Automotive

Process for buying used as-is uninsured car?

  • Last Updated:
  • Jun 3rd, 2019 7:51 pm
Member
Apr 28, 2013
344 posts
227 upvotes
Toronto

Process for buying used as-is uninsured car?

I'm looking a picking up a cheap beater. Seller doesn't have it insured.

What what I understand the legit process is:

- Sign ownership (leave car)
- Get insurance
- Go register it
- Get temporary plate license plate sticker
- Go back, pick up the car, and drive it home
- Get it safetied later

For sake of argument, how illegal is it to:

- Sign ownership
- Get insurance
- Swap plates with other car
- Drive home
10 replies
Sr. Member
Nov 21, 2015
643 posts
388 upvotes
I'm pretty sure the seller of the vehicle signs the ownership, and you'll need a bill of sale if the car doesn't have a wholesale value. The seller will inform the MTO that they've sold the car. You can't just swap the plates with your other car; you must transfer the plates/register car under your name and do it the right way as you mentioned or you'll be ticketed driving with plates that aren't registered to the car whether it's insured or not.

Although, I sold my old car (handed bill of sale & ownership to new owner) and the guy stuck his own plates on the car and drove it home, only because he lived close by. I wouldn't vouch doing it the "illegal" way, but it can be done as long as you don't get caught. If you're down to take the risk, make sure you have someone driving behind you so that the cops don't notice anything fishy.
Deal Addict
Jan 12, 2017
1741 posts
1040 upvotes
Find a friend with CAA and get them to tow it to your place. Then take your time with the rest of the process.

You can request a flatbed if they're not too busy.
gabe3366 wrote: I'm looking a picking up a cheap beater. Seller doesn't have it insured.

What what I understand the legit process is:

- Sign ownership (leave car)
- Get insurance
- Go register it
- Get temporary plate license plate sticker
- Go back, pick up the car, and drive it home
- Get it safetied later

For sake of argument, how illegal is it to:

- Sign ownership
- Get insurance
- Swap plates with other car
- Drive home
Deal Guru
User avatar
Mar 31, 2008
13011 posts
3095 upvotes
Toronto
Patel151 wrote: I'm pretty sure the seller of the vehicle signs the ownership, and you'll need a bill of sale if the car doesn't have a wholesale value. The seller will inform the MTO that they've sold the car. You can't just swap the plates with your other car; you must transfer the plates/register car under your name and do it the right way as you mentioned or you'll be ticketed driving with plates that aren't registered to the car whether it's insured or not.

Although, I sold my old car (handed bill of sale & ownership to new owner) and the guy stuck his own plates on the car and drove it home, only because he lived close by. I wouldn't vouch doing it the "illegal" way, but it can be done as long as you don't get caught. If you're down to take the risk, make sure you have someone driving behind you so that the cops don't notice anything fishy.
The main thing is for you to get insurance. Now of course to get a proper sticker on it, it needs to be saftied. Given he's selling as is, you don't want to drive it far even if not saftied.

I bought a used car, owner saftied it and I drove it home using my existing plates with valid sticker. Had insurance on the new car. I drove it from Oakville to east Scarborough on a early Sunday afternoon. If I had gotten pulled over, at least I had valid insurance and safety, with the intent of switching over my valid plates when I got the chance and was going straight home. The only real legit thing stopping me was paying the fees for the transfer, otherwise, it was as valid can be.

Since OP's car is unsaftied, if you can safely drive it to a close garage, I would do that with any valid plates you might have if you want to make one trip. Otherwise leave and get a temporary plate. Make sure to get insurance which you'll need for the temp plate any ways. Otherwise, get it towed to the shop. You'll need plates on it when the driver comes, and just say your car is having issues and it needs to go to a garage.
Deal Addict
Sep 8, 2017
4695 posts
4968 upvotes
GTA
OP is already going to have insurance, just spend an extra 30 minutes at Service Ontario and get the proper license plates. You're going to have to pay the sales tax eventually. Unless this car is older than 10? 15? years. Then it needs an appraisal first (so they know how much to charge you for sales tax).
Deal Addict
Apr 6, 2008
1807 posts
1168 upvotes
gabe3366 wrote: I'm looking a picking up a cheap beater. Seller doesn't have it insured.

What what I understand the legit process is:

- Sign ownership (leave car)
- Get insurance
- Go register it
- Get temporary plate license plate sticker
- Go back, pick up the car, and drive it home
- Get it safetied later

For sake of argument, how illegal is it to:

- Sign ownership
- Get insurance
- Swap plates with other car
- Drive home
Totally legal to buy the car, swap plates, drive it home. I've done it several times. If you get pulled over you can explain the situation and if the cop wants to be a dick he could give you a ticket for the license plate issue but not the insurance. This is assuming you have a current insurance policy in Ontario. Insurance automatically covers any "newly acquired" vehicle for the first 10 days as long as you move the coverage over after those 10 days. I wouldn't drive it any farther then necessary, just get the vehicle home or to the shop to get the safety done.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Aug 11, 2008
9505 posts
1457 upvotes
Ontario
you have automatic insurance coverage (assuming you have a current policy) of 14 days for newly acquired vehicles BUT the new vehicle will only have the same coverage as what your current vehicle has on the policy. This means that if you have liability coverage only, the new vehicle will as well.
fusion2k2k wrote: Totally legal to buy the car, swap plates, drive it home. I've done it several times. If you get pulled over you can explain the situation and if the cop wants to be a dick he could give you a ticket for the license plate issue but not the insurance. This is assuming you have a current insurance policy in Ontario. Insurance automatically covers any "newly acquired" vehicle for the first 10 days as long as you move the coverage over after those 10 days. I wouldn't drive it any farther then necessary, just get the vehicle home or to the shop to get the safety done.
RIBO LICENCED INSURANCE BROKER, over 35 years experience
Deal Fanatic
Nov 2, 2005
5355 posts
2721 upvotes
WFH
Your legit process is the correct one. You will pay an extra $15 for the temporary sticker.

The illegal approach risks fines totalling $225 for these two offences if you get caught:
1. Drive motor vehicle, no permit 7(1)(a) $85.00
52. Use plate not authorized for vehicle 12(1)(d) $140.00
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jun 12, 2007
20807 posts
6623 upvotes
London
dirtmover wrote: Your legit process is the correct one. You will pay an extra $15 for the temporary sticker.

The illegal approach risks fines totalling $225 for these two offences if you get caught:
1. Drive motor vehicle, no permit 7(1)(a) $85.00
52. Use plate not authorized for vehicle 12(1)(d) $140.00
Not just the fine, cops can seize the plates and tow the new car to impound ($$$$ at your expense). You can’t get the car out of impound till you get new temp plates

Plus, since the cops seized your plates, you can’t drive the other car either. You have to go to MTO and buy new plates to put back on the other car (more $$$)
Member
May 27, 2017
370 posts
572 upvotes
Get a caa membership and tow it home, throw some fake plates on there not like the driver checks

That’s how I get all my used cars home
Deal Addict
Nov 12, 2004
2681 posts
1482 upvotes
Hometown
fusion2k2k wrote: Totally legal to buy the car, swap plates, drive it home. I've done it several times. If you get pulled over you can explain the situation and if the cop wants to be a dick he could give you a ticket for the license plate issue but not the insurance. This is assuming you have a current insurance policy in Ontario. Insurance automatically covers any "newly acquired" vehicle for the first 10 days as long as you move the coverage over after those 10 days. I wouldn't drive it any farther then necessary, just get the vehicle home or to the shop to get the safety done.
One wrong thing in your scenario.... The car he is buying is off the road and doesn't have a safety certificate. You can only switch plates from your current car. If you have insurance on a vehicle in Ontario or new insurance for that car (which OP says he will have) ,signed over ownership, a copy of the bill of sale preferably with a filled out UVIP kit and a current safety certificate for the new vehicle. To be totally legal. The chances that any cop knows all of this is pretty slim though, so expect a massive hassle if you are picked out by the roving camera cops... If you cut corners by switching plates without ALL the proper documents.

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