Selling or buying a used vehicle in Ontario

Buy a Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP). 1

The seller is legally required to give it to the buyer. It costs $20. Ordered online, it is sent within 5 business days, with up to 10 days of delivery; ServiceOntario issues it the same day in person.

Check that the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the vehicle matches the number on your permit. 2

Check that no money is owing on the vehicle. 2

The UVIP shows any lien.

Give the buyer the UVIP. 2

Give the buyer a signed Bill of Sale with your name, the buyer’s name and address, the date and the purchase price. 2

Give the buyer a completed and signed Application for Transfer. 2

It is on the back of the ownership permit, under the vehicle portion.

Give the buyer a Safety Standards Certificate, if required. 2

From a licensed mechanic. Look for an “Ontario DriveON” sign.

Keep your licence plates and the plate portion of your permit. 2

The plates travel with a driver, not a vehicle. You can request a refund for any full months left on your plate stickers, if they were required for your vehicle.

Make sure the seller is the legally registered owner. 2

Make sure the VIN on the vehicle matches the one on the owner’s permit. 2

Get the UVIP from the seller, or buy your own, and check the lien and debt information. 2

Check the vehicle history, look for damage, have your mechanic inspect it, and test drive it. 2

VIN; make, year and power source; body type, colour and model, if available. 2

Purchase price, with taxes collected and the HST/GST number if applicable. 2

Name, address and signature of the seller; name and address of the buyer; sale date. 2

Signed and dated by both the buyer and the seller. It must be an original, but it can be handwritten, and the bottom of the UVIP has a section for it.

Register your name as the new owner at a ServiceOntario centre. 2

Bring proof of insurance and your Ontario driver’s licence. 2

Bring the UVIP, the Bill of Sale, and the owner’s permit with the Application for Transfer completed on the back. 2

Bring the odometer reading. 2

Bring the Safety Standards Certificate, and the annual or semi-annual emission and safety inspection, if applicable. 2

Be ready to pay the registration fees and the sales tax. 2

In most cases the buyer pays 13% RST at registration, on the purchase price or the vehicle’s wholesale value, whichever is greater. A vehicle 20 years old or older requires an appraisal.

A vehicle from a spouse or former spouse, as part of a settlement under the Family Law Act: bring a supporting document. 3

A completed Sworn Statement for the Transfer of a Used Motor Vehicle in the Province of Ontario (Form 1155E), a separation agreement, a divorce agreement, or a similar court document. It may be exempt from RST.

A gift to a close family member: use the family gift checklist instead. 3