Tow Truck
A tow truck used for commercial purposes must be registered at an SAAQ service outlet.
To register a tow truck 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 your Motor vehicle equipped to lift and tow a road vehicle or to load a road vehicle onto its platform..
Registration with the commission des transports du québec
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 business purchasing the tow truck 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 12 months. You must present the mechanical inspection certificate confirming that the vehicle meets the required standards when you register the tow truck.
If the tow truck 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 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.
When acquiring a tow truck that has been in storage, the date as of which a mechanical inspection becomes required is based on the date the former owner put the vehicle into storage
Elle ne pourra pas être remise en circulation avant que sa conformité soit attestée par un certificat de vérification mécanique produit à la suite d’une vérification mécanique effectuée chez un mandataire autorisé par la SAAQ.
Lors de l’acquisition d’une dépanneuse remisée, la date à partir de laquelle une vérification mécanique est requise est déterminée en fonction de la date du remisage de la dépanneuse par l’ancien propriétaire.
Documents required
The buyer and the seller–or their representatives–must present their driver's licence or another official photo ID document.
If the tow truck is new
The buyer must present the Attestation de transaction avec un commerçant and Description du véhicule neuf forms given by the dealer.
If the tow truck is used
The documents you must present when you register your tow truck are different depending on the person or business from which you bought it. In any case, you must indicate the vehicle's odometer reading.
| Bought from a dealership | Bought from an individual | Bought from a business or a self-employed worker A business or self-employed worker that is registered for and collects the GST and QST. For more information, phone Revenu Québec. |
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If the person registering the vehicle does not have a driver's licence
Phone us to find out what documents to bring when registering the tow truck.
If none of the business's directors can come to the service outlet in person
The person registering the vehicle will have to present the original copy of a document authorizing that person to act on its behalf.
If the tow truck comes from outside Québec
It is considered to be an imported vehicle. In that case, there are other documents you have to present so that we can verify whether the vehicle is authorized for road use in Québec.
Registration fees
To find out the cost to have a tow truck registered, visit the Rates and Fines section.
Payment options
At our service outlets, we accept payment:
- in cash
- by debit card (not available at 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 GST and QST
Whether the tow truck is new or used, the buyer must pay the GST and QST if the vehicle is bought from a dealership, business or self-employed worker registered for the GST and QST.
For more information, phone Revenu Québec .
If the tow truck is purchased from an individual, the buyer is only required to pay the QST.
A business that purchases a tow truck must have a civil liability insurance policy contracted from a private insurer providing minimum coverage of $50,000.
If the business' tow trucks are not insured and one of them is pulled over by the police or involved in an accident that causes more than $500 in damage to the property of another party:
- all of the business' vehicles may be prohibited from road use
- the business will be assessed a fine of $325 to $2,800
Last update: June 25, 2025