Hi,

I am selling a used vehicle, and a potential buyer says he's ready to come and purchase it tomorrow evening. He has indicated he will bring his own temporary plates to affix to the car. I assume this is okay because I have read (on a non-official site) that "If you operate the motor vehicle within six days of purchase but have been unable to transfer the vehicle into your name for some reason (possibly it was purchased during a weekend), you must have affixed to the vehicle your own validated licence plates."

My questions are:

a) Is this true? Can the buyer use his own licence plates on the new car, prior to registering the car with the MTO?

b) What happens with my, i.e. the seller's, insurance coverage? Given that this is after-hours, and I won't be able to cancel my insurance until the following morning, does this mean that I am still insuring the car for this one-night period when I no longer own the car? And, in line with this, if the new owner gets into an accident, I will be responsible??

Any insight into this would be appreciated. None of the MTO sites on buying/selling used vehicles privately in Ontario seem to address the insurance side of things.

Thanks.

He can use his plates as long as the validation is current and he no longer owns the car the plates came from. This really isn't your concern though and its his problem if hes doung something illegal. As for the insurance it's his responsibility also. Make sure you purchase a used vehicle information package at the ministry. If you want to feel safe you could also type up a sale letter and make two copies and both of you sign and date them with the time included. Then it's all covered.

So once the transaction is completed, with all the forms filled out and payment made, my insurance on the car is no longer 'active' because I am no longer the owner?

Whether the new owner has the right plates or not, or is or isn't insured, doesn't concern me. Like you said, that's his problem and I cannot be held to account for that. I just want to make sure that for the time period between selling the car and cancelling my insurance (overnight, essentially), I am no longer responsible for the car and cannot be held liable if the new owner gets into an accident.

Thanks.

Again read what I wrote. You are over analyzing everything. Your liability ends web you see the car.

Overanalyze?? Me? (Just kidding.) Thanks for your help.

And that would be sell the car. Stupid autocorrect and your welcome