Car selling guides for Ontario drivers
Plain-language answers to the questions that stall a sale: paperwork, plates, liens, scrap value and what happens to your car after it's gone.
- Ontario rules
- Plain language
- Free to read
How to use these car selling guides
Selling a car comes with a few Ontario rules most people only deal with once every few years. These guides cover them in plain language, written for how things work in 2026.
Short on time? Start with the Ontario paperwork checklist and what to do with your licence plates. Wondering what your car is worth? Read how much a scrap car is worth, or weigh up scrapping, selling and trading in side by side.
Dealing with something trickier, like a missing ownership, a loan on the car or a family member's estate? There's a guide for each of those below. If your situation isn't covered, call (289) 349-2006 and we'll walk you through it.
All guides
Every guide, from paperwork basics to what happens at the recycler.
- How Car Recycling Works What happens after a scrap car is towed away: depollution, parts recovery, shredding and metal recycling at Ontario end-of-life vehicle processors.
- Licence Plates In Ontario, plates belong to you, not the car. When to remove them, how to transfer or return them, and why there's been no refund to claim since 2022.
- Preparing Your Car for Pickup A step-by-step checklist for getting your car ready for a scrap or cash-for-cars pickup in Ontario, plus what happens when the tow truck arrives.
- Scrap Car Value What decides a scrap car's value in Ontario: weight, scrap metal prices, parts like the catalytic converter, completeness and whether it runs.
- Scrap vs Sell vs Trade-In Compare scrapping, selling privately and trading in on money, time, effort and risk, and learn when repairing a car stops making sense.
- Selling Paperwork Every document you need to sell a car in Ontario: ownership transfer, bill of sale, UVIP, safety certificate, plates, insurance and liens.
- Selling a Deceased Family Member's Car A practical guide for estate trustees and families: who can sell a deceased person's car in Ontario, which documents help, and your options.
- Selling a Car With a Lien How liens work on Ontario vehicles, how to check for one, and how to clear a car loan before you sell or scrap the car.
- Selling Without Ownership Lost the ownership? How to replace an Ontario vehicle permit, what to bring, and how estate and family-member car sales work.
- Selling a Damaged or Written-Off Car How insurance write-offs and Ontario's Salvage, Rebuilt and Irreparable brands work, and what buyers look at when you sell a damaged car.
Rather just ask?
Call (289) 349-2006 and we'll answer your question and give you a firm offer in about 3 minutes, with no obligation.
Open Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.