How Can I Sell an Out of Province Car in BC?

It’s not unusual for people who previously lived in other provinces to not only bring their vehicle with them, and then want to sell it once they arrive in British Columbia.

In fact, some continue to drive it for some time when they are here, but then soon after start looking for a newer vehicle or make the switch to Transit when they live in more urban areas like Vancouver, Surrey, or even the Tri-Cities.

Selling an out-of-province vehicle isn’t as easy as you might think. If the vehicle you’re selling is 10 years old or more, it could be tough because there is certain criteria that must be met before a BC owner can buy and register your vehicle from you.

The following blog post gives a detailed explanation of how to sell an out of province car in BC, as well as how to get the MOST cash for your car, truck, SUV, van, or motorcycle that you are selling (whether it’s from out of the province or not).

In fact, selling a car that comes from another province is actually more difficult, because there are things you need to do to prepare it for sale, before even crossing that bridge.

First and foremost, is to get an out-of-province inspection report completed for the vehicle that you’re trying to sell.

Not only do you need an inspection, but you’ll also need your vehicle to pass the Out-of-Province Inspection. If it fails, you’ll need to complete any repairs recommended by the inspection before being able to sell it in British Columbia.

What Documents Do You Need to Sell an Out-of-Province Vehicle in BC?

If you’ve brought in a vehicle from another province, another territory, or even another country, you’ll need to get it registered before being able to sell it. However, this may not be as easy as it sounds…

First, you’ll need to visit an Autoplan insurance agent with the following documents:

• Your vehicle registration from the originating province, territory, or country
• A completed and passed vehicle inspection report on the vehicle (this must be completed at a designated facility)
• Your current driver’s license
• A signed bill of sale that has the date of the transaction on it, if the vehicle isn’t registered in your name already
• In some cases, where the owner of the vehicle isn’t yet listed as yourself, you can provide ICBC or your Autoplan agent with a signed document from the previous owner, naming you as the new owner of the vehicle. This must include the vehicle’s VIN #.

It’s not easy to sell an out-of-province car in British Columbia, and in fact, many people are skeptical about the entire system involving vehicle inspections in BC, and for good reason.

Some businesses may offer a “vehicle inspection”, but beware of those who are not designated facilities, as Autoplan only recognizes vehicle inspections that come from designated out-of-province inspection locations.

You can get your out-of-province vehicle inspected at many different designated locations across the Lower Mainland including:

• BCAA
• Minit Tune
• Canadian Tire
• Smart Vehicle Inspections
• Surrey Inspection and Repair Centre
• Abbotsford Tune-Up
• Langley Central Auto Service
• Precision Auto Service

How Do I Know If I’ve Found a Registered Vehicle Inspection Facility?

There are many other locations that you can get a vehicle inspection done at, but just make sure that whoever you choose is a registered designated facility. Otherwise, you could end up spending more money than you’d like and have an invalid inspection report on top of it.

Generally, designated facilities will provide you with the forms needed to register your vehicle once the inspection is done. Provided that your vehicle passes the inspection. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to fulfill any repair requests in order to have it inspected again and passed.

For those who would like to see what exactly your vehicle will be marked on, you can check out the Out-of-Province Inspection form HERE.

Everything You Need to Know About Out-of-Province Car Inspections

Perhaps your vehicle isn’t just from out of the province, but it could also be from another country. The process is mostly the same when selling a vehicle from another country, with a few exceptions that aren’t specific to out-of-province vehicle selling.

Fortunately, there are some instances where a vehicle inspection may not be needed in order to sell your out-of-province car.

In order to be exempt from getting a vehicle inspection to sell your out-of-province vehicle, the registered owner of the vehicle must be:

• A new or returning to B.C. resident, and
• The same owner in the previous jurisdiction making the application for registration in B.C.
• The Out-of-Province Vehicle Must:
• Have been registered in Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba immediately prior to being imported to B.C. and
• Have been privately owned or leased by an individual, not any form of a company or business

Be any of the following vehicles and must be 3,500 kg or less:

• Be a passenger vehicle
• Be a commercial vehicle
• Be a motorhome

The vehicle must also be:

• Four years old (current year inclusive) or less
• Five years old or more and must have passed a provincial vehicle safety inspection in the previous jurisdiction within the last 90 days.

For more information about all vehicles that are exempt from a vehicle inspection, or any other particular information on registering a vehicle in British Columbia, consult the ICBC website on registering a vehicle in BC HERE, or consult your nearest Autoplan broker.

What Paperwork Do I Need to Sell a Car Privately in BC?

Before you can sell any vehicle in British Columbia, whether privately, or to a professional car buyer like Cash For Cars BC, you need certain documentation that you can pick up at your local insurance broker or Autoplan agency.

However, if you are selling a car to Cash For Cars BC, one of the benefits of using our car buying services is that we handle all the paperwork for you. This means that not only do you not have to fill out the forms required to sell a car, you also don’t have to pick them up from your insurance broker beforehand either.

The form that’s required to sell any type of vehicle in British Columbia is call a Transfer of Ownership Form. The technical term for this form is a Transfer/Tax Form (AVP9T), and you can download it HERE.

What Other Things Should I Know Before Selling My Car in BC?

If you aren’t selling your vehicle through a professional car buyer like Cash For Cars BC, you’ll need to have all of your ducks in a row before exchanging the transfer forms for cash.

Some key things to remember when selling a vehicle are:

1.Pick up the transfer of ownership forms at your local insurance broker, Autoplan agency, or ICBC centre.

2. Make sure that you have your insurance and registration papers for the vehicle. These two papers are usually together on the same document, as they are issued this way at every insurance agency. This particular document is known as the Insurance and Registration document (APV250).

3. The registration is something that you will need to give to the person or company that is purchasing your vehicle. Carefully tear off the bottom portion of the insurance and registration papers so that you can hand over only the registration part of this paperwork.

4. Next, give the new owner the registration paper, but before you do, make sure that you sign it first. Also, you may take a copy of the registration for your records but be sure that you are handing over the original to the buyer. Insurance brokers will not accept a copy of the registration when they are completing a transfer of ownership.

5. Once the new owner has paid you for the vehicle (and only AFTER), fill out all four pages of the transfer/tax forms, complete with original signatures.

A common mistake made more often than you might think is sellers allowing the buyers to make payments on a vehicle, or allowing them to send an e-transfer after the transfer of ownership has taken place. We cannot stress this enough, DO NOT DO THIS.

Once you sign the transfer/tax forms, you give the new owner a legal document that states that the vehicle belongs to them now. If the purchaser of your car can’t provide payment up front, it is up to you if you want to allow a payment plan. However, be sure to advise them that they transfer of ownership will not take place until all the payments have been made in full.

6. To complete the transfer, take the registration and Transfer/Tax Form to an Autoplan broker. We strongly recommend going together with the buyer to ensure that the registration transfer is processed in a timely manner and that your name and any insurance and license products are removed from the vehicle registration record.

This is important in avoiding any possible liability claims associated with the future operation of the vehicle by the purchaser. If you cannot visit the Autoplan broker with the buyer, keep the seller’s copy (with original signatures from both you and the seller) for your records.

7. Another crucial part of selling any vehicle in British Columbia, not just an out of province vehicle, is cancelling your old insurance, or transferring it to a new vehicle. Even if a transfer of ownership is completed, your insurance broker won’t cancel your monthly insurance payments unless you cancel your old insurance.

Selling a Car in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, or Vancouver Island?

If you are ready to sell your car, truck, SUV, van, or motorcycle, whether out-of-province, out-of-country, or not, Cash For Cars BC is the best place to sell your vehicle.

Since 1998, we have been paying the MOST cash for cars in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and Vancouver Island. Not only that, but we also make the process of selling a vehicle safe, quick, and easy.

When you sell your car to Cash For Cars BC, you have the peace of mind knowing that you are selling your car to a licensed professional, who is also fully insured. Whether you’re selling a vehicle that is originally from BC, is from another province, or another country, Cash For Cars BC is the best way to get the MOST cash for it. NOBODY Pays More!

Sell Your Car Today in the Lower Mainland

If you want to sell your car today in the Lower Mainland, simply call or text our team of used car buyers today. We just need a few simple details about the vehicle that you’re selling to get the ball rolling.

Provide us with the make, model, year, number of kilometres, and the condition of your vehicle. Then, we will book an in-person appointment to come look at your car firsthand. After we see it in person, our car buyers will make you an instant cash offer right on the spot.

If you accept our offer, we’ll handle all the paperwork, hand over your payment, then leave with your vehicle. It’s that simple! Call or text our team today to find out what your car is worth.