Selling your car privately to an individual in Quebec can bring in a few hundred dollars more than a trade-in at a dealership, but it comes with its share of steps: SAAQ transfer, paperwork, meeting strangers and handling the payment. Here is how to do it properly, step by step, whether you live in Saint-Joseph-du-Lac, Saint-Eustache, Deux-Montagnes or elsewhere in the Laurentians and the North Shore of Montreal. And if you would rather avoid all that, we also explain the trade-in option.
The documents required before the sale
Even before posting your ad, gather what you need. A serious buyer is reassured by a prepared seller, and it speeds up the transaction. You will need:
- The registration certificate of the vehicle (the SAAQ “little paper”), in your name.
- Valid identification for yourself and ideally for the buyer.
- Maintenance records and repair invoices: they increase trust and perceived value.
- The vehicle history report (CarFax or equivalent) if you have one.
- A written sales contract, dated and signed in two copies, showing the price, the serial number (VIN), the mileage and the contact details of both parties.
If the vehicle is not fully paid off yet (financing or secured line of credit), settle the balance and obtain a release from the creditor before the sale. A lingering RDPRM registration (Registre des droits personnels et réels mobiliers, the register of personal and movable real rights) can block the transaction and scare off the buyer. To get a fair idea of the price to ask, start with an appraisal of your vehicle.
The ownership transfer at the SAAQ
In Quebec, the ownership transfer between individuals is usually done online, in SAAQclic: the seller starts the transaction with the buyer's driver's licence number, then the buyer has 48 business hours to accept it and register the vehicle. Both need their own SAAQclic account. When the transaction cannot be done online, it is done at a SAAQ service point (or at a mandatary); see our SAAQ transfer of ownership guide.
At the counter, book an appointment in advance, since waiting times can be long, especially at the Saint-Eustache, Saint-Jérôme or Laval service points. In every case, the buyer pays the fees for putting it in their name and, where applicable, the applicable tax (see below). On the SAAQ side, the 2026 rates are $10.60 for the registration fee, $2.70 for issuing a new standard plate and $217.41 in annual fees for a passenger vehicle, prorated during the year. Small fees such as the RDPRM are added; check them at the source, since they are revised periodically.
Once the transfer is done, contact your insurer to cancel or adjust your policy. As long as the vehicle is in your name, you remain responsible for it.
Receiving payment safely
This is the step where sellers get taken the most. Scams are common: fake certified cheques, “pending” transfers that never arrive, partial payments with a promise to “settle the rest later.” A few golden rules:
- Favour an Interac e-Transfer or a confirmed payment received and visible in your account before handing over the keys and the papers.
- Be wary of cheques, even “certified” ones: a fake cheque can be cashed then reversed days later. If you accept one, wait for full clearing at your institution.
- Meet the buyer in a public place during the day (a busy shopping centre parking lot, for example), never alone.
- Never hand over the registration certificate before you have full payment.
- Keep a signed copy of the sales contract: it is your proof in case of a dispute.
If in doubt, ask the buyer's financial institution to confirm the payment, or do the transaction directly at your branch.
Tax: who pays what between individuals
Good news for the individual seller: you have no tax to collect or remit. In a sale between individuals, there is no GST. The buyer pays the 9.975% QST directly to the SAAQ at the time of registration in their name.
A crucial point to know: this QST is not necessarily calculated on the price you negotiated. The SAAQ calculates it on the higher of the price actually paid and the estimated value of the vehicle in the Guide d'évaluation des véhicules automobiles. In other words, selling “on paper” for $1,000 a car worth $8,000 saves the buyer nothing: the tax will still be calculated on the Guide value. It is useful to explain this to the buyer to avoid misunderstandings at the end of the transaction.
Exception: a gift between relatives. If you hand the vehicle over to an eligible family member (spouse, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, brother or sister, etc.), it can be exempt from QST at the SAAQ, provided you fill out form VD-80.1 and prove the relationship at the counter. The exact list of eligible people is in our guide on gifting a vehicle to a family member.
Individual or trade-in: the comparison table
Selling between individuals often maximizes the net amount, but takes time and carries risks. A trade-in at a dealership like BonAuto is faster and hassle-free. Here are the two options side by side:
| Criterion | Sale to an individual | Trade-in / buyout at BonAuto |
|---|---|---|
| Amount obtained | Often higher | Sometimes a bit lower, but immediate |
| SAAQ steps | Your responsibility, in SAAQclic or at the counter | Handled by the dealership |
| Timeline | A few days to several weeks | Fast, often the same day |
| Fraud risk | Present (fake payments, strangers) | None |
| Tax advantage on a purchase | None | The trade-in value reduces the taxable amount of a vehicle purchased |
| Ads, calls, test drives | Yours to manage | Nothing to do |
The last point deserves a closer look. If you plan to buy another vehicle, a trade-in at a dealership has a real tax advantage: the value of your trade-in is deducted from the taxable amount. On a $25,000 purchase with an $8,000 trade-in, you only pay taxes (14.975%) on $17,000, a saving of more than $1,100 that a sale to an individual does not give you.
The hassle-free alternative: the BonAuto trade-in
At BonAuto, in Saint-Joseph-du-Lac, we buy your vehicle whether or not you buy from us. No ad to write, no strangers to meet, no dubious cheque to check and no lineup at the SAAQ: we take care of the transfer and the paperwork. You leave paid, often the same day.
To get started, request a free appraisal or see our page Sell my vehicle for all the steps. And if you take the opportunity to change cars, take a look at our used vehicle inventory and our financing options tailored to your budget. Whether you are from Mirabel, Boisbriand, Sainte-Thérèse or Deux-Montagnes, we are right next door.
In short, selling to an individual remains a good option for those who have the time and patience to do things properly. But if you want simplicity, safety and a tax advantage on your next purchase, a trade-in is often the smartest choice in Quebec.
