Free Manitoba Vehicle Bill of Sale
Manitoba applies one firm rule to every light vehicle — sedan, pickup, van, SUV: a Certificate of Inspection (COI) is needed when the registered owner changes, close-family transfers aside, before the new owner's registration completes. That simplifies planning: whatever body style changes hands, the deal's real arithmetic is price plus inspection repair list, allocated in writing before the sale. MPI processes the transfer, insurance, and the 7% RST (on the higher of price and wholesale value) together — one system for the whole light fleet, with the PPSA lien search covering the financing that work trucks carry more often than sedans.
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Manitoba Vehicle Bill of Sale — What You Need to Know
Tax Details
RST at 7% applies to every private vehicle class. For cars, trucks, SUVs and vans it is charged on the higher of the price or the Canadian Black Book average wholesale value, so a low declared price does not lower the tax.
Exemption: Gifts from qualifying family (such as a spouse, parent, child or grandparent) escape RST if the giver paid the tax, with a written note from the giver; gifts from a sibling are taxed, and estate transfers to beneficiaries can qualify too.
Inspection Requirements
The Certificate of Inspection (COI) is Manitoba's signature requirement: needed whenever the registered owner changes (close-family transfers aside), issued by a Manitoba inspection station, and valid for one year for a transfer — time it against the sale date.
Manitoba Vehicle Sale — Step-by-Step Checklist
- Any body style: budget the inspection — Manitoba requires a COI when a light vehicle changes registered owners.
- Allocate inspection repair responsibility in writing before money moves.
- Run the PPSA search — work trucks and vans carry commercial financing routinely.
- Budget 7% RST on the higher of price and wholesale value.
- Process transfer, RST, and insurance together at MPI.
Common Pitfalls
- Assuming a newer truck skips the COI — only some close-family transfers are exempt.
- Pricing before the inspection arithmetic — the repair list lands on whoever didn't negotiate it.
- Skipping the lien search on commercial-use vehicles.
- Declaring low and paying RST on the wholesale floor anyway.
Pro Tip
Manitoba vehicles: every body style needs the COI — do the repair arithmetic first, the PPSA search always, and let MPI's one counter do the rest.