Do I Need the Title to Scrap My Car in BC?
One of the most common questions we get is whether you need the original paper title or registration in hand to scrap a car in British Columbia. The short answer: it makes things easier, but it’s usually not an absolute dead end if you don’t have it.
What BC actually requires
In BC, vehicle ownership is tracked through ICBC rather than a separate paper “title” the way some provinces or U.S. states use. What you typically need to sell or scrap a vehicle is your current registration (showing you as the owner) and government-issued ID matching that name. A transfer/release of liability process then moves the vehicle out of your name with ICBC.
If you’ve lost your registration
A lost registration isn’t usually a dealbreaker — ICBC can issue a replacement, and in many cases a reputable buyer can walk you through what’s needed for your specific situation, including cases involving a deceased owner’s estate, a divorce, or a vehicle that’s been sitting unregistered for years.
What if the vehicle isn’t currently registered or insured?
A car can still often be scrapped even if its registration or insurance has lapsed, since you’re not putting it back on the road — you’re transferring ownership for scrap. The key is proving you’re the legal owner, which your name on file with ICBC typically establishes even if the plates or insurance aren’t currently active.
Why proper paperwork protects you
Completing the ownership transfer properly matters because until it’s done, the vehicle can still technically be tied to your name — for parking tickets, bylaw issues, or worse. A legitimate buyer will insist on doing this correctly, which protects you just as much as it protects them.
Not sure what you have? Just ask
If you’re unsure whether your paperwork is in order, don’t let that stop you from getting a quote. Vancouver Scrap Car can tell you exactly what’s needed for your situation and help sort out the paperwork on pickup day, so a missing document doesn’t turn into a months-long delay.
How do I register a car in BC without papers?
Through ICBC’s Unregistered Vehicles and Missing Signatures Declaration (form MV1484). You fill in what you know about the vehicle and how you got it — VIN, year, make, model, seller, date, price — writing “unknown” where you don’t know, and swear it in front of a notary public or commissioner for taking affidavits. ICBC may then require an inspection or a B.C. assigned VIN before an Autoplan broker can register it.
If you only want the car gone, you usually don’t need to register it first. Call us with the VIN and what paperwork you do have, and we’ll tell you what’s needed before we book the tow. ICBC’s full steps are on its register a vehicle without documentation page.
Is a bill of sale required in BC?
ICBC’s required document for a sale is the Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T), with all four pages completed and original signatures, plus the signed registration. ICBC doesn’t list a separate bill of sale as mandatory, but it’s still worth having one: it records the price, date, and condition, and it proves the car left your hands.
Ask for one whenever you sell, including to a scrap buyer. Take your plates off and cancel or transfer your insurance, as ICBC’s selling a used vehicle guide explains.