Registering a Vehicle

Car or Motor Home Sold Between Individuals

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When an automobile or a motor home is sold between individuals, both the buyer and seller must go to an SAAQ service outlet to have the vehicle registered in the buyer's name.

Automobiles with a net weightWeight of the vehicle and the equipment permanently attached to it, excluding the weight of its load. of 3,000 kg or less and motor homesA motor vehicle permanently converted into living quarters. are categorized as passenger vehiclesA motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, a moped and a minibus. This vehicle must be owned by a natural person, carry up to 9 occupants (where such transportation does not require a permit from the Commission des transports du Québec), and be used mainly for personal purposes., which also include:

  • sport utility vehicles (SUV)
  • minivans
  • pick-up trucksA 2-axle road vehicle with a net weight between 3,000 and 4,000 kg owned by an individual, which is not used for commercial or employment-related purposes, and is equipped with a separate enclosed cab and has (or originally had) an open truck box and tailgate. used for personal purposes that have two axles and a net weight of more than 3,000 kg but less than 4,000 kg
  • military vehicles, provided:
    • they have the same configuration as road vehicles intended for use on public roads
    • they are equipped to be compliant for road use
    • they are equipped with tires and not with tracks
    • they have undergone an inspection by an engineer belonging to the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec or another person who is legally authorized to practise this profession in Québec
    • they have undergone a valid mechanical inspection after having received a favourable report from an engineer

The registration procedure is the same for all of these vehicles.

1 Before registration

The vehicle cannot be registered…

If the buyer or the seller has an unpaid fine for an offence under the Highway Safety Code or under a municipal traffic or parking bylaw.

The Bureau des infractions et amendes and the municipal courts are responsible for collecting fines. You cannot pay a fine at an SAAQ service outlet.

To check whether the vehicle can be registered, you can use our online service. You will be charged a fee for this service.

To avoid unpleasant surprises

Before buying a used vehicle, check the Registre des droits personnels et réels mobiliers (register of personal and movable real rights—in French only) to make sure it is free of debt. If you buy a vehicle that has not been paid for in full, it can be seized by the creditor.

You can also request a copy of the vehicle record from the SAAQ to find out:

  • if it has been rebuilt
  • if it has passed a mechanical inspection
  • how many people have owned it
  • how it has been used in the past, e.g. if it was used as a taxi before October 10, 2020

To obtain a copy of the vehicle record, you can:

Make sure the vehicle has not been damaged by flooding.

While flood-damaged vehicles are usually declared “irreparable” and dismantled for certain parts to be recycled, some flood-damaged vehicles may slip through the cracks and end up on the market.

Be sure to verify before buying a vehicle.

For more information, refer to the Flood-Damaged Road Vehicles page.

If the Vehicle Is Prohibited From Being Put Into Operation or Has Been Stored for One Year or Longer

It cannot be put back into operation until it has passed a mechanical inspection carried out by a certified business and a valid mechanical inspection certificate has been issued.

1 Before registration

2 When you register your vehicle

Documents required

The buyer and seller must show their driver's licence or another official photo ID document.

The buyer must also supply the vehicle's odometer reading.

Before Going to an SAAQ Service Outlet

To find out which documents are necessary for the calculation of QST, call Revenu Québec:

  • if the vehicle is more than 25 years old (more than 40 years old, in the case of a truck)
  • if the vehicle is a used luxury vehicle less than 25 years old and not listed in the reference guide used by Revenu Québec (luxury vehicles that are not listed: Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Hummer, Lamborghini, Lotus, Maserati and Rolls Royce)
  • if the vehicle comes from outside Canada
  • if the used vehicle is damaged or has unusual wear

If you are under age 18

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.

If you do not have a driver's licence

Phone us to find out what documents you must bring with you when registering your vehicle.

If you cannot go in person

The person registering the vehicle on your behalf will need to provide the original Power of Attorney (PDF, 181.5 ko) form completed by you beforehand.

If the vehicle is from outside Québec

A vehicle from outside Québec is considered to be an imported vehicle, which means there are other documents you will have to provide so that we can verify whether the vehicle can be used in Québec. Refer to the Registering a vehicle from outside Québec section for more information.

2 When you register your vehicle

3 Costs and payment

Payment methods

At our service outlets, we accept payment:

  • in cash
  • by Interac (debit card)—not available in some service outlets
  • by one or more pre-authorized debits (a cheque specimen must be provided)
  • by cheque or money order

Payment by credit card is not accepted.

Payment of the QST

At the time of registration, you are required to pay the QST, even in the case of a used vehicle. The SAAQ collects the QST on the agreed selling price or the estimated value of the vehicle, whichever is greater. 

You do not have to pay the GST because the sale is between individuals.

For more information on the payment or collection of taxes, phone Revenu Québec.

The vehicle registration fee will be higher if…

  • the vehicle is considered a luxury vehicle. This is the case when the vehicle meets all 3 of the following criteria:
    • it is worth more than $40,000
    • it has a net weight of 3,000 kg or less
    • it is less than 7 years old

      The additional registration fee equals 1% of the vehicle's value exceeding $40,000.
  • the vehicle is considered a large-cylinder capacity vehicle. This is the case when:
    • its engine has a cylinder capacity of 3.95 litres or more
    • the model year is 1995 or later
  • you live in an area where public transit is available
  • you live in the Montréal agglomeration
3 Costs and payment

4 Insurance

You must have a civil liability insurance policy contracted from a private insurer providing minimum coverage of $50,000.

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:

  • your driver's licence or your right to obtain one could be suspended
  • all of your vehicles may be prohibited from being put into operation
  • you will be fined $325 to $2,800

The seller remains the owner and person liable for the vehicle until...

The vehicle is registered in the buyer's name.

This means that should the buyer commit an offence or be involved in an accident with a vehicle that is still registered in the seller's name, it is the seller who would be held responsible.

4 Insurance

Last update: October  5, 2021