A bill of sale is not a substitute for that form. It is the record of what was agreed — price, date, condition, and that the vehicle is free of liens — which ICBC's form does not capture. This template is written to sit alongside the APV9T.
What British Columbia requires
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The APV9T does the transfer
Both seller and buyer complete the Transfer/Tax Form. The seller signs all four pages after receiving payment, and original signatures are required: ICBC does not accept electronic ones. Get a copy from any Autoplan broker or download it from ICBC.
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The seller hands over the signed registration
Tear off the bottom, signed vehicle registration portion of the APV250 and give it to the buyer with the completed transfer form.
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Plates come off before the buyer drives away
The seller removes their plates. In BC plates remain ICBC property and cannot be sold or transferred to another person's vehicle.
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Buyer: 10 days to register
The vehicle must be registered in the new owner's name at an Autoplan broker within 10 days of the purchase, with the fees and taxes due at that point.
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Go to the broker together if you can
ICBC strongly recommends both parties attend, so the transfer processes promptly and the seller's name comes off the vehicle record, which is what protects them from later claims.
Worth knowing
- PST is payable on a private vehicle sale in BC and is collected when the buyer registers. The price on your paperwork matters.
- Search the BC Personal Property Registry against the VIN before paying. A lien registered there survives the sale and can cost the buyer the vehicle.
- Keep copies with original signatures. ICBC's guidance is to retain the documentation for your records, and this is what a dispute turns on later.
- The bill of sale is not the transfer. Without the APV9T lodged at a broker, ownership has not moved.
Questions
Do I need a bill of sale in BC?
ICBC's transfer runs on the APV9T Transfer/Tax Form rather than a bill of sale, but a signed bill of sale is still the only record of the price, the condition and the lien position. It costs nothing to have both.
What is the APV9T?
ICBC's Transfer/Tax Form. Both parties complete it, the seller signs all four pages after being paid, and the buyer takes it to an Autoplan broker with the signed registration portion.
How long do I have to transfer a vehicle in BC?
10 days from the purchase, at an Autoplan broker, with the fees and taxes payable then.
Do the licence plates come with the car?
No. The seller removes them, and they stay ICBC property. The buyer arranges their own plates and insurance.
Does a BC bill of sale need to be notarized?
No. Original signatures from both parties are what ICBC asks for on the transfer form; the bill of sale simply needs both signatures too.
Checked against British Columbia’s own motor vehicle agency in September 2026. Rules change — confirm on the official pages listed before you rely on this, and treat it as general information rather than legal advice.