Registering a Vehicle

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:

• go to one of our service outlets
• submit the Vehicle Record Request (PDF, 110.3 ko) form

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 register a vehicle to a business

The business must be registered with the Registraire des entreprises (enterprise register) because you need to provide its Québec enterprise number (NEQ) to register the vehicle.

If the vehicle is prohibited from road use or if it was in storage 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.

Documents required

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

If the vehicle is new

You must present the Attestation de transaction avec un commerçant and Description du véhicule neuf forms that were given to you by the dealer.

If the vehicle is used

The documents you must present when you register your vehicle 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 registered for the GST and QSTA business or self-employed worker that is registered for and collects the GST and QST. For more information, phone Revenu Québec.
The Attestation de transaction avec un commerçant form The registration certificate signed by the former owner and the dealer	No additional documents required	The sales contract between the buyer and the business or self-employed worker that owns the vehicle

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 come to the service outlet in person

• If your business owns the vehicle and none of its directors can be present, the person responsible for its registration must present the original of a document authorizing the person to act on its behalf.
• If you are an individual, the person representing you for the registration will need to provide the original of the Power of Attorney (PDF, 181.5 ko) form completed by you.

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.

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 GST and QST

Whether the vehicle is new or used, you must pay the GST and QST if you buy it from a dealership, business or self-employed worker registered for the GST and QST.

For more information, phone Revenu Québec.

If the vehicle is purchased from an individual, you are only required to pay the QST.

The cost of registration will be higher if…

• the vehicle is considered a luxury vehicle (it is worth more than $40,000 and is less than 7 years old), in which case a surcharge is added to the registration fee equal to 1% of the portion of the vehicle's value over $40,000
• the engine has a cylinder capacity of 3.95 litres or more, in the case of a passenger vehicle, a commercial vehicle or a motor home with a model year of 1995 or later; however, no surcharge is added to a vehicle adapted for transporting a wheelchair-bound person, a tow truck or a vehicle used for the transportation of school children

You must have a civil liability insurance policy contracted from a private insurer providing minimum coverage of $50,000, except for a tool vehicleA road vehicle, other than a vehicle mounted on a truck chassis, designed to perform a task and having a workstation integrated into the cab. A truck chassis is a frame fitted with the mechanical components found on a vehicle made for the transportation of passengers, freight or equipment.. 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 road use
• you will be assessed a fine that varies depending on the type of vehicle