How to Complete the Alberta Vehicle Bill of Sale Form (REG3126)

The Alberta vehicle bill of sale is Form REG3126, the document you complete during a private vehicle sale to record the buyer, seller, vehicle, and price so a registry agent can transfer ownership. You can download the current form from the Alberta government at cfr.forms.gov.ab.ca, print it, and complete it in person when the sale happens.¹

One boundary before you start: REG3126 is the standard form for private sales between individuals. If an automotive business is on either side of the transaction, a comprehensive bill of sale is required instead, and the dealer prepares it.² Everything below assumes you are buying from or selling to another person.

What Must Be on the Form

Alberta’s standard bill of sale has a short list of mandatory fields. If any are blank or wrong, the registry agent can reject the document and send the buyer back to find the seller for a corrected version. The required items are:¹

Full legal name and current residential address of every buyer and every seller. If either side has co-owners, list each person.
The 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN), found on the driver-side dashboard or the door jamb sticker. Copy it character by character; one wrong digit will flag a mismatch at the registry.
Vehicle description: year, make, model or series, body style, and colour. Colour is easy to overlook but mandatory, and if the vehicle has been repainted, record the current colour.
The agreed sale price.
Signatures from both the buyer and the seller.

Details Worth Adding Even Though They’re Optional

Several fields are not required, but filling them in protects both parties if something surfaces after the sale.

Record the odometer reading. Alberta does not require it on the standard bill of sale, but writing down the mileage at the time of sale is the buyer’s strongest evidence if an odometer rollback is discovered later.¹

Consider a witness signature. A third-party signature confirms both sides entered the agreement voluntarily and is useful if either party later disputes the terms.

Note any liens or encumbrances. If money is still owed on the vehicle, saying so on the bill of sale protects the buyer from inheriting unexpected debt. A personal property lien search through a registry agent before you pay is the safest approach.

Spell out the payment method and terms — cash, cheque, or instalments — so there is no ambiguity later. Phone numbers and ID details for both parties make follow-up easier. And if the vehicle was last registered outside Alberta, note that; an out-of-province inspection may be required before new plates can be issued.³

Filling Out REG3126 Step by Step

Download the form and either print it and complete it by hand or type it in first and print it afterward. Either way, the finished document needs wet-ink signatures from both parties, so plan to sign it in person at the time of the sale.

Start with the seller’s full legal name and address at the top, then enter the same information for the buyer. Move to the vehicle section: year, make, model, body style, colour, and VIN, taken from the existing registration and verified against the VIN plate on the vehicle itself. Verifying the VIN against the physical vehicle before anyone signs is the single most useful habit a buyer can build; transposed characters are the most common reason registry agents send buyers back for a fresh document.

Enter the purchase price. If the vehicle is a gift, write “$0” or “gift” in the price field. Both parties then sign and date the form. If a witness is present, have them sign too.

Keep the document clean. Avoid crossing out mistakes or writing over errors — reprint and sign a fresh copy instead. Each party should walk away with a signed copy. The buyer needs the original for the registry agent, and the seller should keep a copy as dated proof that ownership transferred, which matters if the vehicle is involved in an incident afterward.

Taking the Bill of Sale to the Registry

A signed bill of sale on its own does not make the buyer the registered owner. The buyer must visit an authorized Alberta registry agent in person to complete the transfer, and should bring:⁴

The original signed bill of sale, or other proof of ownership such as a lease or probated will.
Proof of valid insurance on the vehicle in the name of the person requesting registration. In Alberta this is commonly called the “pink card.” Most registry agents will not process the transfer without seeing it.
Acceptable identification, typically an Alberta driver’s licence or government-issued photo ID.
An out-of-province or salvage inspection certificate if the vehicle was previously registered outside Alberta or carries a salvage designation.³

The agent reviews the documents, updates the provincial motor vehicle database, and issues a registration certificate along with new plates if needed. Arrange insurance before the registry visit, and do not drive the vehicle on public roads until both registration and insurance are in place.

A Note on Private Seller Disclosure

Licensed automotive businesses in Alberta are required by the Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council (AMVIC) to disclose a vehicle’s history in writing before purchase, including accident damage, odometer discrepancies, and prior use as a taxi or rental. Private sellers are not held to the same formal disclosure standard. A private seller who actively conceals known defects or lies about the vehicle’s condition can still face a civil claim for misrepresentation, but the burden of due diligence sits with the buyer. Request a vehicle history report, inspect the vehicle or have a mechanic inspect it, run a lien search, and record the odometer reading on the bill of sale.

Mistakes That Send Buyers Back to the Seller

Registry agents see the same rejections repeatedly. Avoiding these saves a second trip:

VIN errors. A single transposed digit means the bill of sale does not match the vehicle. Verify against the metal VIN plate, not the old registration.
Missing signatures. Every registered owner on the seller’s side must sign. If the vehicle has two owners and only one signs, the transfer is incomplete.
No insurance in place. Registration will not proceed without proof of active liability coverage on that specific vehicle.
Illegible or altered documents. Crossed-out fields, heavy handwriting corrections, or smudged ink can trigger a request for a fresh form.
Undisclosed liens. If the seller still owes money on the vehicle, an existing lien may block the transfer. A personal property registry search before you buy reveals whether the title is clear.

When in doubt, bring the vehicle to the registry office so the agent can verify the VIN against the paperwork on the spot.

1
Alberta.ca. Standard Bill of Sale
2
Government of Alberta. Comprehensive Bill of Sale
3
Alberta.ca. Out-of-Province Vehicle Inspections
4
Alberta.ca. Register a Vehicle in Alberta