# Vehicle Purchase & Registration Buy a new or used vehicle in Canada and get it on the road legally: pre-purchase checks, inspection, bill of sale, insurance, sales tax and registration with your province (ServiceOntario, ICBC, SAAQ or an Alberta registry agent). - Canada · Automotive - 9 steps · ~11 days · 2 documents - Last reviewed: 2026-10 - Web page: https://raaya.cloud/p/bundled_VEHICLE_PURCHASE_CA ## Steps ### 1. Learn your province's vehicle rules (1 day) Vehicle registration, inspection, sales tax and insurance are provincial. In Ontario you register at ServiceOntario; in British Columbia through an ICBC Autoplan broker; in Alberta at a registry agent; in Quebec with the SAAQ. Insurance is public in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and Quebec's SAAQ covers bodily injury, while other provinces use private insurers. In Ontario, a buyer of a used vehicle must register it within 6 days of purchase, must have insurance before registering, and pays 13% retail sales tax on the purchase price or the vehicle's average wholesale value, whichever is greater, for private sales. Dealers collect HST on the sale instead. New vehicles bought from a licensed dealer may qualify for a federal Electric Vehicle Affordability Program incentive (up to $5,000 for battery-electric vehicles) if the model and price are eligible. Tip: Check your province's page before you shop; rules on inspections and private-sale tax are where most buyers get surprised. Online: https://www.ontario.ca/page/buy-or-sell-used-vehicle-ontario ### 2. Run pre-purchase checks (Vérifications avant achat) (3 days) Before you pay, make sure the vehicle is what the seller says it is. For a private sale in Ontario, the seller must give you a Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP), which costs $20 from ServiceOntario and shows the registration history, any liens registered in Ontario, the average wholesale value and a bill of sale form. Check the vehicle identification number (VIN) on the car matches the documents, look up open safety recalls with Transport Canada or the manufacturer, and consider a commercial vehicle history report to check accidents and out-of-province history. Get insurance quotes for the exact model before agreeing a price; premiums vary a lot by vehicle and driver. Tip: Never pay a private seller until you have seen the UVIP or equivalent lien search; an unpaid loan registered against the car can follow the vehicle to you. - [ ] Get the UVIP (Ontario) or a provincial lien search for the VIN - [ ] Match the VIN on the dashboard and door with the ownership document - [ ] Check for open safety recalls with Transport Canada or the manufacturer - [ ] Consider a vehicle history report for accidents and out-of-province history - [ ] Get insurance quotes for the exact year, make and model - [ ] For a new EV, check the model on the Transport Canada incentive list Documents: Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP) ### 3. Book an independent inspection (Inspection mécanique) (1 day) Have a mechanic you choose inspect the vehicle before you buy. For a used vehicle in Ontario, a Safety Standards Certificate (SSC) from a licensed Motor Vehicle Inspection Station is needed to put plates on it in your name, unless you are buying from your spouse. An SSC is valid for 36 days after the inspection. Agree in writing who will provide and pay for the SSC. An SSC confirms the vehicle met minimum safety standards on the day of inspection; it is not a warranty of overall condition, so a separate pre-purchase inspection is still worthwhile. Other provinces have their own rules, such as inspections for vehicles coming from another province in British Columbia and Alberta. Tip: Ask for the mechanic's written report and use any problems found to negotiate the price or walk away. ### 4. Visit the dealer or seller and test drive (1 day) Meet a private seller in a safe, public place during the day, or visit the dealership. Bring your driver's licence for the test drive and someone you trust if you can. Test the vehicle on city streets and the highway, check brakes, steering, lights, heater and air conditioning, and look for warning lights. Compare the seller's name and address with their ID and the vehicle ownership document. At a dealer, ask for the all-in price including fees; in Ontario, OMVIC rules require dealers to advertise an all-in price, with only HST and licensing extra. Tip: Be cautious of deals that require a deposit before you have seen the vehicle, or sellers who cannot show ownership in their own name. Documents: Driver's licence (Permis de conduire) ### 5. Complete the bill of sale and paperwork (1 day) Once you agree on a price, complete the paperwork. For a private sale in Ontario, the seller completes and signs the vehicle portion of their permit and the bill of sale in the UVIP, and gives you the UVIP and the Safety Standards Certificate if one applies. The seller keeps their licence plates, because plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle. The bill of sale should show the date, price, VIN, make, model, year, both names and addresses, and signatures. Pay by a traceable method such as a bank draft and get a receipt. At a dealer, you sign a bill of sale or purchase agreement; review all charges and the warranty before signing. Tip: If you are buying from family as a gift, ask about the sworn statement for a family gift, which can exempt the sale from retail sales tax in Ontario. Documents: Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP) ### 6. Arrange auto insurance (Assurance auto) (1 day) You need insurance before you can register the vehicle. In Ontario, all vehicles must have at least $200,000 of third-party liability coverage; collision and comprehensive coverage are optional but usually required by lenders and recommended. In provinces with public insurance, buy it at registration: through ICBC Autoplan brokers in British Columbia, SGI in Saskatchewan and MPI in Manitoba. Quebec's SAAQ covers bodily injury through the registration fee, and you buy private coverage for property damage. Your insurer issues a pink liability card or electronic proof; bring it to registration. Tip: Ask insurers for a record of your driving history from your previous province or country; it can reduce your premium significantly. Online: https://www.ontario.ca/page/register-and-insure-vehicle-ontario ### 7. Pay sales tax and fees (Frais d'immatriculation) (1 day) In Ontario you pay these at ServiceOntario when you register. For a private used-vehicle sale, the retail sales tax is 13% of the purchase price or average wholesale value, whichever is greater. The vehicle permit costs $32, and if you need new licence plates the plate with permit is $59. Passenger vehicle plate renewal fees were reduced to $0 in 2022, though plates must still be renewed. In other provinces, fees and tax rules differ, and registration usually includes or requires the annual insurance premium in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Payment at ServiceOntario can be made by debit, credit card, cash or certified cheque. Tip: Bring a bill of sale that shows the real price; if the price is well below the wholesale value, Ontario taxes the wholesale value unless you can support the lower value with an appraisal. Fee: CA$32 (Ontario vehicle permit (new owner registration)) Fee: CA$59 (Ontario licence plate with permit, if you need new plates) ### 8. Register the vehicle within 6 days (Immatriculation) (1 day) Go to a ServiceOntario centre within 6 days of the purchase to register the vehicle in your name. Bring proof of insurance, your Ontario driver's licence, the UVIP, the signed bill of sale, the Safety Standards Certificate if applicable, and the signed vehicle portion of the seller's permit. You receive the permit and plates on the spot. In British Columbia, register and insure at an ICBC Autoplan broker; in Alberta, at a registry agent; in Quebec, at an SAAQ service centre or partner. If you moved from another province, you must register the vehicle in your new province within its deadline and may need an out-of-province inspection. Tip: Put the new permit in the vehicle and keep copies of the bill of sale and SSC at home; you will need them if the permit is lost. Documents: Driver's licence (Permis de conduire), Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP) ### 9. Set a licence plate renewal reminder (1 day) Plates must be renewed regularly even when the renewal fee is $0. In Ontario, most passenger vehicle plates renew automatically for 1 year if you have valid insurance and no unpaid fines or tolls; otherwise you renew online or at ServiceOntario. Driving with an expired plate can lead to a fine. Also diarize your insurance renewal, the manufacturer's maintenance schedule and any recall notices sent to the registered owner. In other provinces, renewal is often tied to the insurance term, for example the annual Autoplan renewal in British Columbia. Tip: Keep your address current with the province so renewal notices and recall letters reach you. ## Documents you'll need - **Driver's licence (Permis de conduire)**: Needed for the test drive and to register the vehicle. New residents must exchange a foreign or out-of-province licence within the provincial deadline. - **Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP)**: Ontario sellers must give buyers a UVIP ($20 from ServiceOntario). It shows registration history, liens, wholesale value and a bill of sale. ## Official sources - [Ontario - Buy or sell a used vehicle in Ontario](https://www.ontario.ca/page/buy-or-sell-used-vehicle-ontario) - [Ontario - Used vehicle information package](https://www.ontario.ca/page/used-vehicle-information-package) - [Ontario - Safety standards certificate](https://www.ontario.ca/page/safety-standards-certificate) - [Ontario - Driver and vehicle fees](https://www.ontario.ca/page/driver-and-vehicle-fees) - [Ontario - Register and insure a vehicle](https://www.ontario.ca/page/register-and-insure-vehicle-ontario) - [Transport Canada - Electric Vehicle Affordability Program](https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/innovative-technologies/electric-vehicles/electric-vehicle-affordability-program/overview) General guidance, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Confirm with the official source before you act. 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