British Columbia VIN check

Salvage and irreparable under the Motor Vehicle Act

Section 17.1 of B.C.’s Motor Vehicle Act defines two damaged-vehicle statuses:

• Irreparable vehicle: written off and sold under an agreement that it may be used or resold only for parts or scrap, or sold to a wrecker who intends to use it that way.
• Salvage vehicle: any other car that was written off by an insurer, or that changed hands while it was unsafe to drive.

A car is “written off” when the insurer decides to pay for it rather than repair or replace it. Under section 28.3, ICBC must refuse to license and plate a salvage or irreparable vehicle. It must also refuse a car registered in another jurisdiction with a condition that it may never be licensed.

ICBC’s records show a vehicle status such as normal, rebuilt or salvage, and ICBC offers a free status search. Anything other than normal is worth a question to the seller.

Flood cars can’t be licensed in B.C.

That last point matters for imports. A car flooded in a US hurricane and dried out without an insurance claim may carry no B.C. record of it. A US history report can show a flood brand or a salvage auction from a US state. See flood damage check for the physical signs.

Cars from the US: the provincial inspection

Vehicles from other provinces and countries must pass an inspection at a B.C. designated inspection facility before they are registered. For a car from the US, ICBC asks for the Vehicle Import Form 1 with two Canada Border Services Agency stamps, CBSA customs paperwork, the original US title and the bill of sale.

Liens and dealer disclosures

Liens on vehicles in B.C. are registered with the Personal Property Registry. If you buy a car with a lien and the previous owner doesn’t pay, it can be repossessed from you, so search before you hand over money.

Licensed dealers must state in the sales agreement any jurisdiction other than B.C. where they know the car was registered, and disclose damage to a used car that needed more than $2,000 of repairs, past use as a rental, taxi, police or racing vehicle, and whether it was brought into the province specifically to be sold.

What our reports add

ICBC’s claims report covers B.C. claims. Our CARFAX and AutoCheck reports cover the vehicle’s US history only: title brands from any state, US accident and damage records, auction sales and odometer readings. Use them alongside ICBC for any car that was imported.

Checklist for a used car in B.C.

1. Check the VIN on the car against the seller’s registration documents.
2. Run ICBC’s free status search and note any salvage or rebuilt status.
3. Order ICBC’s claims history for B.C. damage claims.
4. If the car came from the US, run a US history report and look for flood, salvage or non-repairable brands.
5. Search the Personal Property Registry for liens.
6. Have a certified technician inspect it, especially the electrical system if flood is possible.