buying used car out of province

[tcjsa]

I have a used car that I plan on buying in Vancouver when I head over there in a couple weeks.

My question is how do I deal with the registration? If I bought it here, I could just go to the registry before taking the car, but what do I do about if I buy it out of province? Do I need to go to the BC registry and get BC plates? I'm not sure of the whole process.

Also, will I be able to drive it down to the US before coming back?

Thanks

[Weapon_R]

You insure it while you're there (or before), and put your current plate on it and drive it back. You have 14 days with a valid bill of sale to use your current registration and plate before you have to transfer it over.

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[tcjsa]

Is the insurance something I can do over the phone (less than a day), or will I have to make arrangements with an insurance provider ahead of time?

Also, I don't have a car at the moment, so I don't have a plate or registration to place on the car I'm purchasing. I do have a relative that would lend me the plate and registration of a car they're not using.

What about driving it over the border. I can see a major hassle if they run a check on the license plate. Not only will the car not match their records, but I won't be the registered owner.

[PINOY-X]

yes yes

[bobby_lu]

Tell your insurance company what youre doing, and either get an insurance slip for your new car (if they agree to do this without the Bill of Sale and everything) otherwise I guess theyll give you in-tranist insurance for 3 days or something till you are back and give them all the documents. If you dont have all that info you also probably wont be able to get a plate, but probably can go to the registry and get an in-tranist permit/plate as well.

I wouldnt risk going over the border unless you have everything in order.

[88CRXGUY]

If you have all the things that you need, bill of sale etc, you can go into a Autoplan broker in BC and they will give you temporary insurance. I did this when I bought a car from BC, but you do have to pay the taxes for it(I can't remember how much for every dollar). Now when it comes to getting the stuff here in Alberta I have no idea.

[FiveFreshFish]

Your insurance company can fax you a temporary insurance card within the hour. Maybe they can email you a PDF so you can print it out if you have no access to a fax machine.

[bighead2267]

ok..............

u will have a really hard time to find someone offer temp ins in calgary. actually, i would say 99% of the brokerage won't do it.

You best bet may be call ICBC see if they offer temp ins/intransit insurance(whatever u call) like 88CRX said.

Another option is use your parents or friend's policy. put the bill of sale buy under their name and add the vehicle under their policy. Once u back in town, they "sell" the vehicle to you. but u will be expecting a OOP inspection doesn't matter how old the vehicle is.

i hope this will help you.

[TrevorK]

I just called up my insurance company and told them the purchased the car already. They then issued me insurance normally - this seems like the best procedure.

The part of it being from BC is irrelevant to the insurance company - you'll need an inspection before you can register it, but insurance doesn't need it.

[88CRXGUY]

Originally posted by TrevorK
I just called up my insurance company and told them the purchased the car already. They then issued me insurance normally - this seems like the best procedure.

The part of it being from BC is irrelevant to the insurance company - you'll need an inspection before you can register it, but insurance doesn't need it.

Some insurance companies will give you tempary insurance but you would have to get it inspected in alberta within a certain period of time(can't remember how long). After the inspection is finished and the car passes you have 14 days to register.

You did go to the registry office and get the piece of paper that the inspector has to sign to give to the government telling them the car passed. I can't remember what the piece of paper is called.

[clem24]

Sorry to revive an old thread... But now I have a question of my own!

1.) Used cars in provinces with non-harmonized PST/GST (i.e. non-Maritimes) charge PST on all used car sales private or dealer (so ON, QC, BC, etc...). This is paid at the time of registration of vehicle by the BUYER. So, if the car is never registered in the provice of origin, and instead registered in Alberta, do I still have to pay this? Is there a difference between picking it up, and having it shipped out of the province and into AB?

2.) I never even knew of #1. When I bought my first car in 2000, I bought it in BC. My dad and I drove down to get it. It was never registered in BC. I went and bought temporary insurance (something like $10/day), they give you a piece of paper to stick onto the window, and away I went. I don't remember having to pay taxes. Car came back to Calgary, did an OOP, and got it registered.

I can't seem to find any info on this.

[Euro838]

Since there is no sales tax in Alberta, you don't have to pay any when registering your car in Alberta.

[clem24]

Hey thanks.. Well that much I realize, but do I have to pay anything to the government when shipping it out of the province in question?

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by Euro838
Since there is no sales tax in Alberta, you don't have to pay any when registering your car in Alberta.

Yeah, but you still need to pay taxes when you buy the car off of a car lot (non private sale). I'm not sure if you can get the PST back from that. This sounds like a job for GOOGLE.

[clem24]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok


Yeah, but you still need to pay taxes when you buy the car off of a car lot (non private sale). I'm not sure if you can get the PST back from that. This sounds like a job for GOOGLE.

LOL I've been trying to Google this crap for the past hour but can't seem to find the right search terms. This is what my current research shows:

1.) Private used car sales are subject to PST, but it is paid by the buyer at the time of registration in said province. What a scam if you ask me.

2.) Dealer used car sales are subject to GST and PST, paid to the dealer. But you MIGHT be able to get away with not paying PST if the car is shipped immediately out of the pronvice. I.e. when I buy something mail order/internet from Ontario, I don't have to pay PST. Just GST.

3.) Registering a used car outside of Alberta immediately after transfer of ownership, you gotta pay the PST, even if bought in Alberta. Scam #2.

4.) At least in Quebec, "immediate" or "close" family members do not have to pay PST when gifting or transferring title. Why should they be exempt and not everyone else?

5.) PST charged is based on sales price but cannot be lower than book value less $500 or something like that. So you can minimize taxes if you are buying something that is over book (and since insurance will only cover book anyway).

I can't seem to find info on shipping a car from say, Ontario to Alberta. But my guess is, you don't pay any PST unless the car is first registered in said province.

[Euro838]

I believe if you buy a car from a dealer in Ontario, you don't necessarily have to pay PST if you show them your Driver's license as proof of residence. There are forms they can complete to show the buyer is an Alberta residence.

Anyways, my take on it is that you should not be paying any PST when buying in ON or any other province for big ticket items. Hopefully the seller will not make you pay it since it'll be easier than having to collect back via income taxes.

[FiveFreshFish]

Here's what I found out over the past two weeks.



1.) Private used car sales are subject to PST, but it is paid by the buyer at the time of registration in said province. What a scam if you ask me.
Yup, nice tax grab. Be glad we have no PST.


2.) Dealer used car sales are subject to GST and PST, paid to the dealer. But you MIGHT be able to get away with not paying PST if the car is shipped immediately out of the pronvice. I.e. when I buy something mail order/internet from Ontario, I don't have to pay PST. Just GST.
Spoke to VW and Subaru dealers in Ontario. If they ship it out, you only pay PST. If you go there and drive it home, they have to charge you PST and then you apply for it back. They said it takes about six weeks to get your money. In BC, you only have to show your Alberta drivers license and they waive the PST on a car purchase.


3.) Registering a used car outside of Alberta immediately after transfer of ownership, you gotta pay the PST, even if bought in Alberta. Scam #2.
Why not register it in Alberta for a day before taking it out of province?


I can't seem to find info on shipping a car from say, Ontario to Alberta. But my guess is, you don't pay any PST unless the car is first registered in said province.
True. See #2 above.