This template is written for that: it names the vehicle permit, leaves the plate with the seller where Ontario leaves it, and records the safety standards certificate date.
What Ontario requires
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The seller must provide a UVIP
Under the Highway Traffic Act the seller has to give the buyer a Used Vehicle Information Package. It shows the vehicle's registration history and whether any money is owing on it. Buy it from ServiceOntario online or in person, where it is issued the same day.
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And a signed bill of sale
Ontario's guidance is specific: a signed bill of sale with your name, the buyer's name and address, the date and the purchase price. That is what this template records.
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And the Application for Transfer
It is on the back of the green ownership permit. The seller completes and signs it, and the buyer keeps that portion to establish ownership.
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Buyer: 6 days to register
The buyer must register as the new owner at a ServiceOntario centre within 6 days of the purchase, bringing proof of insurance, their driver's licence, the UVIP, the bill of sale and the permit with the completed Application for Transfer.
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Tax is on the higher of price or book value
The buyer pays 13% retail sales tax on whichever is greater: the purchase price, or the vehicle's wholesale value in the Canadian Red Book. Writing a low price on the paperwork does not lower the tax.
Worth knowing
- Plates stay with the seller. In Ontario plates travel with a driver, not a vehicle.
- A safety standards certificate is usually needed to plate the vehicle, from a licensed mechanic. It is not required for trailers, mopeds, off-road vehicles or snowmobiles.
- Gifts between close family members can be exempt from the tax, with the sworn statement ServiceOntario requires.
- Read the UVIP before you pay. It is where a lien against the vehicle shows up.
Questions
Is a bill of sale required in Ontario?
Ontario's guidance lists a signed bill of sale among the documents the seller gives the buyer, alongside the UVIP and the signed Application for Transfer, and the buyer brings it to ServiceOntario to register.
What is a UVIP?
The Used Vehicle Information Package. It covers the vehicle's Ontario registration history, whether there is any debt owing on it, and the information a buyer needs to register it. Sellers are legally required to provide one in a private sale.
How long does the buyer have to register the car?
6 days from the date of purchase, at a ServiceOntario centre.
Do licence plates transfer with the car in Ontario?
No. Plates stay with the seller, because in Ontario plates belong to the driver rather than the vehicle.
Does an Ontario bill of sale need to be notarized?
No. Signatures from both parties are what matters. Page 2 of this template is a notary or commissioner acknowledgment only if you want one.
Checked against Ontario’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.