Nunavut Bill of Sale and Form A-116

Nunavut Bill of Sale Requirements

Additional Forms Required

• Form A-116 Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale — the Government of Nunavut's own form; Blocks A and B must be complete and signed by the seller, the buyer and a witness for each
• Application for Passenger Vehicle Renewal form
• Proof of valid insurance and acceptable ID
• Inspection Report — only for a salvaged or rebuilt vehicle

In Nunavut, the Motor Vehicles Division of the Department of Community Services registers vehicles. A buyer who registers a vehicle bought privately must show a copy of the Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale. It is the proof that the owner changed. That document is Form A-116, a Government of Nunavut PDF on gov.nu.ca.

Block A is the seller's part. It asks for the seller's name, phone and address, and a personal ID type and number, such as a driver's licence. It then describes the vehicle: make, year, series, model, odometer in kilometres, VIN, colour, and gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) in kilograms. The vehicle type is ticked from a list that includes all-terrain vehicle and snow vehicle. A vehicle marked salvaged or rebuilt needs an Inspection Report attached.

Block B is the buyer's part: name, phone and address, the sale price, and the date and place of sale. Then four people sign: the seller, the seller's witness, the buyer and the buyer's witness. Blocks A and B must be complete for the form to be acceptable for registration. Optional Block C covers liens, how the price was paid, and where the vehicle was last registered.

To transfer ownership, the seller and buyer fill in Form A-116 together, each with a witness. The buyer then gets insurance and goes to the local Motor Vehicle service provider. Bring the completed Application for Passenger Vehicle Renewal form, proof of valid insurance, acceptable ID and the bill of sale. The completed bill of sale can also be sent by email.

Motor Vehicles offices are in Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet and Gjoa Haven. Other communities use their Government Liaison Office, and there is one in all 25 communities. The toll-free line is 1-888-975-5999. There are no roads to Nunavut or between its communities. Vehicles come in by air or by sealift, which runs from late June to late October.

There is no territorial sales tax. The Canada Revenue Agency lists Nunavut at 5% GST with a 0% territorial part. GST does not generally apply when you buy from a private person who is not a GST registrant. Buying from a dealer or other GST registrant adds 5% GST. So a gift to family has no territorial tax to exempt.

Some rules could not be confirmed from an official source: how many days a buyer has to register, whether plates stay with the seller or the vehicle, and the fees. Ask Motor Vehicles before the sale. The 90-day rule you may see is for vehicles brought into Nunavut from elsewhere. Nunavut is also replacing all plates with a new polar-bear plate as owners renew. Each new plate has a new number, and ATVs and trailers need plates too.

Before paying, check for liens with Lien Check from the Nunavut Personal Property Registry. You search by VIN online, with no account, for $5.00 per search. Our generator makes a plain bill of sale with both names and addresses, the vehicle's year, make, model and VIN, the odometer, price, payment method, date, signature lines and condition notes. It is not an official Government of Nunavut form, and it does not replace Form A-116. Use it as an extra record of the deal.