Modified vehicle
ChangeIf you modify an original vehicle, you must present it to the SAAQ for certain inspections in order to maintain your right to use it on public roads.
In certain cases, the registration of a modified vehicle must be changed.
Before modifying a vehicle, you must understand which modifications are permitted and which ones are prohibited. The following documents will inform you:
You can also contact the Direction générale de l’expertise légale et de la sécurité des véhicules of the SAAQ to check whether your vehicle will meet highway safety standards.
Direction générale de l’expertise légale et de la sécurité des véhicules
Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec
Case postale 19600, succursale Terminus
Québec (Québec) G1K 8J6
dgelsv@saaq.gouv.qc.ca This link opens your default email software.
418-528-3214
You can also ask an engineer belonging to the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec to advise you.
Once the vehicle has been modified, you must make an appointment at a mechanical inspection centre. The staff at the centre will collect all relevant information (purchase invoices for parts, modifications made, etc.) and take photographs of the results of the work.
The mechanical inspection centre will send us your file so that we can study it.
At this stage, we may require:
Note that analyzing your file may take several weeks. You may put your vehicle into storage during that time (section 214 of the Highway Safety Code).
If we judge that the modifications meet our standards, you must make an appointment at a mechanical inspection centre to confirm that the vehicle is in good mechanical condition.
The centre will issue you a valid mechanical inspection certificate. When we have received the certificate, we will send you a certificate of inspection. This certificate contains information regarding the accepted modifications. You will need both of these documents if it is necessary to modify the vehicle's registration.
Inspection certificate: keep it in your vehicle at all times
You may be asked to produce this certificate when you modify your vehicle registration or if you are pulled over by the police for a roadside inspection.
Make sure the vehicle can be put back on the road or you can modify its registration.
You must present:
Other documents may be required depending on the type of modified vehicle and how you use it.
You must also present the Consent of a Person Having Parental Authority (PDF, 123.4 ko) form completed by your father, mother or legal guardian.
Phone us to find out what documents you must bring with you when you come to one of our service outlets.
The person who goes to the service outlet for you must bring the original of the Power of Attorney (PDF, 298.8 ko) form completed by you.
At our service outlets, we accept payment:
Payment by credit card is not accepted.
You may not be required to pay the GST and QST when you register your vehicle.
For more information, phone Revenu Québec.
A passenger vehicle or a commercial vehicle is considered a luxury vehicle if it meets the following 3 criteria:
In such a case, a surcharge is added to the registration fee equal to 1% of the portion of the vehicle's value over $40,000.
A passenger vehicle, motor home or commercial vehicle is considered to be a large-cylinder capacity vehicle if:
AND
No surcharge is added to the registration fee for the following large-cylinder capacity vehicles:
You must have a civil liability insurance policy contracted from a private insurer providing minimum coverage of $50,000. The minimum is $1 million if you are a carrier and $2 million if you haul hazardous materials.
If you are not insured and you are pulled over by the police or involved in a traffic accident that causes more than $500 in damage to the property of another party:
At any time you may be pulled over by the police and be issued a statement of offence or an inspection notice requiring you to have your modified vehicle inspected at a mechanical inspection centre.
Inspection certificate: keep it in your vehicle at all times
You may be asked to produce this certificate when you modify your vehicle registration or if you are pulled over by the police for a roadside inspection.
Last update: May 16, 2022
