Transferring vehicle ownership is an important part of buying or selling a car in Canada, and CashforCars.ca makes it easy for you to sell your vehicle online. We handle all the paperwork. In this post, we’ll explain how to transfer your vehicle ownership in each province, and where you as a seller should sign the vehicle ownership document.
If you’re not using CashforCars.ca to sell your vehicle, it is important to follow the specific rules and regulations of the province where the transfer is taking place to ensure a smooth transfer process. Each province has its own rules regarding vehicle titles or ownership documents, and the name of the document can vary. These documents serve as proof of ownership and must be transferred to the new owner when you sell your vehicle.
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon
Alberta
In Alberta, your vehicle ownership document serves as proof of ownership. When you sell your car privately, you must prepare and sign a Bill of Sale and ask the buyer and a witness to sign the document in order to transfer your vehicle ownership. You must also include the date of sale and the purchase price. Alberta is the only province where you can purchase a vehicle without the original ownership document, as long as a Bill of Sale is provided by the seller.
When selling your vehicle to CashforCars.ca in Alberta:
- Provide us with the Bill of Sale, and we’ll take care of the rest.
If you’re not using CashforCars.ca, there are several steps you must take to transfer your vehicle ownership in Alberta:
- Fill out the back of the vehicle registration certificate with the buyer's information.
- Provide a bill of sale to the buyer.
- Give the buyer a copy of the vehicle registration certificate.
- Submit a Notice of Sale to the Alberta government within 10 days of the sale.
British Columbia
In British Columbia, your vehicle registration document serves as proof of ownership. The registered owner must keep the registration document in the vehicle and present it to transfer ownership.
To sell your vehicle, you must sign the Certificate of Insurance & Vehicle License in the "Registration" section, which is located at the bottom of the first page. You must also include the odometer reading and the purchase price.
It's important to note that generally when selling a vehicle in British Columbia, the ownership document must be signed with your original signature and a stamp from the Ministry of British Columbia. If the BC vehicle is selling in provinces like Alberta or Ontario, they will accept a printed copy of the certificate as long as your signature is original.
To transfer your vehicle ownership in British Columbia:
- Sign the bottom of the Certificate of Insurance & Vehicle License.
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Both parties must fill out a Transfer/Tax Form. Submit the vehicle registration certificate and Transfer/Tax Form to an Autoplan broker.
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Provide the buyer with the original document stamped by the Ministry of British Columbia along with your original signature
Manitoba
In Manitoba, your vehicle registration document serves as proof of ownership. The registered owner must apply for and obtain a Certificate of Registration, which must be presented to transfer ownership.
To sell your vehicle, you must provide the buyer with the Transfer of Ownership (TOD) document. The TOD document is located on the back of the vehicle’s registration (both parties must sign this document). You must also provide the Buyer with a written Bill of Sale that includes the date of sale, year, make, model, serial number, agreed purchase price and your signature.
To transfer your vehicle ownership in Manitoba:
- Fill out the back of the vehicle registration certificate with the buyer's information.
- Provide a Bill of Sale to the buyer.
- Give the buyer a copy of the vehicle registration certificate.
- Submit the vehicle registration certificate to a Manitoba Public Insurance Service Centre.
New Brunswick
In New Brunswick, your Certificate of Vehicle Registration document serves as proof of ownership. The registered owner must apply for and obtain the latest Certificate of Registration issued by the province in order to transfer ownership.
To sell your vehicle, you must sign the back of the vehicle registration certificate in the "Transfer of Ownership" section. This section requires you to fill in the buyer’s name, address and date of birth... Please note that the title must be the latest document issued by Service New Brunswick, otherwise the seller must obtain a new document before selling the vehicle. If there is more than one owner, the document must be signed by all parties.
When selling your vehicle to CashforCars.ca in New Brunswick:
- Sign here are we’ll take care of it. We do all the paperwork.
If you’re not using CashforCars.ca, there are several steps you must take to transfer vehicle ownership in New Brunswick:
- Fill out the back of the Certificate of Vehicle Registration with the buyer's information.
- Provide a Bill of Sale to the buyer.
- Give the buyer the original Certificate of Vehicle Registration..
- It is recommended that both parties go to Service New Brunswick to submit the transfer (this must me completed in-person).
Newfoundland and Labrador
In Newfoundland and Labrador, your vehicle registration permit serves as proof of ownership.
To sell your vehicle, you must sign the back of the vehicle registration permit. You must also include a Bill of Sale or an affidavit that includes the date of sale, vehicle information and the purchase price.
To transfer your vehicle ownership in Newfoundland and Labrador:
- Fill out the back of the vehicle registration permit and provide it to the buyer. You must also complete and sign the insurance declaration section.
- Provide a Bill of Sale or affidavit to the buyer.
- Submit a Notice of Sale to a Motor Registration Division office within 10 days of the sale. A Notice of Sale can be found on the back of the vehicle registration permit. If you do not submit the notice within 10 days, this is an offence that can result in fines.
Northwest Territories
In the Northwest Territories, your vehicle registration document serves as proof of ownership. The registered owner must apply for and obtain a Certificate of Vehicle Registration, which must be presented to transfer ownership.
To sell your vehicle, both parties must sign the Vehicle Registration with the buyer/seller information sections completed. You must also include a Bill of Sale with the vehicle information, date of sale and the purchase price.
To transfer your vehicle ownership in the Northwest Territories:
- Fill out the back of the vehicle registration certificate with the buyer's and seller’s information.
- Provide a Bill of Sale to the buyer.
- Submit the vehicle registration certificate to a Motor Vehicles office (available in-person only).
Nova Scotia
In Nova Scotia, your vehicle registration document serves as proof of ownership. The registered owner must apply for and obtain a Certificate of Registration, which must be presented to transfer ownership.
To sell your vehicle, you must sign the back of the Certificate of Registration in the "Transfer of Title Certificate of Sale" section, which is located near the middle of the back of the certificate in Part 1 and provide this document to the buyer. You must also sign the Notice of Sale portion of the Certificate of Registration, indicating to whom the vehicle was sold to and return the Notice of Sale to the Registry of Motor Vehicles. If there is more than one owner, the document must be signed by all parties.
It's important to note that in Nova Scotia, the vehicle registration certificate is often referred to as a "Vehicle Permit," however this is different than the "Plate Permit" document. The Certificate of Registration is the correct document to use to complete the transfer process.
When selling your vehicle to CashforCars.ca in Nova Scotia:
- Sign here are we’ll take care of it. We do all the paperwork.
If you’re not using CashforCars.ca, there are several steps you must take to transfer vehicle ownership in Nova Scotia:
- Fill out the back of the vehicle registration certificate with the buyer's information.
- Provide a Bill of Sale to the buyer.
- Give the buyer the original vehicle registration certificate.
- Submit the Notice of Sale to a Registry of Motor Vehicles office.
Note: the vehicle plates will follow the owner in Nova Scotia, meaning the seller keeps their plates which can be transferred to another vehicle at a later date.
Nunavut
In Nunavut, your vehicle registration document serves as proof of ownership. The registered owner must apply for and obtain a Certificate of Registration, which must be presented to transfer ownership.
To sell your vehicle, you must sign the back of the vehicle registration certificate the section labeled "Transfer of Ownership." You must also provide the buyer with a Bill of Sale that includes your contact information, the buyer’s contact information, description of the vehicle, date of sale and any special conditions of the sale.
To transfer your vehicle ownership in Nunavut:
- Fill out the back of the vehicle registration document with the buyer's and seller’s information.
- Provide a Bill of Sale to the buyer.
- Give the buyer the original vehicle registration document.
- Submit the vehicle registration document to a Motor Vehicles office.
Ontario
In Ontario, your vehicle ownership document serves as proof of ownership. The registered owner must apply for and obtain a Vehicle Ownership document, which must be presented to transfer ownership.
To sell your vehicle, you must sign the back of the vehicle registration certificate in the "Vehicle Ownership" section. This section is located on the top right corner of the back of the registration certificate. You must sign your name in the "seller's signature" box and print your name in the "seller's name" box. You must also include the date of sale and the purchase price. The date of sale should be entered in the "date" box.
It is important to note that if there is more than one owner, the document must be signed by all parties.
When selling your vehicle to CashforCars.ca in Ontario:
- Sign here are we’ll take care of it. We do all the paperwork.
If you’re not using CashforCars.ca, there are several steps you must take to transfer vehicle ownership in Ontario:
- Fill out the back of the vehicle ownership document with the buyer's information.
- Provide a Used Vehicle Information Package to the buyer.
- Give the buyer a copy of the vehicle ownership document (the seller keeps the licence plate and the plate portion of the vehicle registration permit).
- Submit the vehicle ownership document to a ServiceOntario centre.
Prince Edward Island
In Prince Edward Island, your vehicle registration document serves as proof of ownership. The registered owner must apply for and obtain a Certificate of Registration, which must be presented to transfer ownership.
To sell your vehicle, you must sign on the reverse side of the Certificate of Registration in the box provided for Notification of Transfer. If there is more than one owner, the document must be signed by all parties. You must also include the date of sale, purchase price, and the odometer reading at the time of sale. It is important to note that you should also complete and sign the Bill of Sale section on the reverse side of the registration certificate.
To transfer your vehicle ownership in Prince Edward Island:
- Fill out the back of the vehicle registration certificate with the buyer's information.
- Provide a Bill of Sale to the buyer.
- Give the buyer the original vehicle registration certificate.
- Submit the vehicle registration certificate to Access PEI.
Note: the vehicle plates will follow the owner in PEI, meaning the seller keeps their plates which can be transferred to another vehicle at a later date.
Quebec
In Quebec, your vehicle registration certificate serves as proof of ownership. The registered owner must apply for and obtain a vehicle registration certificate, which must be presented to transfer ownership.
To sell your vehicle, you must sign the "Signature du Vendeur" section on the back of the registration certificate (certificat d'immatriculation) that says "DE: Seller." This section is located in the middle of the back of the document and includes your name, signature, and date of signature. If there is more than one owner, the document must be signed by all parties. Additionally, you must provide the buyer's name and address, the date of sale, the selling price, and the odometer reading at the time of sale.
When selling your vehicle to CashforCars.ca in Quebec:
- Sign here are we’ll take care of it. We do all the paperwork.
If you’re not using CashforCars.ca, there are several steps you must take to transfer vehicle ownership in Quebec:
- Fill out the back of the vehicle registration certificate with the buyer’s information.
- Provide a Bill of Sale to the buyer.
- Give the buyer the original vehicle registration certificate.
- Submit the vehicle registration certificate to a Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) service centre.
Saskatchewan
In Saskatchewan, your vehicle registration certificate serves as proof of ownership. The registered owner must apply for and obtain a Certificate of Registration, which must be presented to transfer ownership.
To sell your vehicle, you must sign the “Transfer of Ownership” form, which is attached to the registration certificate. You must also provide the buyer with a Bill of Sale, which includes the date if sale, name of buyer, vehicle description, VIN number, purchase price and contact information of the seller.
To transfer your vehicle ownership in Saskatchewan:
- Fill out the back of the vehicle registration certificate with the buyer’s information.
- Provide a Bill of Sale to the buyer.
- Give the buyer the original vehicle registration certificate.
- Submit the vehicle registration certificate to a Motor Licence Issuer.
Yukon
In Yukon, the vehicle registration document serves as proof of ownership. The registered owner must apply for and obtain a Certificate of Registration, which must be presented to transfer ownership.
To sell your vehicle in Yukon, both parties must fill out, sign and date a Bill of Sale.
To transfer your vehicle ownership in Yukon:
- Provide a Bill of Sale to the buyer.
- Give the buyer a copy of the vehicle registration certificate.
- Submit the vehicle registration certificate to a Yukon Motor Vehicles Office.
We hope this breakdown of vehicle ownership transfer rules in each province of Canada has been helpful to you. If you're looking to sell your vehicle, CashforCars.ca makes the process quick and easy. You can sell your car, truck, SUV, or van in any condition and get paid on the spot. Simply fill out our short online form or call our toll-free number at 1 (800) 261-9854 to get started. Our friendly and knowledgeable team is here to help you every step of the way.
If you are selling to CashforCars.ca and have any additional questions, feel free to contact your assigned vehicle purchasing agent for clarification. If you’re not using CashforCars.ca to sell your vehicle, remember that each province may have additional requirements or procedures when transferring ownership of a vehicle. It is recommended to consult with the relevant provincial government website or a licensed vehicle registrar to ensure compliance with local regulations. Some provinces will charge a Sales tax to the Purchaser at the time of registration. Contact your provincial transportation office for more information.
