How to Fill Out and Submit the New Vehicle Information Statement (NVIS)

The New Vehicle Information Statement (NVIS) is the official document that links a brand-new vehicle to its manufacturer, the selling dealer, and you as the first registered owner in Canada. The manufacturer produces it, the dealer completes the sale-side fields and hands it to you with the keys, and you present it to your provincial or territorial licensing authority to register the vehicle for the first time. Without a completed NVIS, registration will be denied — the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA), which sets the national standard, puts it as “no NVIS = no registration.”¹

What’s Printed on the Form

The manufacturer fills in the technical data before the vehicle ever reaches the dealership. On the standard paper NVIS, the fields include:

Vehicle Identification Number (the 17-character VIN)
Make and model, each abbreviated to five characters under CCMTA formatting rules
Model year (last two digits, matching the VIN)
Body type as a three-character code (sedan, coupe, pickup, and so on)
Colour, drawn from a standardized colour guide
Number of cylinders
Motive power — a single-character fuel code for gasoline, diesel, electric, hybrid, and so on
Electric propulsion motor output, for battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles
Engine displacement in cubic centimetres
Engine serial number (optional on some layouts)
Manufacturer’s or importer’s name and location

The paper form does not record the vehicle’s weight. The electronic version (eNVIS) adds shipping or curb weight, Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), wheelbase, odometer reading, and a dedicated section for lessee information on leased vehicles.¹ Those weight figures matter beyond registration, as explained further down.

Who Produces It and How You Receive It

You don’t order or download an NVIS. Manufacturers and importers that bring more than 500 vehicles into Canada per calendar year produce their own forms; smaller manufacturers request blank forms from the provincial or territorial registrar of motor vehicles.¹ The completed form travels with the vehicle to the authorized dealer, and the dealer gives it to you as part of your sale documents.

If the dealer can’t produce an NVIS, you can’t register the vehicle. Don’t leave the lot without it.

Paper NVIS or Electronic eNVIS

The paper NVIS is printed on security paper similar to provincial registration stock, which makes it difficult to forge or alter. The eNVIS transmits the same data electronically in a non-modifiable format between the manufacturer’s system and the dealer’s sales platform, which cuts down on transcription errors and speeds up counter processing. Both formats are accepted by provincial registrars; which one you get depends on the systems your dealer uses.¹

Fields the Dealer and Buyer Complete at Sale

The vehicle data is already there when the dealer opens the form. What’s added at the point of sale is who sold the vehicle, who bought it, and when.

The Dealer Section

The dealership representative enters the business name, address, dealer number if the province issues one, and the date of sale. The date of sale anchors warranty start dates and begins the clock on any time-limited obligations, so it needs to be right. The representative’s signature is mandatory on both paper and electronic versions.¹

The Purchaser Section

Your legal name and address go in the purchaser fields. The eNVIS has a phone number field as well, though it isn’t always mandatory. If you’re leasing, a separate lessee section records your name and address alongside the lessor’s.

Check every field before you sign. A misspelled name or wrong address can hold up registration at the licensing counter, and fixing it later means going back to the dealer.

Taking the NVIS to the Licensing Office

Once the form is complete, bring it to your provincial or territorial licensing authority — ServiceOntario, ICBC in British Columbia, SGI in Saskatchewan, SAAQ in Quebec, or the equivalent office where you live. A clerk reviews the NVIS for completeness and writes the licence plate number onto the form. The registrar’s office keeps the original as part of the permanent vehicle record. Counter processing is usually immediate; you walk out with your vehicle permit and plates.

You’ll also pay sales tax at registration. Combined federal and provincial rates run from 5% in Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon to 15% in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island, and some provinces add a separate provincial motor vehicle tax on top.² Registration fees vary by province and vehicle type.

If You’re Leasing

Leased vehicles add paperwork because the leasing company is usually the legal owner. Provinces often require a copy of the lease agreement, a letter of authorization from the lessor allowing you to register on their behalf, and in some cases a power of attorney. British Columbia may require a blanket letter of authorization on file with ICBC. New Brunswick may require the power of attorney to list both the lessor’s and lessee’s provincial identification numbers. Call your licensing office before your appointment to confirm what they want alongside the NVIS.

If the NVIS Is Lost or Damaged

Replacement procedures are set province by province, and the CCMTA directs dealers to know the process in their jurisdiction so buyers aren’t left stranded.¹ Start with the dealer that sold you the vehicle. Some manufacturers can issue a duplicate through the selling dealer; Polaris, for example, requires you to visit a dealer in person with your VIN and proof of ownership, and mails the replacement to your registered address within 7 to 10 business days.³ Other manufacturers follow different timelines. If the dealer can’t help, contact your provincial registrar directly; they may be able to issue a replacement from their records or accept alternative proof of the vehicle’s identity.

Imported Vehicles Use a Different Form

The NVIS applies only to new vehicles sold through authorized Canadian dealers. If you import a vehicle from the United States or Mexico, you won’t have an NVIS. Transport Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency require a Vehicle Import Form (commonly called Form 1), which must be completed, printed in its entirety, and presented to customs officers at the border.⁴ The vehicle also has to pass a mandatory inspection at a Registrar of Imported Vehicles authorized inspection centre before any province will register it. Vehicles that fail the inspection cannot remain in Canada permanently and must be exported; common failure reasons include an inability to be modified for Canadian compliance, unresolved safety recalls, and non-compliant modifications spotted during inspection.⁵

Why the GVWR on Your NVIS Matters Later

The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating recorded on the eNVIS is the dividing line for two federal programs you may encounter.

The Federal Luxury Tax

Under the Select Luxury Items Tax Act, the federal government taxes new vehicles with a retail price above $100,000, but only if the vehicle’s GVWR is 3,856 kg or less.⁶⁷ Heavier vehicles, such as large pickup trucks and full-size SUVs, fall outside the definition of a “subject vehicle” and are exempt regardless of price. The tax is the lesser of 10% of the full price or 20% of the amount above $100,000, and it’s calculated before GST or HST. Optional features and add-ons included at the time of sale count toward the price. Electric vehicles aren’t automatically exempt: an EV priced above $100,000 with a qualifying GVWR still triggers the tax.

The Electric Vehicle Affordability Program

The federal Electric Vehicle Affordability Program (EVAP) replaced the former iZEV incentive on February 16, 2026. Buyers or lessees of eligible EVs can receive up to $5,000 for battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles, or up to $2,500 for plug-in hybrids. The final transaction value must be $50,000 or less, though there is no price cap for EVs manufactured in Canada. The vehicle also has to be made in Canada or in a country that has a free trade agreement with Canada.⁸ Your NVIS identifies the vehicle’s motive power type, and on the eNVIS, the electric motor output, which the dealer uses to confirm EVAP eligibility at the point of sale.

1
Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators. NVIS/eNVIS Policy Manual
2
Canada Revenue Agency. GST/HST and Motor Vehicles
3
Polaris. Manufacturer Statement of Origin Duplicate
4
Transport Canada. Importing a Vehicle from the United States and Mexico
5
Canada Border Services Agency. Memorandum D19-12-1 – Importing Vehicles into Canada
6
Justice Laws Website. Select Luxury Items Tax Act
7
Canada Revenue Agency. LTN2 Subject Vehicles Under the Select Luxury Items Tax Act
8
Transport Canada. Electric Vehicle Affordability Program