The Paperwork You Need to Sell a Car in BC
Samir Osman | Co-Owner & AMVIC-Licensed Wholesaler, DriveOffer
November 4, 2026
In BC you need your signed registration and insurance, ICBC's Transfer/Tax Form with original signatures, and a payout letter if the car is financed.
Article Summary:
- Bring your registration and insurance (APV250) and the Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T).
- All four pages of the APV9T, original signatures from you and the buyer.
- Sign the APV9T once you've been paid. Tear off the signed registration part for the buyer.
- Keep your copy of the APV9T, the top of your registration and your plates.
Selling a car in BC comes down to two pieces of ICBC paper: your registration and insurance, and the Transfer/Tax Form. Here's the full list, what goes where, and what to keep.
What documents do you need to sell a car in BC?
Four things, plus a few extras:
- 1.Your registration and insurance papers (APV250), in your own name. They're two parts of the same document.
- 2.ICBC's Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T). Download it from ICBC or pick one up at any Autoplan broker.
- 3.Government photo ID
- 4.A payout letter from your lender, if the car is financed or leased
- 5.Both sets of keys, the owner's manual, and your receipts for repairs and maintenance
If the car isn't registered to you, you've lost the papers, or the owner has died, talk to an Autoplan broker before you sell. ICBC sends all three there.
Want the number for your own car? Get a free offer. It takes about a minute.
What is the Transfer/Tax Form?
It's the bill of sale and the tax declaration in one. The buyer uses it to register the car and pay the PST.
All four pages get filled in with the same information, and every page needs original signatures from you and the buyer.
Sign it once you've been paid. ICBC says the same.
What do you do with the registration?
Sign it, then carefully tear off the bottom, signed part and give it to the buyer. Keep the top part for yourself.
Who has to sign if two people own the car?
If more than one person is on the registration, ask an Autoplan broker who needs to sign before the day. It's much easier to sort out before the buyer arrives than after the money has moved.
Do you need extra paperwork if the car is financed?
Yes, a payout letter from your lender showing the exact amount to close the loan on a given day.
A lien stays registered against the car until the loan is paid, so a careful buyer won't hand over the money until it's cleared. Selling a car you still owe money on covers how the payout works.
Do you need a safety inspection to sell?
No, not if the car is already registered in BC. Cars coming in from another province usually need one before they can be registered here.
Anything to sort out before the sale?
1. Finish any open ICBC claim.
ICBC warns it may become void once ownership changes.
2. Check the name on the registration
is the person who'll sign. If it isn't, see an Autoplan broker first.
What should you keep after you hand over the keys?
- 1.Your copy of the Transfer/Tax Form, with both original signatures
- 2.The top part of your registration
- 3.A photo of the odometer and the signed form, taken before the car leaves
- 4.Your plates
ICBC recommends going to the Autoplan broker with the buyer. If you can't, keep copies of everything with both of your original signatures.
Then cancel your insurance or move it to your next car. In some cases ICBC lets you put your plates on your next car for up to 10 days, and your copy of the Transfer/Tax Form is your proof that the old one is sold.
The rest of the sale, from what the car is worth to getting paid safely, is in how to sell your car in British Columbia.
What Samir Says
Samir has bought more than 3,000 cars from the public in about four years, and he's never had a sale fall apart over a missing form. What actually holds a sale up is a car that isn't registered in the seller's name. The fix is simple: the seller registers it in their own name first, then the sale goes ahead.
From our experience: We buy cars from BC sellers across the Lower Mainland, from Vancouver and Burnaby to Surrey and Delta.
Want to know what your car is worth?
Tell us the year, make, model and kilometres and we'll give you a free offer. It takes about a minute, and there's no obligation.
Get a Free OfferFrequently asked questions
- What form do I need to sell my car in BC?
- ICBC's Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T). It's the bill of sale and the tax declaration in one, and all four pages need original signatures from you and the buyer. You also sign your registration and give the buyer the bottom part.
- Where do I get the APV9T?
- Download it from ICBC's website or pick one up at any Autoplan broker.
- When should I sign the Transfer/Tax Form?
- Once you've been paid. ICBC says to sign it after payment, and to go to the Autoplan broker with the buyer if you can.
- What do I keep after I sell my car in BC?
- Your copy of the Transfer/Tax Form with both original signatures, the top part of your registration, and your plates. Then cancel your insurance or move it to your next car.
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