SAAQ Transfer of Ownership and Registration: Steps and Fees

Since the arrival of SAAQclic, the SAAQ transfer of ownership and registration of a vehicle between two individuals is handled online in most cases: the seller starts the transaction, the buyer accepts it and pays, without setting foot at a counter. There is still a specific list of situations where the SAAQ requires a visit to a service point, and a QST rule that surprises almost every buyer. Here is the complete process, the real 2026 costs and the special cases.

Online or at the counter? The ten-second answer

The transfer is done online in SAAQclic if the following five conditions are all met:

• it is a passenger vehicle: a car, SUV or minivan for personal use, with nine occupants or fewer;
• it is under 25 years old;
• it is already registered in Quebec;
• the sale is from one individual to another individual;
• both people have a valid licence and a residential address in Quebec.

Conversely, you will have to go to a SAAQ service point in these cases:

• a gift or an estate;
• a transaction made by proxy or under a protection mandate;
• a motorcycle, moped, truck, minibus, trailer, snowmobile or ATV;
• a vehicle in co-ownership with no designated holder;
• a vehicle coming from another province or the United States;
• one of the two people does not have a valid licence or lives outside Quebec.

The online transfer, step by step

1. The usual checks, before touching SAAQclic

Once the transfer is accepted, the vehicle is yours, along with its past. Before clicking, check the serial number (VIN) on the vehicle and on the registration certificate, check with the RDPRM that no debt is registered against the vehicle, read the history report and, ideally, have a pre-purchase mechanical inspection done. Between individuals, there is no legal warranty from a dealer: that is the fundamental difference with a purchase from a dealership.

2. The seller starts the transaction

The seller logs in to their SAAQclic account, identifies the vehicle to transfer and enters the buyer's identification number. They also choose what to do with their plate: keep it for another vehicle, or surrender it. If they surrender it, the SAAQ refunds the unused portion of their registration by direct deposit, within 3 to 5 business days.

3. The buyer accepts and pays, within 48 business hours

The buyer receives the request in their own SAAQclic account. They must accept the transfer and register the vehicle within 48 business hours. Along the way, they enter the actual mileage shown on the odometer and add their banking information to pay the QST and the registration fees. After the deadline, the transaction lapses and everything has to be redone. As long as the buyer has not accepted, the vehicle stays in the seller's name, along with the tickets and the responsibility that come with it.

4. The plate and the certificate

The buyer can reuse a plate already on their account or have a new one issued. The registration certificate is free if you print it yourself from SAAQclic; it costs $5.45 if you request a paper copy.

What a transfer really costs in 2026

There is no single “transfer fee,” and that is what makes the bill hard to anticipate. Here are the official 2026 amounts for a passenger vehicle:

In other words: the fixed fees come to around $230, and the QST makes up almost the entire bill.

The QST: the rule that surprises people most

Between individuals, there is no GST. The SAAQ collects only the 9.975% QST at registration. But since January 1, 2025, for a motor vehicle that is 14 years old or less, it is no longer automatically calculated on the price written on the contract: it is calculated on the higher of the following two amounts.

• the price actually paid;
• the estimated value, which is the average wholesale selling price in the Guide d'évaluation Hebdo minus $500.

Example. You buy for $10,000 a vehicle whose average wholesale price is $12,000. The estimated value is therefore $11,500, and that is the amount the QST applies to: 11,500 × 9.975% = $1,147.13, not $997.50. The $150 difference has nothing to do with the price you negotiated.

For a vehicle more than 14 years old, this rule does not apply: the QST is calculated on the price paid. That is good news on the oldest entry-level vehicles. Our tax calculator does the calculation both ways in seconds, and the guide on taxes on a used vehicle goes through the different scenarios.

Extras that may be added

• Luxury vehicle: an additional 1% fee applies to the portion of the value that exceeds $40,000.
• Large engine displacement: an additional fee applies to certain vehicles, with exemptions depending on use.
• Public transit tax: within the ARTM territory, meaning the 82 municipalities of the Montreal Metropolitan Community and the city of Saint-Jérôme, a tax of $153.45 has been added since January 1, 2026.

At the counter: what to bring

When the transaction cannot be done online, plan a visit to a service point with the following documents:

• your driver's licence or another official piece of photo ID;
• the seller's registration certificate, signed;
• the sales contract: name and address of both parties, make, model, year, serial number, price and date;
• the vehicle's actual mileage;
• your proof of insurance;
• for a minor, the consent of the holder of parental authority;
• for a transaction by proxy, the original SAAQ proxy form.

Special cases

A gift to a family member

A gift does not go through the online service: it is done at the counter, and it is exempt from the QST between certain members of the same family, using form VD-80.1 and supporting civil status documents. The exact rules are in our guide on gifting a vehicle to a family member.

A vehicle received through an estate

An estate is also handled at a service point. You need proof of your status as liquidator or heir and the estate documents. It is a longer case to process: allow the time needed rather than showing up at the last minute.

A vehicle from another province or the United States

A mechanical inspection at an accredited inspection centre is mandatory for most used vehicles entering Quebec. You will also have to present the registration certificate issued by the province of origin or, for an American vehicle, the Title signed by the last owner, along with the sales contract. Depending on where it comes from, GST may be added to the QST: Revenu Québec is the authority to settle that point.

A vehicle in storage or taken off the road

A vehicle in storage must be put back on the road before driving, which costs $10.60 in 2026 on top of the annual fees. A vehicle taken off the road (mise au rancart) cannot be driven until the SAAQ has restored its right to be on the road. See taking a vehicle out of storage and taking a vehicle off the road or selling it. A non-running or damaged vehicle can also be sold as is to BonAuto.

Insurance: before registration, not after

The vehicle must be covered at the time you register it. Call your insurer before completing the transaction to add the vehicle to your policy: without proof of liability insurance, registration cannot be done, and driving without this coverage in Quebec exposes you to a fine of $325 to $2,800.

Selling rather than buying?

The seller's obligations are different: accurate declaration of the mileage, handing over the certificate, and the habit of never leaving an incomplete transfer hanging. Our guide selling your car to an individual in Quebec covers the steps from the seller's side.

Buying from a dealership: what changes

At a dealership, you do none of these steps. The dealer takes care of the registration, the plate and the certificate, and you drive away in a ready-to-drive vehicle. The tax treatment changes too: you pay the 5% GST and the 9.975% QST, which is 14.975% of the sale price, with no estimated value rule, and the value of your trade-in is deducted from the taxable amount. You also get the legal warranty provided by the Consumer Protection Act, which does not exist between individuals.

No stress at BonAuto

We handle all the SAAQ paperwork for you: registration, plate, certificate, transfer. You drive away in your ready-to-drive vehicle. Browse our inventory and contact us to arrange a visit.

Official sources

• SAAQ, Registration transfer from one individual to another
• SAAQ, Registration fees and costs of a passenger vehicle
• Revenu Québec, Buying a used road vehicle from an individual