Registering a hand-crafted vehicle

Before hand-crafting a vehicle, you should read the following documents:

• Les véhicules modifiés ou de fabrication artisanale (PDF, 957.8 KB)⁠ ⁠ ⁠ (Modified or hand-crafted vehicles – in French only)
• Les motocyclettes modifiées ou de fabrication artisanale (PDF, 3.4 MB)⁠ ⁠ ⁠ (Modified or hand-crafted motorcycles – in French only)
• Guide de construction de remorques de fabrication artisanale (PDF, 1.6 MB)⁠ ⁠ ⁠ (Guide to building a hand-crafted trailer – in French only)

If you wish to proceed with your project, we recommend that you contact the Direction générale de l'expertise légale et de la sécurité des véhicules to check whether your vehicle will meet road 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

During this step, the vehicle is built in compliance with the SAAQ’s requirements. This step is over once the vehicle is completed.

Once the vehicle is completely built, contact your local police department to have it authenticated. A peace officer will check whether the vehicle contains any components of suspicious origin (such as stolen or modified parts).

You must be able to show the origin of your vehicle's components and prove that you own them, for example, by providing invoices and original certificates.

The police department will issue you a form confirming that the identification of vehicle components has been verified and affix stickers to the vehicle.

You must have this form completed in order to apply for a vehicle identification number plate.

To apply for a vehicle identification number (VIN) plate, you must send us a letter containing the following information:

• the type of vehicle (trailer, passenger vehicle, motorcycle)
• the vehicle's net weight
• the contact information for the mechanical inspection centre where you wish to go to have the plate installed

You must also enclose the following documents:

• the original of the Vérification des pièces d'identification d'un véhicule form
• a cheque or money order in the amount of $39.50 payable to the SAAQ

We will send you a letter indicating to which mechanical inspection centre you can go to have the vehicle identification number (VIN) plate installed.

The mechanical inspection centre will call you to set up an appointment for installing the plate.

Before you can operate the vehicle, the SAAQ must verify that it is safe and meets requirements.

To do so, you must make an appointment at a mechanical inspection centre to open a hand-crafted vehicle record. The person in charge at the mechanical inspection centre will inspect the hand-crafted or modified vehicle. During this inspection, you can also have the plate installed on the vehicle.

At the inspection centre, we recommend that you provide as much information as possible about the vehicle, for example:

• invoices for parts and services
• original certificates for major components (motor, transmission, frame, etc.)
• the identification number or registration certificate number of the donor vehicle(s)
• serial numbers of major components (motor, transmission, frame, etc.)
• photos taken while the vehicle was being built or during the assembly of the structural and mechanical components

Note that this inspection is at your own expense.

The mechanical inspection centre will send us your record so that we can study it. Based on the complexity of your file and when you submit it, the analysis may take some time.

At this stage, we may require:

• more information about the hand-crafted vehicle
• modifications to the vehicle so that it meets road safety standards
• a report prepared by an engineer belonging to the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec⁠ ⁠ providing details about the hand-crafting of the vehicle

Once the SAAQ has verified that the vehicle has been built in compliance with the requirements, it authorizes the mechanical inspection centre to proceed with a mechanical inspection. The centre will contact you to make an appointment. This inspection is also at your own expense.

This inspection is different from the first one. It mainly serves to check the condition of the vehicle’s components, rather than its design.

The mechanical inspection is carried out following the established procedures in one of the following guides, depending on the case:

• Road Vehicle Mechanical Inspection Guide⁠ ⁠ (in French only)
• Guide de vérification mécanique des motocyclettes⁠ ⁠ (in French only)

If no mechanical defects are found, the mechanical inspection centre will issue you a mechanical inspection certificate and send a copy to the Direction générale de l’expertise légale et de la sécurité des véhicules (DGELSV).

You will need the certificate to put the vehicle back on the road, as explained in step 10.

Once the DGELSV receives a valid mechanical inspection certificate, it will produce and send you a certificate of inspection.

Certificate of Inspection: keep it in your vehicle at all times

This certificate is necessary when you register the vehicle for road use. You may also be asked to produce this certificate if you are pulled over by the police, to confirm that the vehicle has been authorized for road use by the SAAQ.

Before registering the vehicle

The hand-crafted vehicle cannot be registered…

• If you have an unpaid fine for an offence under the Highway Safety Code or 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.
• If you have been convicted of a repeat offence for impaired driving or a hit-and-run.

When registering the vehicle

Documents required

You must present:

• your driver's licence or another official photo ID document
• a valid mechanical inspection certificate
• a certificate of inspection
• VIN plate installation attestation
• Weight certificate

In the case of a trailer whose net weight is less than 900 kg, only a driver's licence is necessary.

Other documents may be required depending on the type of hand-crafted vehicle and how you use it.

If you are under age 18

You must also present the Consent of a Person Having Parental Authority (PDF, 128.7 KB)⁠ ⁠ 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 to register the vehicle.

If you cannot come to the service outlet in person

The person who goes to the service outlet for you must bring the original of the Power of Attorney (PDF, 657.0 KB)⁠ ⁠ form completed by you.

Costs and payment

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

You may not be required to pay the GST and QST when you register your vehicle.

For more information, phone Revenu Québec⁠ ⁠.

The cost of registration will be higher…

If the vehicle is a luxury vehicle

A passenger vehicle or a commercial vehicle is considered a luxury vehicle if it meets the following 3 criteria:

• it has a value of more than $40,000
• it has a net weight of 3,000 kg or less
• it is less than 7 years old

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.

If it is a large-cylinder capacity vehicle

A passenger vehicle, motor home or commercial vehicle is considered to be a large-cylinder capacity vehicle if:

• it has a cylinder capacity of 3.95 litres or more

AND

• the model year is 1995 or later

No surcharge is added to the registration fee for the following large-cylinder capacity vehicles:

• a vehicle adapted for transporting a wheelchair-bound person
• a minibus for a large family (9 or more people living in the same household)
• a vehicle used by a driving school

If you live in one of these places

• an area served by public transit
• the Montréal agglomeration

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Mandatory private insurance coverage

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:

• 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 an amount that varies depending on the type of vehicle

If you are issued a statement of offence

At any time you may be pulled over by the police and be issued a statement of offence requiring you to have your vehicle inspected at a mechanical verification centre.