Free New Brunswick Car Bill of Sale
Selling a car privately in New Brunswick is one of the more straightforward Atlantic province transfers: no mandatory safety inspection for standard passenger vehicles, and the HST at 15% is assessed on your actual declared sale price rather than a wholesale book value floor. Bring the signed ownership certificate and bill of sale to any Service New Brunswick office to complete the transfer.
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New Brunswick Car Bill of Sale — What You Need to Know
Tax Details
New Brunswick charges 15% HST on private vehicle sales. Unlike Nova Scotia, Ontario, or BC, NB does not apply a wholesale-value floor for private sales — the declared sale price on the bill of sale is accepted for HST calculation purposes. This makes NB one of the few Atlantic provinces where the stated price is used without adjustment.
Exemption: Transfers between immediate family members (spouse, child, parent, sibling) may qualify for an HST exemption with a sworn statutory declaration. Confirm current eligibility with Service NB.
Inspection Requirements
New Brunswick does not require a safety inspection certificate for private passenger car sales between NB residents. A safety inspection is required for commercial vehicles, vehicles brought in from outside New Brunswick, and vehicles that have been rebuilt or salvage-titled.
New Brunswick Car Sale — Step-by-Step Checklist
- Complete the Transfer section on the back of the existing vehicle ownership certificate — both buyer and seller sign
- Prepare a bill of sale recording: full legal names and addresses, VIN, year/make/model, odometer reading, sale price, and date
- Remove your licence plates — New Brunswick plates stay with the seller and can be reassigned to a replacement vehicle
- Buyer brings signed ownership certificate, bill of sale, valid NB driver's licence, and proof of insurance to Service New Brunswick
- Buyer pays 15% HST based on the declared sale price (no Red Book floor for NB private sales)
- Transfer ownership at any Service NB location — no strict deadline, but complete promptly to release seller from liability
- Both parties retain a signed copy of the bill of sale for at least 6 years
Common Pitfalls
- Conflating NB rules with NS or NL rules — NB does not use the Red Book wholesale floor for private car sales; your declared price is accepted. Knowing this may affect how you negotiate.
- Leaving your plates on the vehicle — NB plates belong to the seller, not the car. Remove them before handing over the keys.
- Delaying the transfer indefinitely — while NB has no strict statutory deadline, the seller remains the registered owner until transfer is complete and can be held liable for events during that gap.
- Skipping the bill of sale for a family transfer — even exempt transfers require written documentation; the sworn statutory declaration form is required for the HST exemption.
- Out-of-province vehicles: if the vehicle was registered outside NB, a safety inspection IS required. Confirm the vehicle's registration history before assuming no inspection is needed.
Pro Tip
Moncton, Fredericton, and Saint John are the three busiest Service NB offices for vehicle transfers. All three offer walk-in service. New Brunswick's acceptance of the declared sale price (without a book-value floor) makes it particularly straightforward for buyers who have negotiated a fair below-market price on a vehicle with high mileage or cosmetic damage — the tax is calculated on exactly what you paid.