Car Ownership Transfer in Ontario: A 2026 Guide by Situation

Last updated: October 8, 2026

Car Ownership Transfer in Ontario: A 2026 Guide by Situation

Quick answer: A car ownership transfer in Ontario is finished at a ServiceOntario centre, not in the driveway. In a private sale, the seller signs the transfer section on the back of the vehicle portion of the permit and hands it over with the Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP), a signed bill of sale and, if needed, a Safety Standards Certificate. The buyer then registers within six days and pays 13% retail sales tax. A notary is only part of it when the transfer needs a sworn statement: a tax-exempt family gift, another exempt transfer, or an affidavit ServiceOntario has asked for.

Before you look up how to transfer ownership of a car in Ontario, answer one question: is anyone paying for it? A sale to a stranger, a gift to your daughter, a car left in a will, a company van moving to a new business, and a car driven over from Gatineau all end at the same ServiceOntario counter. Each one needs different paperwork, and only some of them need anything sworn.

This guide goes through each situation in turn, using what ServiceOntario and the Ontario Ministry of Finance publish as of October 2026. It is written for people in Ottawa, Ontario who are doing this for the first time: the seller who has never filled in the back of a permit, the buyer counting the days, and the executor who found the ownership in a kitchen drawer. Minute Notary commissions the sworn statements some of these transfers need, on a mobile visit or over secure video. See our vehicle transfer documents service for what we handle, or call (613) 434-5555.

Key Takeaways

The Ontario Car Ownership Paper: Two Halves of One Permit

What most people call "the ownership" or "the green slip" is the vehicle permit. ServiceOntario describes it as your green ownership document, and it is built to be torn in two when a car changes hands.

• The vehicle portion describes the car (VIN, year, make, model) and carries the Application for Transfer on the back. In a sale, the seller fills in and signs that section and gives this half to the buyer. The buyer needs it to register.
• The plate portion belongs to the licence plates. The seller keeps it, because in Ontario the plates travel with the driver, not the vehicle. With it, the seller can put the same plates on their next car, and the buyer can do the same with their own plate portion.

That split explains why "proof of ownership" questions get confusing. Until the buyer registers, the permit still names the seller. What the buyer holds in the meantime is the signed vehicle portion, the bill of sale and the UVIP: enough to register, but not yet a permit in their own name. ServiceOntario issues the new permit at the counter when the transfer is registered.

Caption: The vehicle portion carries the Application for Transfer on the back. The plate portion stays with the seller.

Which Car Ownership Transfer Are You Doing?

Find your row, then read that section. The last column shows whether a notary has any part in it.

Private Sale: How to Transfer Ownership of a Car in Ontario

The private sale is the most common car ownership transfer in Ontario, and the one where people most often show up at the counter missing a piece. Here it is split by who does what.

What the seller does

1. Order the UVIP early. The seller is legally required under the Highway Traffic Act to give the buyer a Used Vehicle Information Package when selling a used car, van, light truck (empty weight of 2,200 kg or less), self-propelled motor home, motorcycle or light farm vehicle. Ordered online it costs $20, and ServiceOntario says it is mailed within five business days and can take up to ten days to arrive. Order it before you list the car.
2. Check for money owing. The UVIP shows lien information. If there is a loan on the car, deal with it before the sale (see the lien section below).
3. Confirm the VIN matches the permit.
4. Arrange the Safety Standards Certificate if the deal includes one. It comes from a DriveON vehicle inspection centre licensed by the Ministry of Transportation.
5. On the day of the sale, hand over: the UVIP; a signed bill of sale with your name, the buyer's name and address, the date and the price; and the vehicle portion of the permit with the Application for Transfer completed and signed.
6. Keep the plates and the plate portion. Take the plates off the car. ServiceOntario's advice is to return them to a ServiceOntario centre or store them securely until you need them, and to check your plates now and then for tampering.

What the buyer does

1. Check the car and the paper before paying. ServiceOntario's list: the vehicle's history and maintenance records, that the seller is the registered owner named on the permit, that the VIN on the car matches the permit, the UVIP's lien section, an inspection by your own mechanic, and a test drive. The emissions testing history can be searched for free by VIN on the DriveON portal.
2. Arrange insurance. You need proof of Ontario insurance to register, and insurance must be in place before plates go on the car.
3. Get the bill of sale signed and dated by both of you. The bottom of the UVIP has a bill of sale section you can use.
4. Register at a ServiceOntario centre within six days. You may be able to book an appointment ahead of your visit.
5. Pay the fees and the retail sales tax at the counter. The tax is paid to ServiceOntario when you register, not to the seller.

If you need to drive the car to a garage for its safety inspection before it has plates, ServiceOntario offers a 10-day temporary licence plate sticker for that kind of short trip, with eligibility rules. Check them on ontario.ca before you count on it.

What goes on the bill of sale

ServiceOntario lists what a bill of sale must show:

• the vehicle identification number (VIN)
• make, year and power source (gas, diesel, electric)
• body type, colour and model, if available
• the purchase price (and taxes collected and the HST/GST number, if applicable)
• the name, address and signature of the seller
• the name and address of the buyer
• the date of sale

It must be an original document, and it can be handwritten. A photocopy or fax is only accepted in a few listed cases, such as when the original is viewed at the ServiceOntario centre. A bill of sale from a company or dealer must be on its letterhead. If you would rather start from a typed layout, our free bill of sale template asks for the same details.

The six-day clock

ServiceOntario says the buyer must register as the new owner within six days of the purchase. Two other clocks run alongside it:

• The Safety Standards Certificate is valid for 36 calendar days after the inspection. If it expires before you register, you pay for a new inspection.
• The Red Book value on the UVIP can change between the day the package is printed and the day the transfer is registered, according to ServiceOntario.

So settle the sale date, the inspection date and the registration date together. Leaving them to chance is how a deal turns into a second inspection.

What it costs at the counter

ServiceOntario publishes these registration fees:

Using plates you already own means bringing your plate portion and paying the fee that applies. Retail sales tax is collected on top of these fees, and any outstanding fines in the plate holder's name are added too. The safety inspection is priced by each inspection centre; Ontario does not regulate that cost.

Retail Sales Tax on a Private Car Sale

Ontario charges 13% retail sales tax (RST) when you buy a car privately, meaning from someone who is not a GST/HST registrant. The tax is collected at ServiceOntario when the buyer registers.

For a car, van or truck with an empty weight of 2,200 kg or less, the Ministry of Finance says the taxable value is generally the greater of the purchase price or the Canadian Red Book value. In practice:

• Writing a lower price on the bill of sale does not lower the tax, because the Red Book value sets the floor.
• If the Red Book value is under $1,000, the tax is charged on the purchase price.
• A trade does not reduce it. Anything exchanged counts as part of the purchase price.

When the car is worth less than the Red Book says

Red Book values are averages for the same year, make and model. ServiceOntario notes they do not reflect condition, mileage or optional equipment. For an excessively used or severely damaged car with a Red Book value of $1,000 or more, the Ministry of Finance lets the buyer choose to have the vehicle appraised. If the purchase price and the appraised value are both below the Red Book figure, tax is charged on the greater of the two.

The appraisal goes on the Motor Vehicle Appraisal Record (Form 1159). It is only accepted from a motor vehicle dealer registered with the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC), or from an independent appraiser who has an appraiser number from the Ministry of Finance. If you have already paid tax on the Red Book value, you can claim a refund of the difference, but the appraisal has to be completed within 60 days of the purchase date.

Older cars

For a car, van or light truck that is 20 years or older when it is registered, and bought privately in Canada, the Ministry of Finance charges the tax on the greater of the purchase price and either the replacement value for insurance purposes or an appraised value. Bring a copy of the bill of sale and either the appraisal or an insurance policy showing the insured value.

Who does not pay

ServiceOntario names two exemptions on its main used-vehicle page: a gift to a close family member, and buyers who are a qualifying diplomat or Status Indian. The Ministry of Finance lists more, including estate bequests, family-breakdown settlements, charitable donations and settler's effects. Each needs its own supporting document, and the next sections cover the ones most people meet.

The UVIP and the Lien Check

The UVIP is the closest thing Ontario has to a vehicle history report from the government. ServiceOntario says it contains:

• the vehicle's details (year, make, model, colour, body type, cylinders, power)
• its Ontario registration history, including present and previous owners, their city and odometer readings
• lien information
• the average wholesale value, the minimum value on which RST will be charged
• the last known condition status, including whether it is registered as unfit
• whether it has been reported as wrecked
• a bill of sale section

To order one you need the VIN or plate number, plus your Ontario driver's licence number or RIN, or your name and address. The package must be the original and undamaged, with its serial number unaltered and the tear-off stub on page 1 still attached.

When a UVIP is not required

ServiceOntario's list of exceptions includes transfers between family members, buying from a registered dealer, and a vehicle previously bought or sold outside Ontario. It also covers donations to a registered charity and transfers to hospitals, municipalities, school boards, universities and colleges.

The family exception catches people out. Because nobody is required to order a UVIP for a gift, nobody looks at the lien section, and a lien does not go away because the car was a gift.

Searching for a lien yourself

A lien on a car is registered in Ontario's Personal Property Security Registration (PPSR) system. Anyone can search it on Access Now, and ServiceOntario lists the online search at $8. ServiceOntario's guidance for buyers is plain:

• If the seller's loan has been repaid, insist that the lender registers a discharge before the sale is completed.
• If a loan is still owing, either walk away or require the seller to pay it off and have the discharge registered.
• If a lender has rights in the car and no search was done, the car could later be seized if the borrower stops paying.

The Personal Property Security Branch can be reached at 416-325-8847 or toll-free at 1-800-267-8847.

The Safety Standards Certificate

A Safety Standards Certificate (SSC) confirms that the car met Ontario's minimum safety standards on the day it was inspected. ServiceOntario is careful to say it is not a warranty.

You need one when you transfer a used vehicle to a new owner (unless the new owner is your spouse), register a vehicle from another province, territory or country, register a rebuilt vehicle, or change a vehicle's status from unfit to fit.

Three details matter for a transfer:

• You can buy and register a car without an SSC, but you cannot put plates on it. A car sold "as is" can still change hands. It just cannot be driven on plates until it passes.
• It is valid for 36 calendar days after the inspection.
• It is not required for a transfer to your spouse. For a family gift between spouses, ServiceOntario asks for a spousal declaration instead.

A vehicle's inspection history can be looked up by VIN on the DriveON portal.

Transfer Car Ownership to a Family Member in Ontario

A gift inside the family is the one transfer where sales tax can drop to zero, and the one where a notary is always involved.

ServiceOntario allows the transfer of a vehicle to an eligible family member without retail sales tax when it is a genuine gift, meaning nothing is paid or traded for it. Registration fees still apply. ServiceOntario's list of eligible relationships is:

• spouse, including a common-law spouse
• parent or step-parent
• grandparent or step-grandparent
• son or step-son; daughter or step-daughter
• grandson or step-grandson; granddaughter or step-granddaughter
• son-in-law, daughter-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law
• sibling, half-sibling (a common parent), adopted sibling (a common parent through adoption)

Aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins are not on it, and neither are brothers- or sisters-in-law.

Where the Ministry of Finance list differs

The retail sales tax rule itself comes from the Ministry of Finance, and its Specified Vehicles guidance words the qualifying family members more broadly than ServiceOntario's page does. Both lists agree on spouses, step-relatives, in-law parents and children, and siblings. The differences are these:

If your relationship is only in the right-hand column, call ServiceOntario or the Ministry of Finance (1-866-668-8297) before anyone swears Form 1157E, and ask whether the counter will accept it. Do not count on the exemption until they confirm.

The Ministry's guidance also covers joint ownership, which ServiceOntario's page leaves out. If the car is registered to two people, the recipient has to be a qualifying family member of both owners. If the car will be registered to two recipients, both have to qualify as family of the donor. When one person does not qualify, the tax is charged at the counter, and the recipient can apply to the Ministry for a partial refund based on the share owned by the qualifying family member, using the Application for a Refund of Ontario Retail Sales Tax for Motor Vehicles Purchased Privately.

To claim the exemption, the donor and the recipient complete the Sworn Statement for a Family Gift of a Used Motor Vehicle in the Province of Ontario (Form 1157E) and swear it before a commissioner. The recipient then goes in person to a ServiceOntario centre with:

• the commissioned Form 1157E
• proof of Ontario vehicle insurance
• their Ontario driver's licence
• a Safety Standards Certificate (not required spouse-to-spouse, but a spousal declaration is)
• the vehicle permit with the back completed
• a plate transfer declaration, only if the plates are moving too, which is only permitted between spouses, parents and children

Only one exempt transfer of the same vehicle between family members is allowed in a 12-month period.

That is the outline. The form itself, box by box, along with who has to attend and what stalls a family gift at the counter, is in the full family gift guide. If you want a typed draft to bring, use our free Form 1157E template, and leave the signatures blank.

Transferring a Car After Someone Dies

When the registered owner has died, the car usually goes to a beneficiary or is sold by the estate. The documents the counter wants depend on whether there is a will and who has authority over the estate. The clearest official list is the one the Ministry of Finance publishes for the estate bequest exemption from retail sales tax.

If there is a will, the beneficiary needs the will (the original or a certified copy) that names both the estate trustee and the person who is to inherit the car.

• If the will does not name the estate trustee, the beneficiary also needs a copy of the Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee with a Will or a Small Estate Certificate.
• If the will does not clearly name who gets the car, the beneficiary also needs a letter from the estate trustee giving the trustee's name, the beneficiary's name and the vehicle details (VIN, year, make, model).

If there is no will, the beneficiary needs one of these:

• a letter from the estate trustee, with a copy of the Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee without a Will or a Small Estate Certificate, or
• a letter from a lawyer.

That letter must include the deceased person's name, date of birth and date of death, a statement that no will exists, the beneficiary's name, and the vehicle details.

If the car was registered jointly to a married couple, the surviving spouse can transfer it exempt with a death certificate (or a certified copy). The Ministry notes that this shortcut is for legally married joint owners. Other joint owners, including common-law spouses, need the will or no-will documents above.

Form 1155E is the sworn statement Ontario provides for exempt transfers other than family gifts, and its text cites the bequest clause of the Retail Sales Tax Act. Whether the counter wants it as well as the estate documents is a question for ServiceOntario. Ask when you call, before you book anything. Our Form 1155E walkthrough covers how the form is filled in, and there is a Form 1155E template if you want a clean copy.

Caption: For an inherited car, the will or the court certificate decides who can sign, not who has the keys.

Lost Ownership, Damaged Permits and VIN Errors

A lost permit is not a transfer, but it often stops one. You cannot sign over a vehicle portion you do not have.

ServiceOntario replaces a lost, stolen or damaged vehicle permit at a ServiceOntario centre for $32. Bring identification and either the licence plate number or the VIN. You must be the owner, or have a Letter of Authorization from the owner. ServiceOntario's published list for a routine replacement does not include an affidavit. If you are asked for one, or a buyer, insurer or lender wants a sworn account of what happened to the permit, our lost or stolen ownership affidavit guide explains that appointment.

A VIN error is different, and here ServiceOntario does name a sworn document. If the VIN on the permit does not match the dashboard, you bring the vehicle portion, your pink insurance card and one supporting document from a list. That list includes a manufacturer's warranty or invoice, a dealer letter, police confirmation, or a sworn affidavit by the vehicle owner explaining the VIN error. Swearing that affidavit is a commissioning act, so a notary can take it. What it says is your own account of the facts, and you write it.

Proof of ownership in other forms. Sometimes an insurer, a lender, or an office outside Ontario wants a sworn account of how you came to own a vehicle: who sold it to you, when, and for how much. ServiceOntario's private-sale list does not ask for this, so only prepare one when someone has asked for it. Our affidavit of vehicle ownership template sets those facts out as a sworn declaration, ready to be commissioned.

Caption: Fix a lost permit or a VIN mismatch before the sale, not on the day the buyer arrives.

Company Vehicles and the RIN

A vehicle registered to a business needs a Registrant Identification Number (RIN). The first RIN is obtained at a ServiceOntario centre. ServiceOntario's list for getting a RIN, replacing a company ownership or changing vehicle data includes:

• a "Proof of Business Address" form, or a Notarized Letter of Authorization completed by someone with authority to bind the organization, such as an owner or director (this route is only for getting a RIN or changing the company name or address)
• one business identification document, such as articles of incorporation or a letter of good standing
• two documents showing the business address in Ontario
• the individual's Ontario driver's licence or Ontario Photo Card
• a Letter of Authorization on company letterhead, or a power of attorney, if the person at the counter is not listed in the articles of incorporation

A vehicle moving between related corporations, or between a corporation and its shareholder, may also qualify for a sales tax exemption. That route uses Form 1155E with a ServiceOntario addendum. Our RIN letter guide covers the letter, and whether a corporate transfer qualifies for the exemption is a question for the company's accountant or lawyer.

Bringing a Car From Another Province, Including Quebec

Ottawa sits on the Quebec border, so a Gatineau-to-Orléans move is a common version of this. ServiceOntario's page on out-of-province vehicles sets out the steps:

• General registration requirements apply: proof of insurance, identification and the out-of-province ownership.
• A Safety Standards Certificate is required for a vehicle that was bought in, or came from, another province.
• A UVIP is not required for a vehicle previously bought or sold outside Ontario.
• A leased vehicle needs proof of the lease, or a letter from the leasing company.

On tax, the Ministry of Finance says a vehicle bought privately in another province and brought into Ontario generally attracts 13% RST on the purchase price. A vehicle bought from a GST/HST registrant, or brought in from outside Canada, falls under HST rules administered by the Canada Revenue Agency instead.

If you are moving to Ontario with a car you already own, the settler's effects exemption may apply. The Ministry's conditions are:

• you lived outside Ontario for at least a year
• you intend to live in Ontario for more than a year
• you owned the vehicle for at least 30 days before taking up residence
• you bring the vehicle in within six months of moving
• you paid the taxes owed to your former province (and they have not been refunded)

You also need proof that the vehicle was licensed in the other province. A vehicle from outside Canada adds the customs clearance (Vehicle Import Form 1) and the federal Registrar of Imported Vehicles program.

Is There an Online Car Ownership Transfer in Ontario in 2026?

Not for the transfer itself. As of October 2026, ontario.ca describes registering a used-vehicle transfer as a visit to a ServiceOntario centre, and its family gift page says in plain words to go in person. Its list of vehicle services does not include an online ownership transfer. Be wary of any site that says otherwise, and check ontario.ca before you rely on it.

What you can do online is most of the preparation:

• the seller can order the UVIP online ($20, mailed)
• anyone can run a PPSR lien search on Access Now ($8)
• the DriveON portal shows a car's emissions and safety inspection history by VIN
• passenger vehicle plates now renew automatically for many owners with no outstanding fines, fees or tolls and valid insurance
• the sworn statements some transfers need can be sworn before an Ontario commissioner over secure video, under O. Reg. 431/20, then printed and taken to the counter

That last point is where Minute Notary fits. How swearing a vehicle statement by video works covers the call itself: identity checks, two people in two cities, and what you print afterwards.

What a Notary Can and Cannot Do

What a notary can and cannot do: A notary public or commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario confirms your identity, administers the oath or affirmation, watches you sign, and commissions the sworn statement or affidavit with their signature and seal. A notary does not register the transfer, decide whether you qualify for a tax exemption, value the car, check for liens, or advise you on what to write. ServiceOntario registers the vehicle. The Ministry of Finance sets the tax rules.

In a car ownership transfer, these are the pieces a notary can actually handle:

A remote oath under O. Reg. 431/20 has conditions: the commissioner and the deponent must see, hear and talk to each other in real time for the whole appointment. The commissioner confirms identity and uses a jurat that records the regulation and where each person was. The commissioner also has to be satisfied that you understand what you are signing.

Minute Notary commissions these documents as part of our vehicle transfer service, from $24.95 per stamp plus HST. If more than one person is signing, an additional signer fee also applies.

When to Call a Lawyer or Paralegal Instead

A notary takes your oath on facts you already know. When the question becomes "what are my rights?" or "who is entitled to this car?", you need a lawyer, or in some matters a licensed paralegal. Call one when:

• The estate is contested. Disagreement among beneficiaries, a will that may not be valid, or uncertainty about who the estate trustee is.
• There is no will and no one has authority yet. The Ministry's no-will route needs a letter from a court-confirmed estate trustee or from a lawyer. Getting that authority is legal work.
• The car is part of a separation. Whether a vehicle forms part of a Family Law Act settlement is decided in the agreement or by the court, not on a sworn form.
• The seller cannot clear a lien, or you suspect the car is stolen or the paperwork is altered. ServiceOntario's advice for suspected fraud is to call the police.
• Someone asks you to register a car in your name for them. ServiceOntario warns that if a car registered to you is used in a crime, you can face criminal charges.
• A corporate transfer turns on share ownership or whether tax was already paid inside the group. That is a question for an accountant or lawyer.
• A private sale goes wrong afterwards, for example a buyer who will not pay, or a car with problems the seller did not disclose. The Law Society of Ontario licenses paralegals to represent people in Small Claims Court, for claims of up to $50,000.

What to Bring to Your Appointment

For a notary appointment, by video or in person:

For the ServiceOntario visit after a private sale: proof of Ontario insurance, your Ontario driver's licence, the UVIP, the bill of sale, the SSC if applicable, the vehicle portion of the permit with the Application for Transfer completed, and the odometer reading. Bring your own plate portion if you are moving plates you already have.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Waiting on the UVIP. It can take more than two weeks to arrive by mail. Order it before you advertise the car.
• Letting the buyer drive off on your plates. Plates and the plate portion stay with the seller.
• Writing a low price to save tax. The Red Book value is the floor. The lawful routes are the appraisal and the exemptions.
• Missing the six-day window, or letting the 36-day safety certificate expire before you register.
• Skipping the lien search on a family gift. No UVIP is required, so nobody checks.
• Signing a sworn statement at home. A sworn statement is signed in front of the commissioner. A form signed beforehand has to be redone.
• Swearing a form that does not fit. An aunt to a nephew is not a family gift under ServiceOntario's list, and Form 1155E does not cover a cheap price.
• Assuming a common-law partner can use the death-certificate shortcut. The Ministry limits that to legally married joint owners.

Three Ottawa Scenarios

A private sale across the city. A seller in Kanata lists a 2017 hatchback and orders the UVIP online the same evening, knowing it can take more than a week to come by mail. A buyer from Orléans runs an $8 lien search and finds a discharged loan, then has her own mechanic look at the car. They meet on a Saturday. He signs the back of the vehicle portion, both sign the bill of sale on the UVIP, and he keeps his plates. She books a ServiceOntario appointment for Tuesday, inside the six days, and the safety certificate from Thursday's inspection is still well within its 36 days. No notary is involved, and none is needed.

A gift from a father to his son. A father in Barrhaven is handing his car to his son, who has moved to Sudbury. A son is on ServiceOntario's list, and the car has not been gifted tax-exempt in the past year. They fill in Form 1157E, leave the signatures blank, and book one video appointment. The father joins from his kitchen and the son from his place in Sudbury, each with photo ID. They swear and sign while the notary watches. The son prints the commissioned statement and takes it, with his insurance, licence, the permit and a safety certificate, to a ServiceOntario centre in person.

An executor in Orléans. A widow's late husband owned the car alone, and his will names her as estate trustee and leaves her the car. She is not a joint owner, so the death-certificate shortcut does not apply. She calls ServiceOntario to confirm what the counter wants from a beneficiary with a will, then takes the will and the documents they list. Her husband's brother says the car was promised to him. That is not something a notary can settle, and she books an estates lawyer before she does anything else.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I transfer car ownership in Ontario?

In a private sale, the seller signs the Application for Transfer on the back of the vehicle portion of the permit and gives the buyer that portion, the Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP), a signed bill of sale and a Safety Standards Certificate if one is required. The buyer then registers at a ServiceOntario centre within six days of the purchase, with proof of Ontario insurance, their driver's licence and the odometer reading, and pays the retail sales tax there. The seller keeps the plates and the plate portion of the permit.

How long do I have to transfer ownership of a car in Ontario?

ServiceOntario says the buyer must register as the new owner within six days of the purchase. If a Safety Standards Certificate is part of the paperwork, remember it is only valid for 36 calendar days after the inspection, so the two clocks should be planned together.

How much does it cost to transfer car ownership in Ontario?

ServiceOntario lists a vehicle permit at $32 and a licence plate with permit at $59. The seller's UVIP costs $20 when ordered online. On a private sale the buyer also pays 13% retail sales tax, generally on the purchase price or the Canadian Red Book wholesale value, whichever is greater. A Safety Standards Certificate is priced by each inspection centre. If a sworn statement is needed, Minute Notary commissions it from $24.95 per stamp plus HST.

Can I transfer car ownership online in Ontario?

Not as of October 2026. ontario.ca describes a private-sale registration as a visit to a ServiceOntario centre, and the family gift page says to go in person. What can be done online is the preparation: the seller can order the UVIP online, a lien search can be run on Access Now, and the sworn statements ServiceOntario asks for in some transfers can be sworn before an Ontario commissioner by video under O. Reg. 431/20.

Do I need a notary to transfer car ownership in Ontario?

Not for an ordinary private sale. ServiceOntario's list for a sale — UVIP, bill of sale, signed permit, safety certificate, insurance and ID — does not include anything sworn. A commissioner or notary is needed when the transfer depends on a sworn statement, such as the family gift statement (Form 1157E) or the Sworn Statement for the Transfer of a Used Motor Vehicle (Form 1155E), or when ServiceOntario asks for an affidavit, for example to explain a VIN error.

How do I transfer a car to a family member in Ontario without paying tax?

If the relative is on ServiceOntario's eligible list and nothing is paid for the car, the donor and the recipient complete the Sworn Statement for a Family Gift of a Used Motor Vehicle (Form 1157E), swear it before a commissioner, and the recipient takes it to a ServiceOntario centre in person with insurance, their licence, the signed permit and a Safety Standards Certificate (not needed spouse-to-spouse, but a spousal declaration is). Only one exempt family transfer of the same vehicle is allowed in 12 months.

How do I transfer a car after someone dies in Ontario?

The Ministry of Finance lists what a beneficiary needs to take the car without retail sales tax. With a will, it is the will (original or certified copy) naming the estate trustee and the beneficiary, plus a Certificate of Appointment or Small Estate Certificate, or a letter from the estate trustee, where the will does not name them clearly. Without a will, it is a letter from the court-confirmed estate trustee or from a lawyer. A married co-owner can transfer with a death certificate. Confirm the counter's requirements with ServiceOntario, and call an estates lawyer if anyone disputes who gets the car.

What is the Ontario car ownership paper called?

It is the vehicle permit, often called the ownership or the green slip. It has two parts: the vehicle portion, which carries the Application for Transfer on the back and goes to the buyer, and the plate portion, which stays with the seller along with the licence plates.

Can I register a car I bought in Quebec in Ontario?

Yes, at a ServiceOntario centre. You need the general registration documents, proof of identity, the out-of-province ownership, and a Safety Standards Certificate. If you bought the car privately in another province, 13% Ontario retail sales tax generally applies to the purchase price. A person moving to Ontario may qualify for the settler's effects exemption if they lived outside Ontario for at least a year, owned the vehicle for at least 30 days before moving, and paid the tax owing to their former province.

Final Recommendation

Start with the type of transfer, because it decides everything else. For a private sale, the seller's job is the UVIP, the signed vehicle portion, the bill of sale and keeping the plates. The buyer's job is the lien check, insurance, the safety certificate and registering within six days. For a family gift, check the relationship against ServiceOntario's list, then swear Form 1157E together. For an inheritance, gather the will or court certificate, confirm the counter's list with ServiceOntario, and bring in a lawyer the moment anyone disagrees. In every case, the transfer ends at a ServiceOntario centre. A notary only commissions the sworn pieces that some transfers need.

Book Your Appointment

Need a sworn statement for a car ownership transfer in Ontario, such as a Form 1157E family gift, a Form 1155E exempt transfer, or an affidavit ServiceOntario has asked for? Minute Notary commissions it from $24.95 per stamp plus HST, by secure video or on a mobile visit anywhere in Ontario (flat $60 travel fee). If more than one person is signing, an additional signer fee also applies.

• Book an appointment: Contact Minute Notary
• Call: (613) 434-5555
• Service page: Vehicle Transfer Documents
• Hours: Every day, Saturday and Sunday included, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Ottawa time)

This article is general information about what ServiceOntario and the Ontario Ministry of Finance publish. It is not legal or tax advice. Eligibility for any retail sales tax exemption is decided by ServiceOntario and the Ministry of Finance.

Sources

• ServiceOntario: Buy or sell a used vehicle in Ontario
• ServiceOntario: Used vehicle information package
• ServiceOntario: Register a vehicle (permit and licence plate)
• ServiceOntario: Transfer ownership of a vehicle to a family member
• ServiceOntario: Safety standards certificate
• ServiceOntario: Register an out of province vehicle in Ontario
• ServiceOntario: Register a security interest or search for a lien on Access Now
• ServiceOntario: Vehicle registration
• Ontario Ministry of Finance: Retail Sales Tax, Specified Vehicles
• Ontario Central Forms Repository: Form 1157E, family gift sworn statement
• Ontario Central Forms Repository: Form 1155E, sworn statement for the transfer of a used motor vehicle
• Ontario Central Forms Repository: Form 1159, Motor Vehicle Appraisal Record
• O. Reg. 431/20: Administering Oath or Declaration Remotely
• Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act (Ontario)
• Law Society of Ontario: About paralegals