How to Register a Vehicle in Alberta
Register a vehicle in Alberta in person at a registry agent with proof of ownership and valid Alberta insurance, then renew online, by mail, or in person before your surname-assigned expiry month.
How to Register a Vehicle in Ontario
How to register a vehicle in Ontario at ServiceOntario: documents, the Safety Standards Certificate, the 6-day deadline, plates, and official fees.
Applies in: Ontario
Registering a vehicle in Ontario means recording yourself as the owner with ServiceOntario and getting a vehicle permit and, where needed, a licence plate. This guide covers Ontario only. Vehicle registration is provincial, so the forms, deadlines, and fees of another province or territory do not apply here. All steps below come from the Ontario page on registering a vehicle, permit, and licence plate and the Ontario safety standards certificate page.
Buying new: the dealer usually registers it
If you are buying a new vehicle from a dealership, registration will usually be completed by the dealer. If it is not, you will have to register the vehicle at a ServiceOntario centre. ServiceOntario must also confirm the sale of new vehicles purchased from outside Ontario with the out-of-province dealership before registration. You can complete the Application for Vehicle Registration form, SR-LV-006, before visiting a ServiceOntario centre.
Buying used: register within 6 days
If you are buying a used vehicle, you must register the vehicle within 6 days of the sale at a ServiceOntario centre. To register a vehicle and get a permit and licence plate, you need:
- a driver's licence, or an acceptable proof of identity document with legal name, date of birth, and signature
- the completed used vehicle information package, only when registering a passenger vehicle, light commercial vehicle, self-propelled motor home, or motorcycle
- proof of purchase, for example a receipt from the seller or a bill of sale from a used vehicle information package
- proof of insurance from an insurance provider licensed in Ontario
- the original vehicle permit from the seller, with the completed transfer portion
- the plate portion of the permit, if you already have a licence plate you would like to attach to the vehicle
A temporary licence plate sticker lets you drive your vehicle to a garage for a safety standards certificate, to complete the requirements for a licence plate sticker, and for other necessary short-term transportation purposes. Check whether you are eligible for a 10-day temporary licence plate sticker before relying on one. If you do not plan to register your vehicle but need to drive in Ontario temporarily, you may be eligible for a 10-day special permit at a ServiceOntario centre.
The Safety Standards Certificate: needed to plate, not to buy
A safety standards certificate confirms that your vehicle met the minimum safety standards on the date the certificate was issued. It is not a warranty or guarantee of the vehicle's condition. You can buy and register a vehicle without one, but you cannot put plates on a vehicle without one.
You need a safety standard inspection and certificate if you are registering a rebuilt vehicle, transferring a used vehicle to a new owner unless the new owner is your spouse, registering a vehicle in Ontario that was bought in or came from another province, territory, or country, or changing the status of a vehicle from unfit to fit. You do not need one if you are registering a used motorized snow vehicle, off-road vehicle, motor-assisted bicycle such as a moped, or trailer, or transferring the vehicle to your spouse. If you are unsure about an exemption, call ServiceOntario's Driver and Vehicle Contact Centre toll-free at 1-800-387-3445 or visit a ServiceOntario location.
To get a certificate, the vehicle must pass an inspection at a DriveON vehicle inspection centre licensed by the Ministry of Transportation, using government-regulated inspection criteria. After the vehicle passes, a confirmation of the certificate is emailed for your records. Find a DriveON Vehicle Inspection Centre, or call the DriveON Contact Centre toll-free at 1-833-420-2103. A safety standards certificate is valid for 36 calendar days after the inspection. If it expires before you register, you must pay for a new inspection and certificate. The cost of the inspection and certificate differs at each inspection station and is not regulated by the government, so no fixed price is stated here.
A salvage vehicle needs more: it must be inspected, certified, or repaired by a specialized DriveON centre licensed for in-depth structural inspections, and you must get both a Structural Inspection Certificate and a Safety Standards Certificate. The vehicle is re-branded from salvage to rebuilt once you submit the Structural Inspection Certificate at any ServiceOntario location. If you are registering a pick-up truck and trailer with a registered gross weight over 4,500 kilograms for personal use, you may need to provide the Annual or Semi-Annual Inspection Declaration Form.
What it costs, and what you leave with
At ServiceOntario, a vehicle permit for all vehicles costs $32, and a licence plate, new or replacement, with permit costs $59. Retail sales tax for the sale of the vehicle will be collected when you register. Any outstanding fines in the licence plate holder's name will be applied in addition to the prices above. Payment is by Visa, Mastercard, debit, cash, or certified cheque. Vehicle permits and licence plates are issued immediately. Personalized licence plates will be mailed to the address you provide.
Fees for other vehicle types on the opened page are: commercial vehicle with a gross weight of 3,000 kilograms or less, $59 for a licence plate with permit; trailer, original registration $72 and replacement plate and permit $48; motorized snow vehicle, original registration including validation fee $33 and replacement decals and permit $10; off-road vehicle, original registration $38 and replacement plate and permit $20.
Plates, permits, and changes after registration
Your passenger vehicle, light commercial vehicle, motorcycle, or moped licence plate will renew automatically if you have no outstanding fines, fees, or tolls and you have valid car insurance. You need to renew your licence plate or sticker each year. Your vehicle permit needs to be updated within 6 days of a change in your address or vehicle information.
You can attach licence plates you currently hold to a new or used vehicle. Bring the plate ownership portion of your vehicle permit when you register, and pay the applicable fee. Plates belong to the plate holder, not to the vehicle, so keep your own plates and do not take the seller's.
To replace a lost, stolen, or damaged vehicle permit, visit a ServiceOntario centre. The cost is $32. Bring identification, such as a driver's licence, passport, or Ontario Photo Card, plus one of the licence plate number or the vehicle identification number. You must be the owner, or hold a Letter of Authorization from the owner. Replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged licence plate costs $59, and replacing a licence plate sticker costs $7.
If the vehicle is 20 years old or older, you may require an appraisal. Contact the Ministry of Finance for more information before registering. By law, you must insure a vehicle if you plan to drive it in Ontario, and you must have insurance before you attach licence plates, renew your registration, or buy a temporary permit. You buy this insurance from a private insurance company and receive a pink insurance card, which you must carry at all times when driving and show to a police officer when asked. Driving without showing the card when asked can bring a fine of up to $400.
Registering a vehicle to a business, or through someone else
The first time you register a vehicle to a business or organization, you must get a registrant identification number, known as a RIN, at a ServiceOntario centre. To get a RIN, change a RIN, register a vehicle, replace a company vehicle ownership, change vehicle data, or change the company name or address on an existing RIN, provide a Proof of Business Address form or a notarized Letter of Authorization from someone with authority to bind the organization, one identification document for the business such as articles of incorporation or a letter of good standing, two documents showing proof of business address in Ontario, your Ontario Driver's Licence or Ontario Photo Card, and a Letter of Authorization on company letterhead or Power of Attorney if you are not listed in the Articles of Incorporation.
If a third party is requesting a transaction on your behalf, you may have to provide a Letter of Authorization. All signatures on it must be original. The third party must present an original or photocopy of the owner's valid Ontario driver's licence or Ontario Photo Card, the original Letter of Authorization, and their own original Ontario driver's licence or Ontario Photo Card.
If the vehicle identification number on your vehicle permit does not match the number on the dashboard, bring the vehicle portion of the permit, your Canada inter-province motor vehicle liability insurance card, known as the pink card, and one of the supporting documents listed on the Ontario page, such as the original manufacturer's warranty, a copy of the manufacturer's invoice, or a sworn affidavit explaining the error.
What this guide could not verify
The opened Ontario page states that retail sales tax is collected at registration but states no tax rate, so no rate is given here. It states no fee for the used vehicle information package, no fixed inspection price, and no plate renewal fee, so none are stated. Eligibility details for the 10-day temporary licence plate sticker and the 10-day special permit are not set out on the opened registration page, so check eligibility on the linked Ontario pages before relying on either. Confirm the appraisal requirement for a vehicle 20 years old or older with the Ministry of Finance, as the page directs.
Related guides:
- How to Start Getting Your Driver's Licence in Ontario — the Ontario licence you need as identification when registering.
- How to Sell a Used Car Safely in Canada — the seller's side of a private used-vehicle transfer, including the permit and the Used Vehicle Information Package.
- How to Start Exchanging Your Foreign Driver's Licence in Canada — exchanging a licence from another jurisdiction before driving in Ontario.
Registering a vehicle in Ontario, in five steps
- Get insurance and the seller's documentsProof of insurance from an Ontario-licensed provider, the original vehicle permit with the transfer portion completed, and proof of purchase
- Get a Safety Standards Certificate if one is requiredA DriveON inspection for a used vehicle going to a new owner, a rebuilt vehicle, a vehicle from outside Ontario, or a change from unfit to fit, valid for 36 calendar days
- Register within 6 days of a used-vehicle saleIn person at a ServiceOntario centre, with identification, the used vehicle information package where required, and the plate portion if you are moving your own plates
- Pay the permit and plate fees and the tax collected at registrationVehicle permit 32 dollars, licence plate with permit 59 dollars, with retail sales tax collected when you register
- Update the permit within 6 days of a changeThe vehicle permit must be updated within 6 days of a change in address or vehicle information
Questions people ask
How long do I have to register a used vehicle I bought in Ontario?
You must register a used vehicle within 6 days of the sale at a ServiceOntario centre. The same 6-day rule applies to updating your vehicle permit after a change in your address or vehicle information.
Do I need a Safety Standards Certificate to register?
You can buy and register a vehicle without one, but you cannot put plates on a vehicle without one. A certificate is required when transferring a used vehicle to a new owner unless the new owner is the spouse, registering a rebuilt vehicle, registering a vehicle bought in or coming from another province, territory, or country, or changing a vehicle from unfit to fit. It is not required for trailers, mopeds, off-road vehicles, or snowmobiles.
How long is a Safety Standards Certificate valid, and what does it cost?
A Safety Standards Certificate is valid for 36 calendar days after the inspection. If it expires before you register, you must pay for a new inspection and certificate. The cost is set by each inspection centre and is not regulated by the government, so Ontario states no fixed price.
What does registration cost at ServiceOntario?
A vehicle permit for all vehicles costs 32 dollars, and a licence plate, new or replacement, with permit costs 59 dollars. Retail sales tax for the sale of the vehicle is collected when you register, and any outstanding fines in the licence plate holder's name are applied in addition. Vehicle permits and licence plates are issued immediately, while personalized plates are mailed.
Do licence plates stay with the vehicle when it is sold?
No. Plates stay with their owner. Bring the plate portion of your own permit if you want to attach plates you already hold to the new vehicle, and do not drive away with the seller's plates. To attach plates you currently hold, bring the plate ownership portion of your vehicle permit and pay the applicable fee.
Can someone else register the vehicle for me?
A third party may need a Letter of Authorization, with all signatures original. For an original registration, transfer, ownership replacement, or vehicle data change, the third party must present an original or photocopy of the owner's valid Ontario driver's licence or Ontario Photo Card, the original Letter of Authorization, and their own original Ontario driver's licence or Ontario Photo Card.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, Register a vehicle (permit and licence plate) — the 6-day registration and permit-update deadlines, the documents required, third-party and business registration, permit and plate fees, other vehicle-type fees, insurance, plates, replacement permits and plates, and the 20-year appraisal note.
- Government of Ontario, Safety standards certificate — when a certificate is needed and when it is not, DriveON inspection centres, the 36-calendar-day validity period, the unregulated inspection cost, and salvage vehicle certification.