Researching the vehicle

As of Oct. 31, 2018, you should identify and disclose specific vehicle history information to a consumer. AMVIC has created a vehicle history checklist to assist you in ensuring the vehicle history is fully disclosed to a consumer.

Protect yourself and your customers

When a registered automotive salesperson buys a vehicle, or accepts one on trade, the salesperson should exercise due diligence to determine the vehicle’s prior history. You should ask the previous owner about the vehicle’s history and also conduct your own research.

The following will help you determine a vehicle’s history:

  • Purchasing a vehicle history report.
  • Requesting a Vehicle Information Report through an Alberta registry agent.
  • Confirming if there are any liens on the vehicle.
  • Confirming the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
  • Validating the odometer reading and length of ownership.

There are different types of vehicle history reports that provide varying information. Depending on the vehicle history report provider and the available vehicle history, you may be able to determine the number of previous owners, accident history, service records, vehicle use, odometer reading and various other vehicle histories. These reports are very useful, both when purchasing and selling vehicles. The most common types of reports accessed for historical information are CARFAX Canada and Vehicle Information Report.

As of Oct. 31, 2018, an automotive business operator must disclose vehicle history in writing to the consumer before purchase. This includes answers to the following:

  • Was the vehicle ever bought back by the manufacturer?
  • Was the vehicle ever damaged by fire?
  • Was the vehicle ever damaged by flooding?
  • Was the vehicle ever used as a police or emergency vehicle?
  • Was the vehicle ever used as a taxi or limo?
  • Was the vehicle ever owned by a vehicle rental business or used as a rental vehicle?
  • Was the vehicle ever declared a salvage vehicle in Alberta, or the equivalent under another jurisdiction?
  • Was the vehicle ever declared a non-repairable vehicle in Alberta, or the equivalent under another jurisdiction?
  • Was the vehicle ever declared an unsafe vehicle in Alberta, or the equivalent under another jurisdiction?
  • Was the vehicle ever in need of repairs that cost more than $3,000 including parts and labour due to an incident or collision? If yes, the total cost to complete the repairs.
  • Was the vehicle previously registered in a different jurisdiction immediately prior to the business operator acquiring it? If yes, name the province/country.
  • If the vehicle was registered in another jurisdiction immediately prior to the business operator acquiring it, was it required to be inspected prior to being registered in Alberta? If yes, did the vehicle pass or fail any inspections?

Vehicle Information Report or VIR

Available for purchase from an Alberta registry agent. Provides information about a vehicle’s registration history in Alberta.  

The information contained in the VIR includes:

  • The date and time of the report
  • Vehicle description – year, make, model, style, colour, fuel type, odometer reading if available
  • Vehicle status – active, salvage, non-repairable, unsafe, rebuilt, etc. See the Vehicle Inspection Regulation for status definitions.
  • Vehicle registration – date vehicle first entered on system, licence plate classification, registration history date and location (no personal information for any current or previous owner is shown, including licence plate numbers)
  • Lien information – provides the number of liens and other related instruments which are registered in the province of Alberta and associated with the serial number (detailed information, such as the secured party and the party to whom the money is owed, can be determined by purchasing a separate Personal Property lien search)

The VIR ONLY shows information from the Alberta Motor Vehicle System. It does not include any information from other provinces or countries where the vehicle may have been registered.

Out of province vehicles

Do your research to determine if the vehicle is from out of province. If the vehicle was previously registered in a different jurisdiction immediately prior to the business operator acquiring it, the name of the province/country must be disclosed to the consumer, as well as if it was required to be inspected prior to being registered in Alberta. If  it was required to be inspected, did the vehicle pass or fail any inspections?

The Vehicle Inspection Regulation states that a person shall not sell an out of province motor vehicle unless, before the sale, the person provides the buyer with:

  • A subsisting out of province motor vehicle inspection certificate for the motor vehicle, or
  • A written statement advising that the motor vehicle is an out of province motor vehicle for which there is no subsisting out of province motor vehicle inspection certificate.

The subsisting out of province motor vehicle inspection certificate is a basic safety inspection that must be performed by a certified journeyperson technician who is licensed by Alberta Transportation’s Vehicle Inspection Program.

Note: This does not apply to a salvage motor vehicle.

Remember, under Alberta’s Consumer Protection Act, it is an unfair practice to do or say anything that might reasonably deceive or mislead a consumer and it is an unfair practice to represent that goods have a particular prior history or usage if that is different from the fact. Consumer Protection Act, Section 6(4)(a)(h)