Car buying guides
Practical, up-to-date answers for buyers and sellers on both sides of the border — with links to the official sources so you can double-check anything that affects your money.
Buying
Buying a used car privately in Ontario: UVIP, safety, tax and transfer
Step-by-step guide to buying a used car from a private seller in Ontario — the UVIP, safety certificate, 13% retail sales tax on wholesale value, and the 6-day transfer.
3 min read
How to check a used car for open recalls in Canada and the USA
Find out whether a used car has unrepaired safety recalls before you buy — free VIN lookups, what Canadian buyers need to know, and what to ask the seller.
3 min read
How to read a VIN: what each of the 17 characters means
Decode a Vehicle Identification Number by hand — country of manufacture, model year letter, check digit and plant code — and learn what a VIN can't tell you.
3 min read
Importing a car from the USA to Canada: RIV, duty, taxes and tariffs
The steps, documents and costs to import a used car from the US into Canada — admissibility, recall letter, 72-hour US export notice, RIV fee, duty, GST and the 2025–26 counter-tariffs.
3 min read