How to check a car dealer is licensed in Canada
How to check a car dealer is licensed in Canada
How to check a car dealer is licensed in Canada
Checked October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Licences can lapse or be cancelled, so our advice is to search on the day you buy.
Finding a car you love is exciting, and there is a lot to check before you trust the seller. This guide puts the licence part in one place.
How do I check that a car dealer is licensed in Canada?
The short answer: work out which province the seller operates in, find that province's regulator, and search its public register for the seller's legal name or licence number. Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Quebec each point to a public search. For Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia we found a licence requirement but no public search of valid licences.
What does a licence mean, and what does it not mean?
It means the seller is registered or licensed with a regulator that sets rules for dealers. The regulators themselves note the limits.
Saskatchewan's FCAA says a licence is not an endorsement of the company and does not guarantee the quality of goods or services offered.
Ontario's OMVIC says most registered dealers follow the rules, but those who do not may face enforcement.
Compensation funds are narrow. Alberta's AMVIC says its fund may not cover your entire loss. British Columbia's Vehicle Sales Authority calls its fund the last resort and says only some types of losses are covered.
Where do I search, province by province?
Going register by register is fiddly, and you do not have to do it all alone: Uobo does the research, checks and dealer legwork by text.
Ontario: OMVIC
OMVIC says dealers and salespeople must be registered to sell motor vehicles in Ontario. Its Find a dealer or salesperson search takes a business or legal name and a city, and can be limited to active registrations or to dealers with enforcement history (records since January 1, 2010).
OMVIC lists access to the Motor Vehicle Dealers Compensation Fund among the protections of buying from a registered dealer. Eligible buyers may receive up to $45,000 per vehicle transaction, and OMVIC says to file within two years after an eligible issue. Ontario.ca says: "If you buy privately or from outside the province, you will not be able to make a claim for the compensation fund" (Ontario.ca, updated March 12, 2026).
Alberta: AMVIC
AMVIC (amvic.org) says sales, lease, repair, agent or broker, consignment and wholesale businesses must be licensed, and salespeople registered. Its Before you go shopping page links a "Find a Business or Salesperson" search. When we opened that register on October 9, 2026, it showed a security check first, which we did not attempt to pass, so we cannot say what its results display.
AMVIC's licence classes say a retailer is authorized to sell to consumers, while a wholesaler and an agent or broker are not. If the result shows what the business is licensed to do, compare it with that.
AMVIC's Compensation Fund covers eligible losses when a licensed business has filed for receivership or bankruptcy or is no longer licensed. For a 2026 transaction the maximum is $31,518.27, and a claim is due within three years of the transaction date. Private sales and curbers are not eligible.
British Columbia: Vehicle Sales Authority
The VSA says that buying from a VSA licensed dealer means you are protected by BC consumer protection legislation and the VSA can assist you. Its Licensee Directory asks you to pick a type (dealer, consignment dealer, wholesaler business, broker-agent business, salesperson or broker-agent representative), then search by licence number, name or city.
Results list the name, licence number, licence status and city. The business details page adds more, including the expiry date, status reason and any conditions of licence. The compensation fund pays up to $20,000 per eligible loss when a dealer has gone out of business or failed certain legal obligations. It is for individuals, the vehicle must be mainly for personal or family use, and you must first have made a demand to the dealer.
Saskatchewan: FCAA
The FCAA runs FCAA411, which it says shows whether a business is licensed or registered by FCAA to operate in Saskatchewan. Choose Vehicle Dealers and search by licence number, business name or city or town.
FCAA says licensed dealers must disclose a vehicle's history, certify it is free of liens unless disclosed, be bonded and have a locatable address. Its Purchasing and repairing a vehicle page links to regulatory actions against dealers.
Quebec: Office de la protection du consommateur
The OPC says a licence from the Office is mandatory for all motor vehicle merchants. A merchant also provides a deposit that can compensate you, for example to refund a down payment if it goes out of business before delivery. The merchant must display the licence on its premises and include its licence number in the contract (OPC, page last updated 28 September 2026).
Use the OPC's Get information about a merchant tool. You can search by name, address, licence number or Quebec Enterprise Number. Results are only in French, and the OPC says not every merchant is listed. The tool shows licences a merchant "is or has been" a holder of, so check the dates.
Manitoba: Consumer Protection Office and MPI
The Consumer Protection Office says dealers must be licensed in Manitoba (the page is undated). The permit is a Dealer's Permit managed by Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI), whose handbook says dealers must display it where customers can easily see it. We found no public search of valid permits.
The handbook says a dealer posts a $25,000 bond or security deposit. A claim against it needs a Statement of Claim filed in the Court of King's Bench, and a court must find a loss from dishonest conduct or a criminal or otherwise unlawful act. We did not find a consumer compensation fund like Ontario's on the pages we read.
MPI's Sanction Listings show decisions to suspend, cancel or refuse to renew permits. That is a list of actions, not of everyone permitted, so absence from it does not show a dealer is permitted (our reading).
New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
The New Brunswick government's page says dealer licences are required for new and used motor vehicle dealers, among others, and that a $10,000 security bond is required for most dealer types. In Nova Scotia the Registry of Motor Vehicles issues dealer licences (an undated page) to anyone who sells or trades 4 or more vehicles in 12 consecutive months. We found no public search for either, so (our advice) ask to see the current licence and confirm with the registry.
We did not read official pages for the other provinces and territories, so ask their consumer offices.
How do I read the result?
Name. Compare the legal name, and any trade name, with your contract (our advice).
Class or activity. Ontario shows a dealer class, and the VSA a licence type and category.
Status. OMVIC defines Registered as currently registered, and Terminated as no longer registered, with reasons such as Lapsed (renewal not completed on time) and Voluntary (the registrant asked to end it). The VSA's results showed Issued, Cancelled and Lapsed, but we did not find its definitions, so ask the VSA if one is unclear.
Dates. OMVIC and the VSA show an expiry date. Our advice: check it has not passed.
OMVIC's dealer profile pages tell readers to verify the information before acting on it. If a result confuses you, call the regulator.
What if the seller is not listed?
First rule out a simple miss: search by the legal name in the right province. Saskatchewan's page suggests the least common words, and a "%" wildcard when you are unsure whether a name has punctuation.
If there is still no match, ask the seller for the registration number and the name on the licence. Private sellers are allowed to sell their own cars. Regulators say the trouble starts when someone makes a business of it: AMVIC says even one car bought to flip needs a retail licence, and Manitoba's MPI describes curbers as people selling more than four vehicles in 12 months without a permit.
Regulators use the words curber and curbsider for unlicensed dealers who pose as private sellers. A seller missing from a register is not proof of that, but it is a reason to ask more. OMVIC says buyers who fall victim to a curbsider are not protected by OMVIC, its fund or the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act. OMVIC's signs include several vehicles for sale, a price below market and a refusal to allow an inspection. Run the Used car scam spotter on the listing. OMVIC, AMVIC and the FCAA each take reports of suspected curbers.
Does a professional website prove a dealer is licensed?
No. OMVIC warns that scam sellers can build professional dealer websites with big inventories and testimonials, and advises checking with provincial regulators. If the seller is in another province, search that province's register (our advice). Our Canada Drives post shows what we saw when we looked up that company's listed locations in the Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia registers on October 9, 2026.
Your checklist
This is our advice, except where a regulator is named.
Ask for the registration or licence number and the seller's legal name. In Quebec the OPC says the licence number must be in the contract.
Search the register yourself, on the regulator's site, not a link the seller sends.
Check the status and the expiry date. Where the register shows a class, check it. In Alberta, a retailer may sell to consumers and a wholesaler may not.
Match the name on the register to the name on the contract and invoice.
Ask the right questions. Use the Questions to ask a car dealer list.
Keep the contract and every written promise, and review it with the Car purchase contract checklist before you sign.
Checking before you sign is a reasonable thing to ask of any seller. Once it checks out, you can get back to the car.
Try these free tools
Used car scam spotter: checks a listing for warning signs in the price, photos, payment requests and paperwork.
Questions to ask a car dealer: questions about the car, the real price, fees and what happens after the sale.
Car purchase contract checklist: reviews price, fees, add-ons and every promise before you sign.
Want someone to do the checking with you? Text Uobo, a personal car agent that does the research, checks and dealer legwork by text, and is free for shoppers. Start here.
Checked October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Licences can lapse or be cancelled, so our advice is to search on the day you buy.
Finding a car you love is exciting, and there is a lot to check before you trust the seller. This guide puts the licence part in one place.
How do I check that a car dealer is licensed in Canada?
The short answer: work out which province the seller operates in, find that province's regulator, and search its public register for the seller's legal name or licence number. Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Quebec each point to a public search. For Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia we found a licence requirement but no public search of valid licences.
What does a licence mean, and what does it not mean?
It means the seller is registered or licensed with a regulator that sets rules for dealers. The regulators themselves note the limits.
Saskatchewan's FCAA says a licence is not an endorsement of the company and does not guarantee the quality of goods or services offered.
Ontario's OMVIC says most registered dealers follow the rules, but those who do not may face enforcement.
Compensation funds are narrow. Alberta's AMVIC says its fund may not cover your entire loss. British Columbia's Vehicle Sales Authority calls its fund the last resort and says only some types of losses are covered.
Where do I search, province by province?
Going register by register is fiddly, and you do not have to do it all alone: Uobo does the research, checks and dealer legwork by text.
Ontario: OMVIC
OMVIC says dealers and salespeople must be registered to sell motor vehicles in Ontario. Its Find a dealer or salesperson search takes a business or legal name and a city, and can be limited to active registrations or to dealers with enforcement history (records since January 1, 2010).
OMVIC lists access to the Motor Vehicle Dealers Compensation Fund among the protections of buying from a registered dealer. Eligible buyers may receive up to $45,000 per vehicle transaction, and OMVIC says to file within two years after an eligible issue. Ontario.ca says: "If you buy privately or from outside the province, you will not be able to make a claim for the compensation fund" (Ontario.ca, updated March 12, 2026).
Alberta: AMVIC
AMVIC (amvic.org) says sales, lease, repair, agent or broker, consignment and wholesale businesses must be licensed, and salespeople registered. Its Before you go shopping page links a "Find a Business or Salesperson" search. When we opened that register on October 9, 2026, it showed a security check first, which we did not attempt to pass, so we cannot say what its results display.
AMVIC's licence classes say a retailer is authorized to sell to consumers, while a wholesaler and an agent or broker are not. If the result shows what the business is licensed to do, compare it with that.
AMVIC's Compensation Fund covers eligible losses when a licensed business has filed for receivership or bankruptcy or is no longer licensed. For a 2026 transaction the maximum is $31,518.27, and a claim is due within three years of the transaction date. Private sales and curbers are not eligible.
British Columbia: Vehicle Sales Authority
The VSA says that buying from a VSA licensed dealer means you are protected by BC consumer protection legislation and the VSA can assist you. Its Licensee Directory asks you to pick a type (dealer, consignment dealer, wholesaler business, broker-agent business, salesperson or broker-agent representative), then search by licence number, name or city.
Results list the name, licence number, licence status and city. The business details page adds more, including the expiry date, status reason and any conditions of licence. The compensation fund pays up to $20,000 per eligible loss when a dealer has gone out of business or failed certain legal obligations. It is for individuals, the vehicle must be mainly for personal or family use, and you must first have made a demand to the dealer.
Saskatchewan: FCAA
The FCAA runs FCAA411, which it says shows whether a business is licensed or registered by FCAA to operate in Saskatchewan. Choose Vehicle Dealers and search by licence number, business name or city or town.
FCAA says licensed dealers must disclose a vehicle's history, certify it is free of liens unless disclosed, be bonded and have a locatable address. Its Purchasing and repairing a vehicle page links to regulatory actions against dealers.
Quebec: Office de la protection du consommateur
The OPC says a licence from the Office is mandatory for all motor vehicle merchants. A merchant also provides a deposit that can compensate you, for example to refund a down payment if it goes out of business before delivery. The merchant must display the licence on its premises and include its licence number in the contract (OPC, page last updated 28 September 2026).
Use the OPC's Get information about a merchant tool. You can search by name, address, licence number or Quebec Enterprise Number. Results are only in French, and the OPC says not every merchant is listed. The tool shows licences a merchant "is or has been" a holder of, so check the dates.
Manitoba: Consumer Protection Office and MPI
The Consumer Protection Office says dealers must be licensed in Manitoba (the page is undated). The permit is a Dealer's Permit managed by Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI), whose handbook says dealers must display it where customers can easily see it. We found no public search of valid permits.
The handbook says a dealer posts a $25,000 bond or security deposit. A claim against it needs a Statement of Claim filed in the Court of King's Bench, and a court must find a loss from dishonest conduct or a criminal or otherwise unlawful act. We did not find a consumer compensation fund like Ontario's on the pages we read.
MPI's Sanction Listings show decisions to suspend, cancel or refuse to renew permits. That is a list of actions, not of everyone permitted, so absence from it does not show a dealer is permitted (our reading).
New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
The New Brunswick government's page says dealer licences are required for new and used motor vehicle dealers, among others, and that a $10,000 security bond is required for most dealer types. In Nova Scotia the Registry of Motor Vehicles issues dealer licences (an undated page) to anyone who sells or trades 4 or more vehicles in 12 consecutive months. We found no public search for either, so (our advice) ask to see the current licence and confirm with the registry.
We did not read official pages for the other provinces and territories, so ask their consumer offices.
How do I read the result?
Name. Compare the legal name, and any trade name, with your contract (our advice).
Class or activity. Ontario shows a dealer class, and the VSA a licence type and category.
Status. OMVIC defines Registered as currently registered, and Terminated as no longer registered, with reasons such as Lapsed (renewal not completed on time) and Voluntary (the registrant asked to end it). The VSA's results showed Issued, Cancelled and Lapsed, but we did not find its definitions, so ask the VSA if one is unclear.
Dates. OMVIC and the VSA show an expiry date. Our advice: check it has not passed.
OMVIC's dealer profile pages tell readers to verify the information before acting on it. If a result confuses you, call the regulator.
What if the seller is not listed?
First rule out a simple miss: search by the legal name in the right province. Saskatchewan's page suggests the least common words, and a "%" wildcard when you are unsure whether a name has punctuation.
If there is still no match, ask the seller for the registration number and the name on the licence. Private sellers are allowed to sell their own cars. Regulators say the trouble starts when someone makes a business of it: AMVIC says even one car bought to flip needs a retail licence, and Manitoba's MPI describes curbers as people selling more than four vehicles in 12 months without a permit.
Regulators use the words curber and curbsider for unlicensed dealers who pose as private sellers. A seller missing from a register is not proof of that, but it is a reason to ask more. OMVIC says buyers who fall victim to a curbsider are not protected by OMVIC, its fund or the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act. OMVIC's signs include several vehicles for sale, a price below market and a refusal to allow an inspection. Run the Used car scam spotter on the listing. OMVIC, AMVIC and the FCAA each take reports of suspected curbers.
Does a professional website prove a dealer is licensed?
No. OMVIC warns that scam sellers can build professional dealer websites with big inventories and testimonials, and advises checking with provincial regulators. If the seller is in another province, search that province's register (our advice). Our Canada Drives post shows what we saw when we looked up that company's listed locations in the Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia registers on October 9, 2026.
Your checklist
This is our advice, except where a regulator is named.
Ask for the registration or licence number and the seller's legal name. In Quebec the OPC says the licence number must be in the contract.
Search the register yourself, on the regulator's site, not a link the seller sends.
Check the status and the expiry date. Where the register shows a class, check it. In Alberta, a retailer may sell to consumers and a wholesaler may not.
Match the name on the register to the name on the contract and invoice.
Ask the right questions. Use the Questions to ask a car dealer list.
Keep the contract and every written promise, and review it with the Car purchase contract checklist before you sign.
Checking before you sign is a reasonable thing to ask of any seller. Once it checks out, you can get back to the car.
Try these free tools
Used car scam spotter: checks a listing for warning signs in the price, photos, payment requests and paperwork.
Questions to ask a car dealer: questions about the car, the real price, fees and what happens after the sale.
Car purchase contract checklist: reviews price, fees, add-ons and every promise before you sign.
Want someone to do the checking with you? Text Uobo, a personal car agent that does the research, checks and dealer legwork by text, and is free for shoppers. Start here.
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