Guide for BC car sellers
Selling a Car in Vancouver, BC: The Paperwork You Need
A plain guide to the ICBC forms, licence plates, Autoplan coverage, estates, liens and lost papers when you sell or scrap a car in BC. Every rule here comes from ICBC or the BC government, and each one is linked.
- ICBC APV9T form
- Plates and Autoplan
- Estates and liens
- Last reviewed October 2026
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In short
Quick Answer
To sell a car in BC, the registered owner signs the vehicle registration and all four pages of ICBC’s Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T), takes the licence plates off, and cancels or transfers their Autoplan coverage at a broker. The buyer then has 10 days to register the vehicle and pays the PST. Estates, two owners, liens and lost papers each add a step, and this guide covers each one.
Checklist
What You Need Before Selling a Car in BC
| Document | Who provides it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle registration (APV250) | Seller | The signed original. Your registration and Autoplan papers are two parts of one form, and you need both. |
| Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T) | Seller and buyer | All four pages, with original signatures. Download it from ICBC or get one from an Autoplan broker. |
| Photo ID | Seller | Needed to cancel your Autoplan coverage, and any buyer should ask to see it. |
| Licence plates | Seller | Removed before the car leaves. They don’t go with the car. |
| Extra papers for estates, court orders or liens | Seller | See the sections below. |
Step by step
How to Sell a Used Car in BC, Step by Step
- Confirm the car is in your name. If you aren’t the registered owner, can’t find the papers, or the owner has died, talk to an Autoplan broker before you sell.
- Agree on the price and get paid. ICBC recommends cash or a bank draft that you’ve confirmed with the issuing bank, not a personal cheque.
- Complete the APV9T after you’re paid. You and the buyer both sign.
- Take your plates off the car.
- Give the buyer the registration. Tear off the signed registration part and hand it over.
- Visit an Autoplan broker. ICBC strongly recommends going with the buyer so the transfer is processed right away and your name comes off the vehicle. If you can’t go together, keep copies of the APV9T with both original signatures.
- Cancel or transfer your Autoplan coverage to your next vehicle.
These steps follow ICBC’s guide to selling a used vehicle.
Filling Out the ICBC Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T)
The APV9T transfers ownership and records the price the buyer pays tax on. A few things trip people up:
- All four pages must be complete, and ICBC needs original signatures, not photocopies.
- Write the real sale price. The buyer’s tax is based on it (see the tax section below).
- Sign after you’re paid. Once the form is signed and handed over, the buyer has what they need to register the car.
- Keep a copy. If anything goes wrong with the buyer’s registration, your copy shows when the car stopped being yours.
What Happens to Your Licence Plates?
In BC, the plates stay with you, not the car. They remain ICBC property, so you can’t sell them or let someone else use them. You have two options:
- Return them to ICBC or an Autoplan broker, usually when you cancel your coverage.
- Move them to your next vehicle. If you’re buying another car, ICBC lets you use your old plates on it for 10 days while you sort out the paperwork, as long as you meet its conditions. Prorate, restricted and leased vehicle plates don’t qualify.
If your plates were lost or stolen, you’ll need a police file number when you cancel your coverage.
Cancelling or Transferring Your Autoplan Coverage
Once the car is sold, visit an Autoplan broker to cancel your Autoplan coverage or move it to another vehicle. Bring:
- Primary and secondary ID
- Your licence plates
- Your owner’s certificate (registration and Autoplan papers)
If two people own the car, both need to be there. Any refund depends on the time left on your policy and any amount you still owe, and a cancellation fee may apply. If you have an open claim on the car, talk to your broker before you sell, because ICBC warns that a claim can become void when ownership changes.
Who Pays the Tax When Selling a Car in BC?
The buyer pays. On a private sale, the buyer pays PST of 12% on the purchase price or the vehicle’s average wholesale value, whichever is higher. ICBC collects it when the buyer registers the car. The seller doesn’t pay tax on the sale.
Some transfers are tax exempt, including a gift to a close relative (using the Gift of a Vehicle form, FIN 319) and a vehicle inherited from an estate. The full rules are in the BC government’s PST bulletin on vehicles.
Estates
Selling a Car When the Owner Has Died
An estate sale needs extra documents, and which ones depends on whether there’s a will and whether the estate is worth more than $25,000. ICBC’s checklist for estate transfers sets them out:
| Situation | Documents | Who signs |
|---|---|---|
| Car was jointly owned | Death certificate | Surviving owner, who must take the car into their name first |
| Will, estate under $25,000 | Death certificate and will | Executor named in the will |
| Will, estate over $25,000 | Death certificate, will, and a grant of probate or a lawyer’s letter of undertaking | Executor, or the person named in the grant or letter |
| No will, estate under $25,000 | Death certificate and a notarized Estate Declaration $25,000 and Under (MV1476) | The person who completed the MV1476 |
| No will, estate over $25,000 | Grant of administration, or a letter of undertaking from the Public Guardian and Trustee | The person named in the grant, or the PGT |
Take originals or certified copies to an Autoplan broker with a completed APV9T and the current registration. A surviving spouse who wants to keep the plate needs a marriage certificate or a notarized statutory declaration (MV1486). See ICBC’s page on selling a vehicle when the owner has passed away.
Two Owners on the Registration
ICBC needs original signatures on the APV9T. If one owner can’t sign, because they’ve moved away or won’t cooperate, ask an Autoplan broker what your options are before you sell. A court order can authorize ICBC to transfer the car without an owner’s signature, as long as it names the vehicle’s make, model and VIN. Both owners also need to be present to cancel the Autoplan coverage.
Lost Registration, or the Car Isn’t in Your Name
If you can’t find the registration, or the car is registered to someone else (a parent, a former partner, a company), sort that out with an Autoplan broker before you sell. A buyer, including us, needs to see that the person selling has the right to sell.
Selling a Car With a Lien in BC
If the car still has a loan against it, contact your lender about paying it out before you sell. In BC, liens are recorded in the Personal Property Registry, and you search it with the vehicle’s VIN. ICBC offices no longer do lien searches, but a vehicle history report also shows BC liens. See ICBC’s vehicle history report FAQ.
How to Scrap a Car in BC
Scrapping a car uses the same paperwork as selling one: the signed registration, a completed APV9T, plates off, and your Autoplan coverage cancelled. The car doesn’t need to run or pass an inspection.
A few things are different:
- Written off cars. If ICBC wrote the car off, it may carry a Salvage or Non repairable status on the BC Vehicle Registry. A Non repairable car can’t be rebuilt, so its value is in its metal.
- Missing parts. A car with missing parts can still be sold, but it’s worth less. See how much is my scrap car worth.
- SCRAP IT. BC’s SCRAP IT program offers incentives for retiring older vehicles. Check whether your car qualifies on its website before you sell it elsewhere, since the program has its own process.
When you’re ready, our scrap car removal page explains how a free pickup works.
Selling a Car in BC Privately: How to Protect Yourself
- Bring someone with you when buyers come to see the car.
- Take cash or a verified bank draft. Call the issuing bank to confirm a draft before you sign anything.
- Don’t sign the APV9T until you’re paid.
- Go to the broker with the buyer, or keep copies with both signatures.
- Remove your plates before the car leaves, even if the buyer asks to drive it home on them.
Selling to Cash My Car Today BC
If you’d rather skip the listings and the broker visit, we handle the paperwork at pickup. The driver checks the VIN against your registration and confirms your ID. You sign the APV9T together, and you’re paid before the car is loaded. You keep your plates and then cancel or transfer your coverage.
- Running car: sell my car for a same day offer
- Accident damage or won’t start: sell a damaged or non running car
- Old or worn out: scrap car removal
- Any car in Vancouver: cash for cars Vancouver
Our how it works page walks through a pickup from start to finish, and the areas we serve page lists where we go. Call 236 506 5190 for a firm offer.
This guide gives general information, not legal advice. ICBC rules change, so check the linked ICBC pages or ask an Autoplan broker about your situation.
FAQ
Selling a Car in BC: Common Questions
What forms do I need to sell a car in BC?
You need the signed vehicle registration (APV250) and ICBC’s Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T), with all four pages completed and original signatures from you and the buyer. You also need photo ID. Estates, court ordered transfers and cars with liens need extra documents, which an Autoplan broker can confirm.
Who pays the tax when you sell a used car in BC?
The buyer pays. On a private sale, the buyer pays 12% PST on the purchase price or the vehicle’s average wholesale value, whichever is higher, and ICBC collects it when the buyer registers the car. The seller doesn’t pay tax on the sale. Gifts to close relatives and inherited vehicles can be exempt.
Do I keep my licence plates when I sell my car in BC?
Yes. In BC the plates stay with you, not the car, and they remain ICBC property. Take them off before the car leaves. You can return them to an Autoplan broker when you cancel your coverage, or use them on your next vehicle for 10 days if you meet ICBC’s conditions.
How do I sell a car in BC if the owner has died?
It depends on whether there’s a will and whether the estate is worth more than $25,000. With a will and an estate under $25,000, the executor signs using the death certificate and the will. Larger estates with a will need a grant of probate or a lawyer’s letter of undertaking, and estates without a will need different papers. ICBC’s estate transfer checklist lists every case.
Can I sell a car in BC without the registration?
Not easily. ICBC needs the signed registration to transfer ownership, so if yours is lost, or the car isn’t in your name, speak to an Autoplan broker before you sell. A buyer needs to see that the person selling has the right to sell.
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