Free Manitoba Trailer Bill of Sale
Selling a trailer in Manitoba is handled through MPI Autopac, the same as any other registered vehicle. Ask an Autopac agent whether your trailer needs a Certificate of Inspection. The buyer brings the bill of sale and the signed Transfer of Ownership Document to an Autopac agent to complete the transfer. RST at 7% applies to the sale price. As with all Manitoba vehicle sales, the licence plates stay with the seller, not the trailer.
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Manitoba Trailer Bill of Sale — What You Need to Know
Tax Details
RST at 7% applies to private trailer sales in Manitoba, assessed on the declared sale price.
Exemption: Trailers gifted by a qualifying family member (such as a spouse, parent, child or grandparent) are exempt from RST if the giver paid the tax, with a written note from the giver. Gifts from a sibling are taxed.
Inspection Requirements
Manitoba requires a Certificate of Inspection (COI) when the registered owner of a vehicle changes — ask an Autopac agent whether your trailer needs one before the sale. Either way, buyers should inspect brakes (if equipped), lights, tires, coupler, and safety chains before purchase.
Manitoba Trailer Sale — Step-by-Step Checklist
- Prepare a bill of sale with the trailer VIN, make, model, year, type, GVWR, and sale price.
- Confirm whether the trailer requires MPI registration based on its weight and type.
- Seller keeps their Manitoba licence plates — they do not transfer with the trailer.
- Buyer takes the bill of sale and the signed Transfer of Ownership Document to any Autopac agent — register and insure the trailer before using it on the road.
- Buyer pays 7% RST and obtains new trailer plates at the Autopac broker.
- Inspect safety equipment: lights, brakes (if equipped), coupler, safety chains, and tires.
- Both parties retain signed copies of the bill of sale for at least 6 years.
Common Pitfalls
- Plates stay with the seller: Manitoba trailer plates stay with the registered owner. The seller keeps their plates; the buyer gets new plates at the Autopac broker.
- Ask about the COI — and check the brakes: confirm with an Autopac agent whether the trailer needs a Certificate of Inspection, and remember that trailers with brakes must have functioning brake systems. A trailer with failed brakes can trigger additional requirements after purchase.
- Verify VIN location: trailer VINs are sometimes stamped on the tongue, A-frame, or a frame rail — they can be hard to locate. Find and record the VIN before the sale to avoid delays at the Autopac counter.
- Lightweight trailer exemption: some lightweight trailers are exempt from registration in Manitoba. If you are selling an unregistered trailer, the bill of sale alone transfers ownership but there is no formal Autopac step.
Pro Tip
Trailer sales are among the simpler vehicle transactions at Manitoba Autopac — RST on the sale price, registration and insurance bought together, a bill of sale and the signed Transfer of Ownership Document. The only common oversight is forgetting that the seller keeps the plates. Remind the buyer to budget for new plates at the Autopac counter on top of the 7% RST.