Buying or selling a used vehicle

Car-buying doesn't have to be a headache. Here are some tips and guidelines for buyers (and sellers):

Checking out a used vehicle

You'll have a much better chance of buying a decent used vehicle if you take these precautions:

Inspect the vehicle

Do a lien search

For $10, you can have a lien search done by some ServiceBC centres or the Personal Property Registry.

Purchase a vehicle history report

Check whether the vehicle may be stolen

Happy with your shiny new purchase (or sale)? Great! Now you need to transfer the vehicle's ownership.

To do this, follow the steps below for buyers (or sellers).

Pick up a Transfer/Tax Form from any Autoplan broker.
Remove your licence plates from the vehicle you're selling.
Remove your insurance and registration document (APV250).
Tear off (carefully please!) the bottom, vehicle registration portion.
Give the registration to the buyer, making sure it has your signature on it. (It must be the original registration, not a photocopy.)
After you've been paid, fill out and sign the Transfer/Tax Form.
To complete the transfer, take the registration and Transfer/Tax Form to an Autoplan broker. We strongly recommend going together with the buyer.

You may cancel your insurance or have it transferred to another vehicle.

Get the original vehicle registration, with the owner's signature on it, from the seller.
Fill out the purchaser's portion of the Transfer/Tax Form (available from any Autoplan broker).
To complete the transfer, take these documents to an Autoplan broker. We strongly recommend going together with the seller.

You can get the vehicle registered, licensed and insured at the broker's at the same time.

Need more info? Visit our full site for more info about buying, selling and importing a vehicle.