Registering a Vehicle Bought or Sold by a Business

Documents required

The buyer and the seller – or their representatives – must present:

• their driver's licence or another official photo ID document
• the vehicle sales contract

Other documents, such as a valid mechanical inspection certificate, may be required depending on the type of vehicle to be registered.

If the vehicle is new

A buyer must also present the Attestation de transaction avec un commerçant and Description du véhicule neuf forms provided by the dealer.

If the vehicle is used

A buyer who purchases a used vehicle from a dealer must also present the Attestation de transaction avec un commerçant form.

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 vehicle.

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 the person to act on the business’s behalf.

If the vehicle comes from outside Québec

A vehicle from outside Québec is considered to be an imported vehicle, which means there are other documents the buyer will have to provide so that we can verify whether the vehicle can be used in Québec. Refer to Registering a vehicle from outside Québec section for more information.

To legally operate your vehicle, you must affix your temporary paper licence plate to your vehicle while waiting to receive your metal licence plate in the mail. Your metal plate will be delivered by mail within 10 to 20 business days to the primary address in your SAAQ file.

Your temporary paper licence plate will be issued by the service outlet agent. The temporary paper licence plate must be affixed to the vehicle’s rear window in the top left corner. For vehicles that do not have a rear window, such as motorcycles, snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles, the temporary plate must be affixed in the top left corner of the windshield or to another visible place on the vehicle.

This video (MP4, 29.8 MB)⁠ shows how.

Registration fees

To find out the cost to have a vehicle bought or sold by a business registered, visit the Rates and Fines section. Before receiving your payment notice, you can also use the calculation tool to get an estimate of the amount you will have to pay to renew your motorcycle registration.

Payment options

At our service outlets, we accept payment:

• in cash
• by Interac (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 vehicle is new or used, the buyer must pay the GST and QST if the vehicle was bought from a dealership, business or self-employed worker registered for the GST and QST.

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

For more information on the payment or collection of taxes, phone Revenu Québec⁠ ⁠.

The business that has purchased the vehicle must have a civil liability insurance policy contracted from a private insurer providing minimum coverage of $50,000. The minimum is $1 million if the business owns or operates heavy vehicles and $2 million if it hauls hazardous materials.

If the business is not insured and one of its vehicles is involved in a traffic accident that causes more than $500 in damage to the property of another party:

• all of its vehicles may be prohibited from road use
• it will be assessed a fine that varies depending on the type of vehicle