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After a long search, you’ve finally found the perfect car! There’s just one problem – it’s in a different province. Follow our step-by-step guide to figure out what you’ll need to do when buying a vehicle out of province and getting it back to where you live.
You can buy a vehicle out of province, but it won’t be as simple as buying one in your province of residence. You’ll need to travel to inspect the vehicle or arrange to have it inspected by a third party. You’ll also need to factor in the process of transporting your vehicle back home as well as the costs of transferring the title and registration.
It’s also important to be aware of what it takes to register an out-of-province vehicle where you live (since regulations are different for each province). Different provinces will require you to pay different taxes and they may also require you to undergo emissions testing or a vehicle inspection prior to registration.
Click to expand the sections below to find out more about the process for buying a car out of province:
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Corey lives in Ottawa, Ontario, but wants to purchase a vehicle in Gatineau, Quebec (just across the river). After doing some research, he finds a 2013 Kia Forte that he’s interested in through a private sale. He heads to Gatineau to inspect the vehicle and checks the VIN and the accident history to make sure the car is in good shape. He also schedules a third-party inspection of the car, which comes back clean.
When he’s satisfied, he applies for financing from an online lender and is approved for $6,500 (the price of the vehicle). He pays for the vehicle in cash and goes with the current owner to an insurance agency in Gatineau. The agency provides temporary one-day insurance and transfers the registration into Corey’s name. Corey then drives the vehicle back to Ottawa and begins the process of registering and insuring it in Ontario.
Corey checks the requirements to register an out-of-province vehicle in Ontario. He finds out that he needs to pay 13% harmonized sales tax (HST) to register his new vehicle. He also needs to get it inspected to ensure it meets basic safety and emissions standards.
The costs below are a representative sample of what Corey might have to pay for buying a car out of province in Ontario:
As you can see, total costs can vary by person and by province. That said, you should expect to pay over $1,000 for all the extra requirements that come along with buying a vehicle in another province. Your price tag could also be much higher than this if your vehicle price is higher or there are issues with your inspection.
Whether you buy a new or used car that’s outside Ontario, 13% HST will apply to your purchase. If you buy a used car from a private seller in another province, you don’t pay HST to the seller, but you do pay it when you register as the new owner of the vehicle. When you buy a new or used car at a dealership that’s in another province, talk to the sales rep to clarify whether Ontario’s HST has been incorporated into the purchase price. Some dealers will arrange this, while others may expect you to cover the difference yourself.
Even if the selling price of the vehicle is really low, buying a car in another province can cost a lot more than purchasing one where you live. You may have to pay for all or some of the following expenses as part of the deal:
You may have to pay HST or GST taxes in your home province after buying a car in another province. You should check with the registration office in your home province to find out more about how much this will cost and whether you may be eligible for an exemption. Car sales tax rates may differ depending on whether you’re buying from a dealership or private seller.
You can use the table below as a guide when budgeting for the car sales tax you’ll have to pay to register a vehicle bought in a different province.
| Province or territory | Car sales tax rate |
|---|---|
| Alberta | 0 – 5% |
| British Columbia | 7 – 20% |
| Manitoba | 7 – 12% |
| New Brunswick | 15% |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 15% |
| Northwest Territories | 0 – 5% |
| Nova Scotia | 15% |
| Nunavut | 0 – 5% |
| Ontario | 13% |
| Prince Edward Island | 15% |
| Quebec | 9.975 – 14.975% |
| Saskatchewan | 6 – 11% |
| Yukon | 0 – 5% |
You should try to crunch the numbers to see if buying a car out of province makes good financial sense for you. If you’re saving a significant amount of money on the vehicle or it has special features (such as low mileage or it’s a rare vehicle), then it could make sense to buy it in another province. You’ll just need to be prepared to spend a little bit more to get it home.
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