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Quebec · Driving and vehicles

Licence plate sticker and registration in Quebec

Compiled by Mahmoud Halat, checked

Short answer

In Quebec, Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) handles it.

Canada Service Map is independent and not a government website. The official page always has the final word.

Who can apply

  • All vehicles must be registered with the SAAQ by their owners before they can be used on Québec roads. Licence plates can now be transferred to the buyer when you sell.

    Source: saaq.gouv.qc.cachecked #

Steps

  1. A private sale can be done online in SAAQclic if the vehicle is a passenger vehicle under 25 years old, registered in one name, and neither person has unpaid fines. Both people need their own SAAQclic account and must be 18 or older.

    Source: saaq.gouv.qc.cachecked #

  2. Registration is renewed every year when the SAAQ sends a notice. For a personal passenger vehicle, the month depends on the first letter of your last name. Pay through SAAQclic, your bank, pre-authorized debit or cheque.

    Source: saaq.gouv.qc.cachecked #

What you need

  • At a service outlet, the buyer and seller must both show a driver's licence or other official photo ID, and the buyer must give the actual odometer reading.

    Source: saaq.gouv.qc.cachecked #

Cost

  • The buyer pays QST when registering, even on a used vehicle, based on the sale price or the estimated value, whichever is higher. No GST applies to a sale between individuals.

    Source: saaq.gouv.qc.cachecked #

How long it takes

  • After the seller starts an online transfer, the buyer has 48 business hours to accept it and register the vehicle.

    Source: saaq.gouv.qc.cachecked #

  • If no plate is transferred, drive with a temporary paper plate. The metal plate arrives by mail within 10 to 20 business days.

    Source: saaq.gouv.qc.cachecked #

Good to know

  • You need civil liability insurance from a private insurer with at least $50,000 of coverage.

    Source: saaq.gouv.qc.cachecked #

  • A temporary rebate of up to $50 applies to the registration of most passenger vehicles. Motor homes are excluded.

    Source: saaq.gouv.qc.cachecked #

  • The rebate is applied automatically to registration renewals due between September 1, 2026 and August 31, 2027.

    Source: saaq.gouv.qc.cachecked #

Questions people ask

Can I transfer a used car online in Québec?

Yes, through SAAQclic, if it is a passenger vehicle under 25 years old in one owner's name and neither buyer nor seller has unpaid fines.

Source: saaq.gouv.qc.cachecked #

When do I renew my vehicle registration in Québec?

Once a year. For a personal passenger vehicle, the month is set by the first letter of your last name. Motorcycles renew in April.

Source: saaq.gouv.qc.cachecked #

Can I pay SAAQ registration fees by credit card?

No. Service outlets take cash, debit at most locations, pre-authorized debit, cheque or money order. Online, you pay from a bank account.

Source: saaq.gouv.qc.cachecked #

In every province and territory

The same service across Canada: who handles it and the official link. Quebec is marked.

Province or territoryWho handles itOfficial linkGood to know
British ColumbiaICBC (through Autoplan brokers)Register a vehiclechecked Register and get plates at any Autoplan broker; B.C. plates no longer need a renewal decal, you renew the insurance.
AlbertaAlberta registry agents (Government of Alberta)Register a vehiclechecked New registrations and plates are done at a registry agent; renewals can also be done online or by mail.
SaskatchewanSGI (Saskatchewan Government Insurance)Renew your registrationchecked Register or renew at a motor licence issuer, or renew online in MySGI.
ManitobaManitoba Public Insurance (MPI)Register a vehiclechecked Register, get plates and renew at any Autopac agent or MPI Service Centre.
OntarioServiceOntario (Ministry of Transportation)Register a vehiclechecked Most passenger vehicle, motorcycle and moped plates now renew automatically at no cost; commercial and some other vehicles still renew each year.
QuebecThis pageSociété de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ)Register a vehiclechecked
New BrunswickService New BrunswickRenew registration onlinechecked Plate stickers stopped on April 1, 2026, but registration must still be renewed every year.
Nova ScotiaRegistry of Motor Vehicles (Service Nova Scotia)Renew your vehicle permitchecked Renewals can be done online; first registration and plates are done at an Access Nova Scotia or RMV office.
Prince Edward IslandAccess PEI (Highway Safety Division, Government of PEI)None on record
Newfoundland and LabradorMotor Registration Division (Government Services, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador)How to register a vehiclechecked
YukonMotor Vehicles (Government of Yukon)None on recordNew registrations are done at a Motor Vehicles office; renewals can be done online. Yukon no longer issues plate stickers.
Northwest TerritoriesDriver and Vehicle Services (Department of Infrastructure, Government of the Northwest Territories)Renew a vehicle registrationchecked
NunavutMotor Vehicles Division (Government of Nunavut)Register a private vehiclechecked

Cite this page

Canada Service Map, "Licence plate sticker and registration in Quebec", checked 13 October 2026, https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/vehicle-registration/quebec