Congratulations on the accepted offer, now what? In BC, a few legal documents are required to transfer ownership, as listed by ICBC. Here are your next steps to complete the sale of your vehicle.

Bill of sale

A bill of sale is a document that states that the seller is selling the car to the buyer. It is a receipt for the buyer that includes information about the vehicle such as model, purchase price and VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). Both the buyer and seller must sign the document when money is exchanged between the two parties. This document is not mandatory, but is good practice, and proves to ICBC that the vehicle has been legally purchased.

Vehicle Registration Form

As outlined by ICBC, you will need to provide your buyer with the Certificate of Insurance & Vehicle License (Form APV250), which every vehicle owner has in their insurance papers. This certificate includes information on the vehicle’s insurance and registration. The seller will have to sign and tear off the bottom section of the certificate. This bottom part contains the vehicle registration information and needs to be given to the buyer with an original signature.

Transfer/Tax Form

The Transfer/Tax Form (Form APV9T) will need to be filled out completely and signed by both the buyer and seller with original signatures. To complete the process of transferring the vehicle, take the vehicle registration form and the Transfer/Tax Form to an Autoplan broker.

Please note that the buyer must pay tax on the vehicle while transferring the title or at an insurance broker. The amount of tax to be paid is determined by the vehicle’s fair market value at the time of sale.

Insure Your Vehicle

Now that the vehicle has transferred ownership, it is up to the buyer to register the vehicle, obtain a license and insure their vehicle before getting behind the wheel. For the seller, they must remember to cancel the insurance on the recently sold vehicle or transfer it to another vehicle.

It’s worth noting that the buyer can use the old licence plates from their previous vehicle for up to 10 days after the purchase date if the newly purchased vehicle is registered in BC, your old vehicle has been sold or disposed of, both vehicles are of the same type (e.g. passenger vehicles) and both licence plates are valid BC licence plates.

If the buyer plans on using their old licence plates, according to ICBC's policy in using plates from an old vehicle, they must carry the following in their new vehicle:

• The signed Transfer/Tax Form for their new vehicle,
• The original vehicle registration from the seller,
• Valid insurance papers from the buyer’s old vehicle, and
• The seller’s copy of the Transfer/Tax Form.

If these conditions are not met, the buyer cannot use old licence plates to drive their newly purchased vehicle*.

To insure your vehicle today, visit a BCAA Insurance Advisor at a location near you.

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^{The foregoing information is for general informational purposes only. Readers are cautioned against making any decisions based on this information alone and any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk.
*ICBC processes and requirements are subject to change and some additional conditions may apply to vehicles with “prorate” and “restricted” plates. Visit the ICBC website for the latest official requirements.
**BCAA, in association with CAA, was chosen as the #1 Most Trusted Insurance Brand by British Columbia participants in the 2023 Gustavson Brand Trust Index.}