What an Ontario vehicle bill of sale is for
When you sell a car privately in Ontario, the bill of sale is the record of the deal: who sold what to whom, on which date and for how much. ServiceOntario needs it to register the vehicle in the buyer's name and to calculate the retail sales tax, and it sets out exactly what the document must contain. For the seller, it also proves the date the vehicle stopped being their responsibility, which matters if the buyer collects a parking ticket, a red-light camera fine or a toll the following week.
This template covers every item ServiceOntario lists, and goes further than the short bill of sale printed at the bottom of the Used Vehicle Information Package. It records the seller's statements about ownership, liens, the odometer and known problems, lets you choose between selling with a Safety Standards Certificate or "as is", and includes a deposit receipt, a handover checklist and a condition record, so both sides leave with the same understanding.
When to use it
Use it for any private sale of a used car, truck, van, SUV or motorcycle in Ontario between two individuals, whether the buyer is a stranger from an online listing, a neighbour or a relative paying a fair price. Use the deposit receipt if the buyer is holding the vehicle before pickup.
A dealer sale uses the dealer's own bill of sale and is regulated by the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act. A gift to a close family member uses ServiceOntario's sworn statement for a family gift instead of a purchase price, so the buyer can claim the tax exemption.
What's inside
The full list of sections and fields in this template, in the order they appear.
-
Seller and buyer
- Seller's legal name and address
- Seller's contact
- Buyer's legal name and address
- Buyer's contact
-
Vehicle
- VIN
- Year
- Make
- Model
- Body type
- Colour
- Power source
- Odometer reading
- Brand status
-
Sale
- Date of sale
- Place
- Purchase price
- Taxes collected
- HST/GST number
- Payment method and date
-
Seller's statements
- Ownership
- Liens or payout
- UVIP given
- Odometer accuracy
- Known history and defects
-
Condition and Safety Standards Certificate
- Certified with certificate details
- or sold as is
-
Buyer's acknowledgments
- Inspection and test drive
- 6-day registration and documents
- Sales tax and fees
- Plates and insurance
-
Signatures
- Seller
- Second owner
- Buyer
- Optional witness
-
Deposit Receipt
- Deposit amount
- Balance and pickup date
- Refund terms
-
Handover Checklist
- Documents to the buyer
- What the seller keeps
- Seller's follow-up
- Buyer's 6-day tasks
-
Odometer and Condition Record
- Odometer
- Fuel or charge
- Exterior
- Interior
- Warning lights
- Tires
Preview pages
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Page 1 -
Page 2 -
Page 3
How to complete the bill of sale
- Buy the Used Vehicle Information Package first. Order it from ServiceOntario for the vehicle's VIN, check for registered liens, and give it to the buyer.
- Check the VIN. Make sure the number on the dashboard, the door label and the permit match before you write it on the bill of sale.
- Fill in both parties. Use legal names exactly as they appear on the permit (seller) and as the buyer will register.
- Describe the vehicle. Enter year, make, model, body type, colour, power source and the odometer reading, and the brand status shown on the permit.
- Record the price and payment. Write the actual price and how and when it was paid. Accept a bank draft, certified cheque or e-Transfer that has cleared.
- Complete the seller's statements. Confirm ownership, state whether there is a lien and how it will be paid, record the UVIP date and disclose known history and defects.
- Choose certified or as is. If you have a Safety Standards Certificate, record its number and date and hand it over; otherwise tick "as is".
- Sign two originals. Both parties sign and date both copies; the buyer takes one to ServiceOntario.
- Work through the handover checklist. Sign the Application for Transfer on the back of the permit, hand over the vehicle portion, remove your plates and keep the plate portion.
Example: a completed sale excerpt
A fictional seller in Guelph, Alicia Moreau, sells her 2016 Mazda3 to Samuel Okafor:
VIN: JM1BM1V70G1234567 (fictional). Year: 2016. Make: Mazda. Model: Mazda3 GS. Body type: Sedan. Colour: Grey. Power source: Gas. Odometer: 142,380 km. Brand status: None. Date of sale: 2026-05-16. Purchase price: $9,800. Payment: bank draft, received in full on 2026-05-16. Liens: The vehicle is free of all liens and debts. UVIP dated: 2026-05-12. Condition: Sold with a Safety Standards Certificate, number SSC-0420917 (fictional), issued 2026-05-14.
Samuel has until May 22 to register the car at ServiceOntario. If the UVIP shows a wholesale value of $10,500, he pays retail sales tax on $10,500, because the tax is based on the greater of the price and the wholesale value, unless an appraisal supports a lower figure. Alicia keeps her plates and the plate portion of the permit, and calls her insurer to take the Mazda off her policy.
Ontario rules to know
These are the Ontario requirements this bill of sale is built around, from the Highway Traffic Act and ServiceOntario's private sale rules.
- Used Vehicle Information Package. Required by the Highway Traffic Act in a private sale; the seller buys it and gives it to the buyer.
- Bill of sale contents. VIN; make, year and power source; body type, colour and model; purchase price with any taxes and HST/GST number; seller's name, address and signature; buyer's name and address; date. It must be an original.
- Registration deadline. The buyer registers within 6 days of purchase at ServiceOntario.
- Retail sales tax. Usually 13%, paid by the buyer to ServiceOntario, on the greater of the purchase price and the wholesale value; vehicles 20 years old or older need an appraisal.
- Family gifts. Exempt from sales tax with the sworn statement for a family gift.
- Plates. Stay with the seller, along with the plate portion of the permit.
- Safety Standards Certificate. Needed to plate the vehicle in the buyer's name; issued by a licensed inspection station.
Mistakes that cause trouble after a private sale
The problems that follow private sales are usually about paperwork. A seller forgets the UVIP, so the buyer cannot register. The price is written lower than what was paid, which can mean tax charged on the wholesale value anyway and possible penalties on top. Plates are left on the car, and the seller receives the buyer's tickets. A lien nobody checked shows up when the buyer tries to register. Known problems are not written down, and a dispute begins a week later about what was said in the driveway. Completing this bill of sale and the handover checklist together prevents each of these.
Frequently asked questions
What does a bill of sale need to include in Ontario?
ServiceOntario requires the VIN, the make, year and power source, the body type, colour and model, the purchase price (with any taxes collected and an HST/GST number if applicable), the seller's name, address and signature, the buyer's name and address, and the date of sale. It must be an original document, though it can be handwritten on a pre-printed form.
Does the seller need a Used Vehicle Information Package in Ontario?
Yes. Under the Highway Traffic Act, a seller in a private sale must give the buyer a Used Vehicle Information Package for the vehicle. The buyer needs it to register the vehicle, and it shows the vehicle's registration history, any liens registered against it and its wholesale value.
How long does a buyer have to register a used car in Ontario?
Six days from the purchase. The buyer brings proof of insurance, an Ontario driver's licence, the UVIP, the bill of sale, the vehicle portion of the permit with the Application for Transfer completed, a Safety Standards Certificate if required, and the odometer reading to a ServiceOntario centre.
How much tax do you pay on a private car sale in Ontario?
The buyer pays retail sales tax, usually 13%, to ServiceOntario on the greater of the purchase price and the vehicle's wholesale value. If you paid less than the wholesale value, an appraisal may lower the tax base. Gifts to close family members are exempt with a sworn statement.
Who keeps the licence plates when you sell a car in Ontario?
The seller. Plates belong to the person, not the vehicle, so the seller removes them and keeps the plate portion of the permit to use on another vehicle. The buyer gets plates when registering, or moves plates they already own.
