For many people, a great way to find a deal on a reliable car is to purchase it from a private seller rather than a commercial dealer. Unfortunately, some of the advantages of buying from a large dealer go away when you conduct the process yourself. Chief among these is your vehicle registry, as many people have never had to handle the process personally.

Below, you'll find a guide to the steps you need to take to register your vehicle after a purchase from a private seller. Following these steps will help guarantee that you successfully complete the registration process, allowing you to stay on the road without fear of fines and punishment.

Secure Proof Of Purchase

When you purchase a vehicle from a licensed dealer, paperwork is automatically generated which displays the terms of the sale, the transfer of the title when applicable, and other information which clearly identifies you as the vehicle owner. In private deals, however, there may simply be a transfer of cash and a signing over of the title, neither of which conclusively proves a sale.

In order to guarantee that your new vehicle can be successfully registered, you should generate a receipt or bill of sale at the time of purchase. This additional documentation will provide proof to the licensing bureau that you're the new rightful owner of your vehicle and have the authority to register it in your name.

Insure the Vehicle

Many people believe that insurance cannot be purchased on a vehicle until the registration process is complete. This is untrue, and indeed, precisely backward. In fact, acquiring insurance needs to be done the second the vehicle comes into your control.

Without a proof of insurance, you may be unable to register your vehicle at all. As such, it's vital to secure the insurance before you begin the registration process, as it's your legal requirement to maintain collision protection on the road.

Test For Environmental Hazards

While modern vehicles come equipped with systems designed to limit any hazardous effect on the environment, some older vehicles have no such advancements. Therefore, it's your responsibility to have your vehicle's emissions tested in order to verify that they're within regulations. Taking your new car to an emissions testing station can generate a report that certifies its airworthiness, and this report may be necessary before the registration bureau is willing to certify that your car belongs on the road. Contact the Calgary registry offices or your local registry offices to learn more about registering a vehicle after private sale.

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