Skip to content
Cash For Cars Edmonton - Same Day Cash For Cars
(780) 934-3646
Alberta guide

How to Sell a Car in Alberta

Selling a car in Alberta is mostly four steps: a bill of sale, your plates off, a Notice of Disposition, and cancelling your insurance. Here is how each one works.

To sell a car in Alberta you complete a bill of sale, remove your licence plates, file a Notice of Disposition to release your liability, and cancel or transfer your insurance. Alberta has no separate vehicle “title” document — the signed bill of sale is your proof of ownership.

The four steps to sell a car in Alberta

Most private and cash-for-cars sales follow the same path. Each step below is short, and a cash-for-cars buyer handles much of it for you at pickup.

  • Complete a bill of sale. Record both parties’ names and addresses, the VIN, the year, make, model and colour, the sale price, and both signatures. Alberta offers a standard bill of sale form (ARP006 / REG3126), and a registry will accept any bill of sale that contains this information.
  • Remove your licence plates. Plates belong to you, not the car, so take them off before the vehicle leaves. You can transfer a plate to another vehicle you own, or cancel it.
  • File a Notice of Disposition. At a registry agent, record that you have disposed of the vehicle. This helps release your liability from the sale date.
  • Cancel or transfer your insurance. Once the car is gone and the plate is dealt with, contact your insurer to cancel or move coverage to another vehicle.

Alberta has no vehicle “title”

Unlike many U.S. states, Alberta does not issue a certificate of title. Your proof of ownership is the bill of sale, supported by documents such as a previous registration, a lease, or probate papers for an inherited vehicle. The registration certificate proves registration, not ownership — it shows who registered the vehicle, not who legally owns it. That distinction matters when you sell, because it is the bill of sale, not the registration, that records the change of hands.

What it costs — and what it doesn’t

Alberta has no provincial sales tax, and private sales between individuals are generally not charged GST. There is no purchase-price tax at registration. Cancelling a plate at a registry agent costs about $10 plus GST, usually deducted from any prorated refund on your unused registration. Fees change, so confirm the current amount with your registry agent.

Selling privately vs to a cash-for-cars service

A private sale can bring more for a clean, running car, but it takes time and effort — advertising, fielding calls, test drives, and arranging payment safely. For an older, damaged, or non-running vehicle, a cash-for-cars service is usually faster: you get one quote, free towing, the bill of sale completed at pickup, and payment on the spot by cash or e-transfer. See how your car’s value is worked out before you decide.

Alberta bill of saleWhat to include, and the standard form. Plates & Notice of DispositionCancel your plate and release liability. Title & ownership problemsLost registration, liens, out-of-province. Scrap vs junk vs salvageWhich one is your car? We buy all four. What happens to your carHow an end-of-life vehicle is recycled. Sell safely: avoid curbersSpot an illegal seller and sell with documents.

This guide is general information about selling a vehicle in Alberta, not legal advice. Forms, fees, and requirements change — confirm current details with an Alberta registry agent or Alberta.ca before you sell.

Good questions

Selling a car in Alberta — FAQ

No. Alberta does not issue a separate certificate of title. Your proof of ownership is the signed bill of sale, supported by documents like a prior registration, lease, or probate papers. The registration certificate shows who registered the vehicle, not who owns it, so a bill of sale is what records the change of ownership.

Alberta has no provincial sales tax, and private used-vehicle sales between individuals are generally not charged GST. GST usually applies only when you buy from a dealer or other GST registrant. Alberta also charges no purchase-price tax at registration — only the registry’s registration or transfer fee.

No. In Alberta the plate stays with you, the owner, not the vehicle. Remove your plate before the car is handed over, then cancel it or transfer it to another vehicle you own at a registry agent. Cancelling can return a prorated refund for the unused portion of your registration.

A Notice of Disposition is filed at a registry agent to record that you have sold or disposed of the vehicle. It helps release your liability from the date of sale, so later tickets, photo-radar, or toll charges tied to the vehicle are not your responsibility. We explain this step on every car we buy.

You can still sell it. A non-running car is sold the same way — a signed bill of sale and your plates removed — and a cash-for-cars buyer can tow it for you. You do not need the car to start or drive to complete the paperwork or to have it picked up.

A private sale can earn more for a clean, running car but takes time — ads, calls, test drives, and paperwork. A cash-for-cars service is faster and simpler for older, damaged, or non-running vehicles: one quote, free towing, the bill of sale handled at pickup, and payment on the spot.
Skip the hassle

Get a cash offer for your car

We buy cars across the Edmonton area, running or not — free towing, paid at pickup, and the bill of sale completed for you.

Call (780) 934-3646 Get a Free Quote
(780) 934-3646 Get a Quote