Selling a Car in Ontario: Paperwork Checklist
Selling a car in Ontario takes a handful of documents. Miss one and the sale can stall, or you can stay on the hook for a car you no longer own. Here's what each piece of paperwork does, who handles it, and how it changes when you sell privately, trade in or scrap the car.
Selling a car in Ontario: paperwork at a glance
The paperwork depends on who you sell to. A private sale asks the most of you. Selling to a dealer or a car-buying business asks the least.
| Document | Private sale | Selling to a business or scrapping |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership (vehicle permit) | Sign the transfer on the vehicle portion and give it to the buyer | Needed as proof you own the car |
| Bill of sale | Needed; use the page inside the UVIP | Usually prepared by the buyer |
| Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP) | Required in most private sales | A private-sale requirement; ask the buyer what they need |
| Safety Standards Certificate | Optional for you; the buyer needs one to plate the car | Not needed |
| Licence plates | Remove before the buyer drives away | Remove before the tow |
| Lien discharge | Needed if there was a loan on the car | Needed, or disclose the loan before the sale |
| Photo ID | Good practice for both sides | Usually required |
| Insurance | Call your insurer after the handover | Call your insurer after the tow |
The documents, one by one
Here's what each document is for and what you need to do with it.
Ownership (vehicle permit) and the transfer section
Your ownership is officially called the vehicle permit. Many people call it the green slip. It has two parts: the vehicle portion and the plate portion. When you sell, you and the buyer fill in the Application for Transfer on the back of the vehicle portion, including the buyer's details, the sale date and the odometer reading, plus signatures. The buyer gets the vehicle portion. You keep the plate portion.
Who registers the transfer, and when
The buyer takes the signed vehicle portion, the bill of sale and, in most private sales, the UVIP to ServiceOntario to register the car in their name. Ontario gives the buyer 6 days to do this. The buyer also pays retail sales tax at that point. Until the transfer is registered, the car is still on your record, which is one more reason to remove your plates.
Bill of sale
A bill of sale proves what you sold, to whom, for how much and when. In a private sale, use the bill of sale page inside the UVIP. Otherwise, write one with both names and addresses, the date, the year, make, model and VIN, the price, the odometer reading and both signatures. Note that the car is sold 'as is' if that's the deal, and keep a signed copy.
Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP)
In most private sales, the seller must buy a UVIP and give it to the buyer. You can get one from ServiceOntario online or in person, for a fee. It shows the car's Ontario registration history, any liens registered against it in Ontario, and average wholesale and retail values used when tax is worked out. Some transfers, such as gifts between family members, follow different rules, so check with ServiceOntario.
Safety Standards Certificate
A safety certificate shows the car passed an inspection at a licensed Motor Vehicle Inspection Station. As a private seller, you don't have to provide one. The buyer needs one before they can put plates on the car and drive it, so cars sold 'as is' usually get lower offers. A certificate is valid for 36 days after the inspection. You don't need one to scrap a car or to sell it to us.
Licence plates
In Ontario, plates belong to you, not the car. Take them off before the buyer drives away or the tow truck leaves, and keep the plate portion of your permit. You can move the plates to your next vehicle or return them to ServiceOntario. There's no fee refund, because Ontario stopped charging plate renewal fees for passenger vehicles in 2022. Our guide on what to do with your licence plates has the details.
Liens and car loans
If you still owe money on the car, your lender may have a lien registered against it, and a lien can follow the car to its next owner. Pay off the loan and get a discharge letter from the lender before you sell. Or disclose the loan and agree in writing how the payoff will happen. The UVIP shows liens registered in Ontario as of the date it was printed. Read more on selling a car with a lien.
Insurance
Call your insurer once the car is gone and the plates are off, not before. Driving without insurance is illegal in Ontario, so keep your coverage until the handover. Ask if you're owed a refund for unused premium. Many insurers refund it, though some charge a cancellation fee. If you're replacing the car, your insurer can usually move your coverage to the new one.
Seller's checklist for handover day
Run through this list before the buyer arrives or the tow truck pulls up.
- Ownership (vehicle permit) Transfer section on the vehicle portion filled in and signed, with the plate portion kept by you.
- Bill of sale Two signed copies, one for you and one for the buyer.
- UVIP Handed to the buyer in a private sale.
- Photo ID Valid government ID for whoever is signing.
- Lien discharge letter From your lender, if the car ever had a loan registered against it.
- Keys and manuals All keys, fobs and the owner's manual, if you have them.
- Plates off Front and back plates removed before the car leaves.
- Personal items cleared Check the glove box, trunk and under the seats, and take any toll transponder or garage door opener.
Special situations: lost ownership, estates and family cars
Some sales need extra steps. These are the most common:
- Lost ownership: get a replacement vehicle permit at ServiceOntario before you sell. Our guide to selling a car without ownership explains how.
- The owner has died: the estate trustee usually handles the sale. See our guide to selling a deceased family member's car.
- A family member owns the car: they need to sign the transfer themselves, or give you written authority to act for them.
- Business-owned or out-of-province vehicles: these follow their own rules.
For any of these, check with ServiceOntario before you sign anything.
Selling to a car-buying business instead
A private sale usually gets the highest price for a good running car, but you do all the work. Selling to a business like ours skips most of the private-sale steps. There are no listings, no test drives and no strangers at your door, and you don't need a safety certificate.
You'll still need your ownership and photo ID, and you'll still take your plates off. We'll tell you exactly what paperwork you need when you call. You can sell a running car or book scrap car removal for one that's reached the end of the road. Not sure which way to go? Compare your options in our guide to scrapping, selling privately or trading in.
Ontario car-selling paperwork FAQs
Still have a question? Call (289) 349-2006 and ask a real person.
Do I need a safety certificate to sell my car in Ontario?
No, not as the seller. You can sell a car 'as is' without one. The buyer will need a Safety Standards Certificate before they can plate and drive the car, so many private buyers expect one or offer less without it. You don't need one at all to scrap a car or to sell it to a business like ours.
Is a UVIP required to sell a car in Ontario?
In most private sales, yes. The seller must give the buyer a Used Vehicle Information Package, which you can get from ServiceOntario for a fee. It's a private-sale requirement, so ask a dealer or car-buying business what they need instead. Family transfers can follow different rules, so check with ServiceOntario if you're unsure.
How long does the buyer have to register the car?
6 days. In Ontario, the buyer must register the transfer at ServiceOntario within 6 days of buying the car. Until then, the car is still on your record. Remove your plates and keep a dated copy of the bill of sale as proof of when you sold it.
Can I sell my car with a loan still on it?
Yes, but the loan has to be dealt with. Pay it off and get a lien discharge letter from your lender, or disclose the loan so the payoff can be arranged as part of the sale. Never hide a lien, because it can follow the car. If you're selling to us, call (289) 349-2006 first to talk it through.
Do I sign the ownership over to a scrap car buyer?
Yes. The buyer needs the signed vehicle portion of your ownership to show the car changed hands, and you keep the plate portion. A reputable buyer will also check your photo ID and give you a bill of sale. Ask what they need before pickup day so nothing holds up the sale.
When should I cancel my car insurance after selling?
After the car is gone, not before. Call your insurer once the sale is done and the plates are off. Many insurers refund unused premium, though some charge a cancellation fee. If you're buying another car, ask to move your coverage to it instead of cancelling.
Want to skip the private-sale paperwork?
Sell to Top Cash 4 Cars and we'll tell you exactly what you need, pay cash on the spot and tow the car away free. Call (289) 349-2006 for a firm offer in about 3 minutes.
Open Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.