, parking and kilometres; ferry fares are not included. Another option is to leave the car behind: take the ferry as a passenger, and when you get to Vancouver, use the same account to pick up a Vancouver Evo there.

Winter tires. Evo says all its cars have M+S (Mud and Snow) tires that meet B.C.'s winter tire requirements. This is what the B.C. government requires:

• A legal winter tire must have "M+S" on the sidewall or the three-peaked mountain and snowflake symbol, and at least 3.5 mm of tread. M+S is the minimum legal requirement;
• The government recommends tires with the three-peaked mountain and snowflake symbol for cold weather, and carrying chains for extreme conditions;
• Routes that need winter tires are marked with signs. On most routes in B.C., the requirement runs from October 1 to April 30. On some highways that are not through mountain passes or high snowfall areas, it runs from October 1 to March 31. Near Victoria: Highway 1 over the Malahat, Highway 14 west of Sooke to Port Renfrew, and Highway 18 to Lake Cowichan all require winter tires from October 1 to March 31;
• If your tires do not meet the rules, police can turn you back and you may be fined.

So Evo's M+S tires meet the legal minimum, but they are not dedicated snow tires. When there is heavy snow or ice, or you need to go over the Malahat or into the mountains, check road conditions on the DriveBC website first. If you are not sure, go another day or choose another way to travel.

Besides the Malahat section of Highway 1 and Highways 14 and 18 listed above, Highway 4 to Tofino and Ucluelet, Highway 19 north of Campbell River, Highway 28 to Gold River and Pacific Marine Road on Vancouver Island also require winter tires from October 1 to March 31. For what the signs look like, how to measure tread and the fine if you do not have winter tires, see No. 30.

→ No. 30 · Winter tires in B.C.

9. What to do if something goes wrong

A collision or scrape:

1. First make sure everyone is safe. If anyone is hurt or in danger, call 911.
2. Call Evo right away at 1-844-386-2386 (answered 24/7) to report it. The Member Agreement requires you to report immediately, and late reports can cost you more.
3. Write down the other car's licence plate, a description of the car, the driver's contact details, driver's licence and insurance policy number. You will need to give these to Evo on the phone.
4. Do not repair the car yourself. Evo will inspect the car, open a claim if needed and keep you updated.

Other situations:

• The car breaks down and you need roadside assistance: call Evo.
• A warning light comes on: stop somewhere safe and call Evo.
• You left something in the car: call Evo. Lost and found items are kept at Evo's office for 30 days; call Evo to book a time to pick yours up.
• You got a ticket and want details, or think it was issued in error: email info@evo.ca or use live chat. To learn how to read a ticket and how to dispute it, see No. 19 · Traffic tickets, disputes and penalty points.

How to contact Evo:

• Phone (24/7): 1-844-386-2386, also written as 1-844-EVO-2EVO; local number 604-268-5594;
• Email: info@evo.ca; driving records go to records@evo.ca;
• Live chat: in the app menu, or at the bottom right of evo.ca. Different pages list different chat hours, so for anything urgent, call.

If anyone is injured, also report it to ICBC. In B.C., for crashes on or after May 1, 2021, if you are injured you can get benefits from ICBC, such as treatment costs and money for lost income, no matter who was at fault. ICBC requires people driving someone else's vehicle who are not the registered owner or principal driver to report by phone, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day: 604-520-8222 in the Lower Mainland, or 1-800-910-4222 from Victoria and elsewhere in B.C. See section 3 of Guide No. 38.

→ No. 38 · ICBC no-fault crash claims

10. Evo, Modo or U-Haul: which one to choose

In Victoria, besides Evo, the common options are Modo (a car share co-operative) and U-Haul (moving trucks). The three work differently for pick-up, return and pricing:

Modo pricing in more detail (Modo's website, November 3, 2026):

• Two personal plans: Modo Plus, a one-time $500 share purchase (returned when you leave), a $1 yearly admin fee and the lowest rates; Modo Monthly, no share purchase, a $6 monthly admin fee and slightly higher rates.
• Hourly rates (Plus / Monthly): everyday cars $5 / $6; larger vehicles such as SUVs $7 / $8; oversized vehicles such as vans $10 / $11.
• $0.35 per km, plus a co-op innovation fee for each trip: $1 for an EV, $3 for other vehicles.
• Whole-day bookings automatically get the Day Tripper rate: $100 a day for everyday cars and $135 a day for larger vehicles. For every 24 hours, Plus includes 500 km and Monthly includes 250 km; extra kilometres are $0.35 per km. Oversized vehicles are not eligible.
• Between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., you pay for at most 3 hours.
• If you are not sure when you will return, you can leave the return time open for a $3 fee.
• A fuel surcharge applies when gas is expensive: it starts only when gas is above about $2.10 a litre, from 1 cent per km. EVs and plug-in hybrids are exempt. Two of Modo's pages word this slightly differently, and Modo says no surcharge applies right now.
• Bookings over 8 hours also pay the Passenger Vehicle Rental Tax of $1.50 per day. Modo says its rates have 5% GST and 7% PST added.
• You can book a Modo up to a year ahead. The website lists contact numbers for four places: Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo and Kelowna.

Who can join Modo:

• You are 18 or older. Under 18, you can join as a "Green" member, sponsored by a Modo Plus member;
• You hold an N licence or better, or the equivalent from another jurisdiction (non-B.C. licences are welcome), and the licence must let you drive alone;
• In the past two years: no licence suspensions or prohibitions; fewer than 6 penalty points; never charged with or convicted of a Major Traffic Violation;
• What to prepare: a valid driver's licence; your driving record for the past two years (for a B.C. licence, use ICBC's online form to ask ICBC to send it to info@modo.coop); and a credit card in your name, or for some application types, electronic bill payment. If a record from outside B.C. is not in English, have it translated by an ICBC-approved translator (ICBC's language services page lists approved translators; see the list of links at the end) and send it to documents@modo.coop. Modo does not reimburse fees for getting records from outside B.C.

Modo's conditions do not include "2 years of driving experience", while Evo requires 2 years. If you only recently got your licence, you may want to look at Modo first; whether you are approved is up to Modo's review.

U-Haul in more detail:

• To rent a truck, you must be 18 and bring a government-issued driver's licence. Digital licences on a phone are not accepted. U-Haul trucks are not commercial vehicles, so you do not need a commercial licence.
• You can pay with a credit card, or a debit card with a Visa or Mastercard logo.
• Return the truck with the same amount of gas it had when you picked it up. That amount is marked on your contract.
• U-Haul has several locations in Victoria, including 644 Queens Ave and 776-790 Topaz Ave. Both say there is no on-site customer parking (Topaz Ave says no customer parking during the rental), so plan where to leave your own car before you go.
• The starting prices shown online are only starting prices. Enter your pick-up date, location, truck size and expected distance to get the actual quote.

Zipcar and other brands. Zipcar's list of Canadian cities currently shows only Ontario (the Toronto area and several universities), not B.C. If you need a car in another province, check what is available there first.

If you need a car for several weeks in a row, or plan to have a car long term. In that case, you can ask a rental company for its monthly rate (see "Monthly rentals" in section 11 of Guide No. 56); according to B.C.'s PST bulletin, a single rental of more than 28 days is not charged the $1.50-a-day passenger vehicle rental tax. If you plan to have a car long term, for how paying in full, financing and leasing compare, and whether the conditions are the same on a study permit, a work permit or as a PR, see sections 4 and 10 of Guide No. 56.

→ No. 56 · Buying, financing, leasing or renting a car

11. Checklist before you start

• Your licence is valid and you have 2 years of driving experience (an N licence counts your L time too). If your licence is from outside B.C., check how long it is valid here.
• Ask ICBC to send your driving record for the past two years directly to records@evo.ca. For a licence from outside B.C., send the English version yourself.
• If you want the BCAA perks, join BCAA first and enter your membership number when you sign up for Evo. If you have a promo code, call first to ask whether they can be combined.
• Install the Evo app and turn on Bluetooth and push notifications.
• Before each trip, report existing damage in the app.
• Before you end a trip, read the parking signs, and wait until the doors lock and the light turns green before you leave.
• If you fill up on a long trip, keep the receipt and send it to Evo within 90 days. Do not drive into the U.S. or onto forest service roads.
• If you need to go over the Malahat or into the mountains in winter, check DriveBC first.
• If something goes wrong, take care of people first, then call 1-844-386-2386.

Related guides

• → No. 6 · Driver licensing
  Exchanging a licence from elsewhere for a B.C. one, upgrading from an N, and proving your driving experience are all in this guide. Evo asks for 2 years of driving experience, and both Evo and Modo ask for a driving record, so sort out your licence first.
• → No. 19 · Traffic tickets, disputes and penalty points
  If you get a ticket or penalty points while driving an Evo, this guide explains how to read the ticket and how to dispute it.
• → No. 1 · Insurance
  Evo cars are insured, but that does not mean you never need to think about insurance. Read this guide if you buy a car or want more protection.
• → No. 30 · Winter tires in B.C.
  Which routes require winter tires, how to read the signs, how to measure tread and what the fines are, in more detail than section 8 of this guide.
• → No. 33 · Phones and driving in B.C.
  When phone use while driving in B.C. breaks the law and what the fines are, plus some intersection, speed, yielding and winter tire rules that are easy to get wrong.
• → No. 38 · ICBC no-fault crash claims
  After a crash in B.C. in which someone is injured: how to report it to ICBC, injury benefits you can get no matter who was at fault, and how repairs and premiums depend on your share of responsibility.
• → No. 56 · Buying, financing, leasing or renting a car
  Having a car long term in B.C.: choosing between paying in full, financing, leasing and ordinary rentals, and whether the conditions are the same on a study permit, a work permit or as a PR; PST and GST when you buy, lease or rent; and the rules of rental companies at Victoria's airport and in town, monthly rentals and Turo.

All links in this guide

These are the official web addresses used in this guide. All were opened and checked on November 3, 2026.