Registering a Vehicle From Outside Québec

To register a vehicle from outside Québec, you must first call the SAAQ to find out what documents you will need.

1 Before going to the SAAQ

To avoid unpleasant surprises

We recommend you do a background check on any used vehicle before buying it.

The vehicle might not meet provincial requirements, especially if it is different from those we typically see on the road. This could be the case for an antique vehicle, a vehicle modified outside Québec, a right-hand drive vehicle, etc. 

These websites can help you:

You can also check with Transport Canada to determine whether the vehicle can be imported into Canada.

Vehicle declared unrebuildable

If a vehicle is declared unrebuildable because it has been flooded, for example, it can never be put back on the road.

Mechanical inspection

A mechanical inspection must be carried out at a mechanical inspection centre to obtain a valid mechanical inspection certificate.

For more information on mechanical inspections, consult the Guide de vérification mécanique des véhicules routiers – Applicable à compter du 20 novembre 2016 (PDF, 8.5 Mo)This file does not meet the Web accessibility standard. (in French only). 

The 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.
  • You have been convicted of a repeat offence for impaired driving or a hit-and-run.
1 Before going to the SAAQ

2 When you register your vehicle

Documents required

You must present:

  • your Québec driver's licence or another official photo ID document
  • a sales or leasing contract or an invoice for the vehicle
  • the vehicle’s weight certificate, if its net weight is not indicated in the other documents

If the vehicle is new

You must present the Certificate of Origin for a Vehicle (COV) form.

If the vehicle is used

You must present:

  • a mechanical inspection certificate confirming that the vehicle meets the applicable standards, except for:
    • a snowmobile
    • a snowblower
    • an ATV
    • a tool vehicle
    • a trailer weighing 900 kg or less

AND

  • the registration certificate issued by the other province or country

OR 

  • the Title or Salvage Certificate form signed by the most recent owner

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 or if your licence is not a Québec licence

Phone us to find out what documents you must bring with you for the purposes of registering your vehicle.

If you cannot go in person

The person registering the vehicle on your behalf will need to provide the original Power of Attorney (PDF, 224.7 ko) form completed by you beforehand.

Other documents

Phone us to check whether other documents will be required for you to register your vehicle, such as:

  • the Confirmation of the transaction carried out between a retailer outside Québec and a Québec resident form (VD-87) you received from the dealer that sold you the vehicle
  • the Collection of customs duties form and the Vehicle Import Form – Form 1 you received from the Canada Border Services Agency when the vehicle entered Canada
  • the lessor’s authorization to have the vehicle registered in Québec

Certain additional documents, such as a permit issued by the Commission des transports du Québec, are required depending on the type of vehicle imported and how you plan to use it.

2 When you register your vehicle

3 Costs and payment

Payment options

At our service outlets, we accept payment:

  • in cash
  • by Interac (debit card)—not available in some service outlets
  • by cheque or money order

Payment by credit card is not accepted.

Payment of the GST and QST

You may 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 additional amount 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 taxi
  • a vehicle used by a driving school

If you live in one of these places

  • An area served by public transit
  • The Montréal agglomeration
3 Costs and payment

4 Insurance

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 road use
  • you will be assessed a fine that varies depending on the type of vehicle
4 Insurance

Last update: May 16, 2022