Something gone wrong?
Missed the deadline to register the car you bought?
Here's the honest answer up front: in most provinces there is no published late fee, and we won't invent one. The real exposure is driving an unregistered — and therefore typically uninsured — vehicle, so park it if you can. The fix is simply to register now: the paperwork you needed on day one is the paperwork you need today.
Was this preventable? Sure — but it's also very fixable.
The deadlines are short and easy to miss (Ontario's 6 days is the country's shortest). Unlike most problems on these pages, this one is solved by a single registry visit.
The deadline you missed — and the fix, by province
Ontario — 6 days
the shortest hard deadline in Canada
British Columbia — 10 days
buyer submits the APV9T to an Autoplan broker
Saskatchewan — 14 days
buyer registers with SGI
Manitoba — before driving
register (with insurance) before the vehicle is on the road
Alberta — before driving
no fixed day-count — but a vehicle on a public road must be registered and insured
Quebec — at the SAAQ
the transfer itself happens at the SAAQ — both parties attend
Newfoundland & Labrador — (seller) 10 days
the 10-day duty is the seller’s Express Notice of Sale — buyers: register without delay
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI: we haven't verified a published day-count — the same advice applies: register without delay via your province's guide.
Common Questions
Is there a late fee for missing the vehicle transfer deadline?
In most provinces, no published late fee exists — and we won't invent one. The real exposure is different: an unregistered vehicle can't legally be on the road, and driving uninsured is the expensive risk. The fix is the same everywhere: register now.
I'm past Ontario's 6 days — can I still register?
Yes — go to ServiceOntario with your signed bill of sale, the UVIP, and the vehicle permit, and complete the transfer. The deadline being missed doesn’t block the registration; being unregistered while driving is the problem to end quickly.
What happens if I keep driving unregistered?
That's the actual exposure — an unregistered (and therefore typically uninsured) vehicle on a public road is a traffic-enforcement and insurance problem far bigger than any transfer timing. Park it until it's registered if at all possible.
Does the seller have anything to fix too?
Sometimes. In Newfoundland & Labrador the seller has a legal 10-day Express Notice of Sale duty (file it late and keep proof if missed). In Ontario, sellers keep the plate portion of the permit and their UVIP records — and the $140 fine there is for sellers who skipped the mandatory UVIP package, not for late buyers.
Get the transfer done right
Guidepost is not a law firm. This is general information, not legal advice — confirm current requirements with your provincial registry. Full disclaimer. Last updated: June 2026.