Paperwork is the part of selling a car that people put off, and it is the part that most often derails a sale on the day it is supposed to close. The buyer is there, the money is ready, and something is missing. It is entirely avoidable — the list is short.
Here is what you actually need, why each item exists, and the situations where the list gets longer.
The core checklist
1. The vehicle registration certificate
The original registration issued by the SAAQ, in the current owner's name. Have it ready: we ask for it at the pickup, and any buyer will want to see it. If you have lost it, you can print a copy for free in SAAQclic in a few minutes, or get one at a SAAQ service outlet.
Check the name on it while you are at it. If you have legally changed your name, or the vehicle is still in a previous name, sort that out first.
2. Valid government photo ID
Your driver's licence is the usual one. The name on it has to match the name on the registration. Every owner listed on the registration needs to be identified — see the co-owner note below.
3. Proof the loan is paid off, if there was one
If the vehicle was ever financed, there may be a lien registered against it at the RDPRM (Quebec's register of personal and movable real rights). A buyer will check. If the loan is paid, you want the release or a confirmation letter from the lender showing a zero balance.
If the loan is not paid off, that is a normal situation with a normal process — the payout happens as part of the sale rather than before it. We walk through it in selling a car you still owe money on.
4. A bill of sale
Not strictly required for the transfer, but you want one. It records the price, the date, the odometer reading, the parties, and — critically — whether the vehicle is sold as-is. Two copies, both signed. This is your proof of when the vehicle stopped being your responsibility.
5. Both sets of keys
Technically not a document, but it belongs on this list because replacement keys for a modern vehicle are expensive, and a missing second key is a real deduction on your offer. Find it before appraisal day.
Documents that help but are not required
- Service records. The highest-value optional document by a wide margin. A stack of maintenance invoices measurably changes how a vehicle appraises, especially at higher mileage.
- The vehicle history report. A buyer will pull one anyway. Having it in hand means the conversation starts from the same facts.
- Rust-proofing records. In Quebec specifically, documented annual treatment is worth showing.
- Original window sticker, manuals, winter tire receipts. Small, but they signal a car that was cared for.
The situations where it gets more complicated
The vehicle has two owners on the registration
Both have to consent to the sale. If both cannot be present, the absent owner signs a power of attorney authorizing the other to act. Plan for this early — it is a common day-of surprise.
You are selling on behalf of an estate
After a death, the vehicle is an estate asset and cannot simply be signed over. The liquidator of the succession is the one who can act, and they will need documentation establishing that authority along with the death certificate. This process is slower than a normal sale, so start it before you are under time pressure. It is a common situation and it is entirely workable — it just is not same-day.
The vehicle is leased
You do not own a leased vehicle, so you cannot sell it outright. What you can do is have a buyer handle the buyout with the leasing company. If the market value exceeds the buyout figure, that difference is real money that belongs to you rather than to the leasing company — which is exactly why returning a lease without checking first is sometimes an expensive habit.
You are not in Quebec, or the buyer is not
Interprovincial sales add a layer — the receiving province has its own registration and inspection requirements. Confirm what the destination requires before agreeing on a date.
The transfer itself
In Quebec, the ownership transfer for a private sale is done with the SAAQ — at a service outlet, or online in SAAQclic for most passenger cars under 25 years old — with both parties involved, and the buyer pays the QST and registration fees. Requirements and fee schedules change, so confirm current specifics directly with the SAAQ rather than trusting a blog post — including this one — on the details.
The one thing worth saying plainly: the transfer is what takes the vehicle out of your name. Until it is done, tickets, tolls and liability can still find you. Do not hand over keys against a promise to "go do the paperwork next week."
When you sell to us, this list gets shorter
Selling to a professional buyer removes most of this. We handle the transfer, we deal with the lien payout directly with your lender, and we do not require a safety inspection because we buy as-is. Practically speaking, what you need is your registration, your ID and every set of keys — plus your lender's payout letter if the car is financed, or the buyout quote if it is leased, which you upload on your page.
We buy directly from owners across Quebec, as well as in Ottawa-Gatineau and Edmonton — no listing, no strangers at your door, no waiting on a buyer's financing.