Get proof that the seller can sell the vehicle

It’s important to make sure that the seller is legally allowed to sell you the car before you buy it. Sometimes people will try to sell a car that they are not allowed to sell. For example, a person is not allowed to sell you a car if:

• the car is stolen
• they do not own the car
• they don’t have permission from the owner to sell the car
• they are a curbsider, which means they are an unregistered dealer and you are not protected by the law

You can read more about curbsiders in the Next Step “Ask yourself if the seller is a curbsider” of the question “I want to buy a car from a used car dealer. What do I need to know?”

If you buy a car that the seller does not have the right to sell, the police can take the car away.

You can make sure that the seller has the right to sell you the car in a few ways:

• Match the seller’s driver’s licence to the information on the car’s registration.
• Match their driver’s licence to information in the Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP) or the Vehicle History Report.
• Ask for the bill of sale from the original purchase.