Registering a Vehicle

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. 

To register a vehicle to a business

The business must be registered with the Registraire des entreprises (enterprise register), because you need to provide your Québec enterprise number (NEQ) to register:

• a bus
• a minibus
• a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight ratingA vehicle's weight, including its maximum load capacity, according to the manufacturer's specifications. of 4,500 kg or more.

Registration in the Registre des propriétaires et des exploitants de véhicules lourds (register of owners and operators of heavy vehicles)

The business must be registered in the register of owners and operators of heavy vehicles of the Commission des transports du Québec (CTQ) if:

• the vehicle has a gross vehicle weight ratingA vehicle's weight, including its maximum load capacity, according to the manufacturer's specifications. of 4,500 kg or more
• OR
• the vehicle is a bus or a minibus

If the business purchasing the vehicle is not registered with the CTQ, it may still register the vehicle, but it cannot put it into operation.

Mechanical inspection

The most recent mechanical inspection must have been performed within the past 6 months for the following used vehicles:

• automobiles
• trucks
• buses
• minibuses
• trailers and semi-trailers
• scooters and other mopeds

For motorcycles, a mechanical inspection is required every 12 months.

You must present a valid mechanical inspection certificate when you register your vehicle.

Dual pedal system

If the vehicle requires a passenger (instructor) side pedal, you must obtain our authorization before registering the vehicle.

For details on the procedure, visit the Driving School Vehicle page.

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 the vehicle's ownership history 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 the vehicle's ownership history, you can:

• use the online service available via SAAQclic
• go to one of our service outlets

If the vehicle is not authorized for road use or has been stored for one year or longer

It cannot be put back into operation until it has undergone a mechanical inspection carried out by a road vehicle inspection agent authorized by the SAAQ and a mechanical inspection certificate has been issued confirming that the vehicle meets the applicable standards.

Last update: May 16, 2022