How to Sell Your Car in British Columbia

Selling a car in BC runs through ICBC. You and the buyer sign one form, the Transfer/Tax Form, and the buyer registers the car at an Autoplan broker. The buyer pays the PST, not you.

Most of the work happens before the buyer shows up. Here's what to do, in order.

What don't you have to do when you sell a car in BC?

Three things sellers often plan for that they don't need:

1. 1. Pay the PST.

   In a private sale the buyer pays it when they register the car, usually 12%. It's worked out on the price or the car's Black Book wholesale value, whichever is higher, so a low price doesn't lower their tax. Worth knowing before you negotiate.

2. 2. Get a safety inspection.

   Not needed for a car that's already registered in BC. Cars coming in from another province usually need one before they can be registered here.

3. 3.Charge GST. Private sellers don't.

What is your car worth?

Get a number before you do anything else. It decides what you'll accept, whether the sale pays off your loan, and whether selling privately is worth the effort.

Three things set it: kilometres, condition and trim, accident history, and what the market is doing. What you paid or still owe doesn't change it.

Don't spend money fixing it up first. A new windshield or an oil change won't come back in the price. An online offer takes about a minute.

Want the number for your own car? Get a free offer. It takes about a minute.

How do you check for a lien on your own car?

If you have a car loan, your lender has a lien registered against the car. It has to be paid out before the car changes hands.

You can still sell a financed car. The loan gets paid out as part of the sale. Ask your lender for a payout letter the week you decide to sell.

To check for anything else registered against it, BC's Personal Property Registry does lien searches, and a CARFAX Canada report with Lien Check (BC) shows liens along with the car's ICBC claims. A plain CARFAX report doesn't include a lien search.

Two things to sort out before the sale:

1. 1.A loan still registered against the car
2. 2.An open ICBC claim on it. ICBC warns the claim may become void once ownership changes, so finish it first.

What paperwork do you need to sell a car in BC?

The Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T) is the one you can't skip. It's the bill of sale and the tax declaration in one. All four pages get filled in, with original signatures from you and the buyer. The paperwork you need in BC goes through each one.

1. 1.Your registration and insurance papers. You sign the registration and give the buyer the signed bottom part.
2. 2.The Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T), from ICBC's website or any Autoplan broker
3. 3.Government photo ID
4. 4.A payout letter from your lender, if the car is financed
5. 5.Both sets of keys, the owner's manual and any service records

ICBC recommends going to the Autoplan broker with the buyer. If you can't, keep a copy of the paperwork with both of your original signatures.

Who should you sell to?

The BC steps are the same whoever buys it. What changes is the price and how much of the work is yours. Trade-in vs private sale compares the options.

If you list it publicly, expect a lot of messages and some scams: fake bank drafts, fake certified cheques, and people asking for your credit card so they can run a CARFAX on your car. That last one is just a way to get your card number.

What happens when the buyer comes to see the car?

They walk around it, take it for a short drive and confirm the price. It doesn't take long. If the price changes, it's usually because of something that wasn't mentioned.

Plan the day around the bank. We don't buy cars on Sundays, because the banks are closed and the money can't move.

What is the safest way to get paid?

A bank draft, because it leaves a paper trail. Fake drafts and fake certified cheques are the most common serious scam in private sales, so don't rely on looking at the paper. Do this instead:

1. 1.Confirm the draft in person at the bank that issued it. Watching it get issued is even better.

2. 2. Sign the Transfer/Tax Form once the money is confirmed.

   ICBC says to sign it after you've been paid.

3. 3.Take your plates off, then hand over the keys.

What happens to your plates when the car sells?

Your plates stay with you, not the car. Take them off before the buyer drives away. You can move them to your next car, or return them to ICBC or an Autoplan broker if you don't need them.

Then cancel your insurance or move it to your next car, and keep your copy of the Transfer/Tax Form. A car that leaves with your plates on it can still bring tickets back to you.

Most BC sales that go wrong went wrong before the buyer showed up: a loan still on the car, an open claim, or money that moved before anyone confirmed it. Sort those out and the rest is a short appointment.