Registering a modified vehicle

Before modifying a vehicle, you must understand which modifications are permitted and which ones are prohibited. The following documents will inform you:

• Modifying your Vehicle (PDF, 1.8 MB)⁠
• 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)

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:

• more information about the modified 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 ⁠ certifying that the modifications made to the vehicle are safe

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.
 

Before going to the SAAQ

Make sure the vehicle can be put back on the road or you can modify its registration.

When you modify vehicle registration or put the vehicle back on the road

Documents required

You must present:

• your driver's licence or another official photo ID document
• a valid mechanical inspection certificate
• a certificate of inspection

Other documents may be required depending on the type of modified 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 when you come to one of our service outlets.

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

Info+

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 or an inspection notice requiring you to have your modified vehicle inspected at a mechanical inspection centre.