Documents Needed to Sell Your Car

To sell your car in BC, you need: (1) Registration (APV250) - your combined insurance/registration document with your signature on the bottom section. (2) Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T) - a 4-page form with original signatures from both you and the buyer. You should also prepare a bill of sale, though it's not legally required. Don't forget to remove your license plates before transferring - you keep those.

You can download the APV9T form from the ICBC website (complete it using Acrobat Reader) or pick up a copy at any Autoplan broker. All four pages must be completed with original signatures - electronic signatures are not accepted. Both buyer and seller must sign, and both parties certify the purchase price.

Yes, you should keep your copy of the Transfer/Tax Form for your records. It serves as proof of sale if any disputes arise. It's recommended to retain this document for at least 7 years for potential tax audit purposes.

No, a bill of sale is not legally required in BC, but it's strongly recommended. It serves as proof of legal purchase for ICBC and protects both buyer and seller in case of disputes. Taking a few minutes to create one can save a lot of headaches later.

A proper bill of sale should include: the date of the transaction, seller's full name, address, and contact details, buyer's full name, address, and contact details, vehicle details (VIN, make, model, year, colour, and odometer reading), the agreed purchase price, and signatures from both parties with the date.

While there's no formal odometer disclosure law for private sellers in BC, you should include the odometer reading on your bill of sale and Transfer/Tax Form. Odometer tampering is fraud and can result in serious legal consequences.

Buyers can check odometer accuracy through several sources: ICBC Vehicle History Report shows if the odometer matches claims history, CARFAX Canada provides cross-Canada history, and service records can be compared to the current reading. As a seller, providing service records helps build trust with buyers.

The ICBC report shows: dates of any damage claims with ICBC, amounts paid or estimated, location of primary damage, whether the vehicle was stolen, vehicle status (Normal, Rebuilt, Salvage, Altered, or Non-repairable), and any licensing restrictions. Claim types include collision, comprehensive, fire, flood, vandalism, theft, and animal collision.

Yes, the ICBC report only shows claims made through ICBC. Damage from other provinces or countries is not included. For a comprehensive history that covers all of Canada, you'll need to use CARFAX Canada. The detailed damage estimate (for vehicles post-2002) costs $16.78 plus GST.

A lien is a legal claim registered against property as security for a debt. If someone finances a vehicle, the lender registers a lien. Critically important: liens stay with the vehicle, not the owner. This means if you buy a car with an outstanding lien, you could be responsible for that debt or even lose the vehicle.

You can search for liens through the BC Personal Property Registry: In person at a ServiceBC Centre ($10), by mail through BC Registry Services ($10, cheque payable to Minister of Finance), or through third-party online providers (additional fees apply). Search using the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or debtor name.

A lien search reveals: the secured party's name and address (the lender), debtor name and address (the borrower), registration and expiry dates. Note that the actual lien amount is NOT disclosed - you'll need to contact the secured party for that information.