Getting a car in B.C.: paying in full, financing, leasing or renting, and is it the same on a study permit, a work permit or as a permanent resident?

1. First, a few terms

At a dealership, the salesperson will use a lot of terms. Once you understand them, the rest of this guide is easier to follow.

• Lease (a long-term rental): You sign a contract with the finance company that leases the car, pay every month, and use the car for several years. The FCAC says this is usually 3 to 5 years. The car is not yours: in ICBC's records, the leasing company is the registered owner of the car. When the contract ends, you can return the car, buy it, or return it and lease a new one.
• Residual (residual value): A figure written into the lease when you sign it, meaning "how much the car is expected to be worth on the day the lease ends". If you want to buy the car at the end, you generally buy it at this price.
• Down payment: Money you pay up front when you sign. With a car loan, a down payment means you borrow a bit less; with a lease, it makes the monthly payment a bit lower.
• Trade-in: Handing your current car over to the dealership to cover part of the price of the new one.
• Certified pre-owned (CPO): A used car that the dealership has inspected to the brand's own standards and sells under the brand's certification. What is inspected and how long the warranty lasts differ from brand to brand; ask, and get it in writing.
• Co-signer: If you do not yet have a credit history in Canada and cannot get approved, you ask another person to sign the contract with you. Once the co-signer signs, they are responsible for the money; exactly what they are responsible for depends on how the contract is written. Before signing, both you and the co-signer need to understand the contract.
• Negative equity: As the FCAC puts it, negative equity is when your car is worth less than what you still owe on the loan. For example, if the car is now worth only $20,000 and you still owe the bank $25,000, that $5,000 is negative equity.
• Lien: While a loan has not been paid off, the right that the lender has registered against the car. The Vehicle Sales Authority of BC (VSA) warns that if there is an unpaid loan or an unpaid repair bill on a car, the car may be seized, even if it has already been sold to someone else.

The four options side by side:

The "Generally suits" column is general reasoning, not a recommendation of which one to choose. The FCAC says leasing suits people who change cars often, because they do not have to sell or trade in the old car themselves.

2. Paying in full and taking out a loan: how each works

Paying in full

You pay the whole amount at once, and the car is yours right away. There is no interest and no monthly payment, you can drive as many kilometres as you like, and you can sell it whenever you want. The downside is that you need a large sum of money at once. Note: however you pay, you still have to pay PST, based on the price of the car (explained in section 6).

Taking out a loan

The FCAC says there are two ways to get a car loan:

1. Through the dealership. The dealership finds the money for you; it may be the car brand's own finance company, or a bank, a credit union or an independent lender.
2. On your own at a bank or credit union. If you have an account, a mortgage or a credit card at that bank and a good record, the FCAC says you may be able to get a lower interest rate.

Compare the total you will pay, not just the monthly payment. The FCAC gives an example: if you borrow $25,000 for a car at an annual interest rate of 5% and repay it over 36 months, you repay $26,974 in total; over 84 months, you repay $29,681 in total. The monthly payment looks lower, but you pay more than two thousand dollars more in total, and almost all of the extra is interest. The FCAC calls loans of 72 months (6 years) or longer long-term loans, and reminds you to think carefully about the risks.

Cars lose value fast. The FCAC says a new car loses about a quarter of its value in the first year, and then another 15% to 25% each year for the next four years. If the loan term is too long, you can easily end up with "the car being worth less than you owe", which is negative equity. The FCAC's example: for a $31,300 car, with $35,000 borrowed at 4% a year over 8 years (about $425 a month), the negative equity after two years is $8,520.

Ways to reduce the risk, from the FCAC: buy a car within your budget; choose the shortest loan term you can afford; make some down payment if you can; consider both new and used cars; think about future needs, such as a growing family that will need a bigger car; and when your car has negative equity, try not to rush into a trade-in.

Rules when the dealership arranges your loan (VSA):

• Some dealerships charge a finance placement fee for arranging your loan. This fee is negotiable, must be disclosed to you before you sign, and must be included in the annual percentage rate (APR). If the lender did not require it, the dealership cannot say "the bank charges it".
• If the loan requires you to buy disability or life insurance, you have the right to use an insurance company or insurance broker of your own choice.
• Do not drive the car home until the loan terms have been agreed and signed.

Questions you could ask at the dealership:

• What is the total amount I will pay over the whole loan, including interest and all fees?
• Is there a finance placement fee? Is it included in the APR?
• Can I pay off the loan early without a penalty?

3. How a lease actually works

How it works

You choose a car and sign a lease at the dealership. The FCAC says leases are usually arranged by the dealership, and the contract has many conditions and restrictions, so make sure you understand it before you sign. After that you pay every month and use the car for as many years as the contract says. The registered owner of the car is the leasing company; at ICBC, you are the licensee for the car (the person the plates are issued to) and also the insurance policyholder, so you buy and renew the insurance yourself (explained in section 8).

What the FCAC says are the pros and cons

Pros:

• the monthly payment is usually lower than a loan payment over the same number of years;
• if you qualify, you can get a newer car every few years;
• some contracts cover major problems and repairs;
• at the end, you can buy the car, return it or lease another one.

Cons:

• overall, it may cost more than buying;
• the car is not yours at the end;
• getting out of the contract before it ends can be very expensive;
• there may be other costs too, such as extra charges for excessive wear on the car.

What happens at the end

The VSA says: at the end of a lease you generally have no "equity" in the car, but the contract may let you buy it at the residual value. With some leases, at the end you only pay for extra kilometres and damage; with others, you guarantee what the car will be worth at the end, and if the dealership cannot sell it for that price, you may have to make up the difference. So ask before you sign which kind it is, and whether and at what price you can buy the car at the end.

Before a dealership sells a car that comes off lease, B.C. law requires it to make sure the car meets the safety requirements of the Motor Vehicle Act. The VSA suggests having the car inspected before the lease ends; who pays for the inspection depends on the contract, and you do not have to pay for anything you did not agree to in the contract.

In B.C., a lease has a "one clear day" cooling-off period

Many people do not know this. B.C.'s Motor Dealer Act Regulation gives leases a cooling-off period of "one clear day": after you sign a lease, you can cancel within that full day without penalty, and the dealership should keep the car during that time. The VSA explains a few points:

• It is not 24 hours, and it is not one business day. Sundays, statutory holidays and days the dealership is closed do not count. The VSA's example: if you sign on a Saturday and Monday is a statutory holiday, Tuesday is the last "clear day" on which you can cancel.
• You can give up this cooling-off period in writing. Simply driving the car home does not mean you have given it up.
• To cancel, it is best to tell the dealership during its business hours and ask it to confirm in writing that the lease is cancelled. If you tell them after closing time, keep proof that you sent the notice before 12 midnight.

Note: buying a car and financing a car purchase have no such cooling-off period. The VSA states that, unlike a lease, there is no return period and no cooling-off period once you sign to buy or finance a car. B.C. also has no law requiring dealerships to take back cars they have sold. The FCAC also warns that in most provinces, car loans and leases have no cooling-off period. So think carefully before you sign a contract to buy a car.

Questions to ask before you sign a lease

The VSA lists questions to ask before signing a lease. Here they are, in words you can use:

1. What is my total obligation under this lease, including all payments, taxes, fees and the down payment?
2. What would it cost to buy and finance this same vehicle?
3. What is the best retail price, and what price is this lease based on?
4. What interest rate is built into this lease, and how does it compare with current car loan rates?
5. Is there a purchase option at the end? What is the buyout price?
6. Can I buy the car before the lease ends? Is there a penalty?
7. Can I end the lease early, and what are the penalties?
8. What counts as excessive wear and tear that I would have to pay for at the end of the lease?
9. How many kilometres per year are included, and what is the charge per extra kilometre?
10. What other fees apply, such as insurance and administration fees?

The FCAC also says that most provinces require the dealership to give you a disclosure statement before you sign a lease, setting out the total cost of the lease and your responsibilities. Ask for one, and read it before you sign.

4. Leasing or financing on a study permit, a work permit or as a PR: is it the same?

The short answer first: the tax you pay is the same; whether you are approved, how much down payment is required and how long you can borrow for are not.

What is the same: tax

The B.C. Ministry of Finance's PST bulletin states that the PST rate on a vehicle depends on four things: whether it is a passenger vehicle; whether it is a zero-emission vehicle and when it was bought; how much the vehicle is worth; and how you got it (from a dealer, in a private sale, by lease, or as a gift). The bulletin does not set different rates for study permit holders, work permit holders and PRs. The same goes for the federal GST. So whether you are on a study permit, a work permit or a PR, the tax rate is the same for the same car bought the same way. Section 6 explains how the tax is calculated; it also covers when you can be exempt from PST if you have just moved to B.C. and brought your own car.

What is different: approval and terms

A lease and a loan are both a kind of borrowing. Whether you are approved, how much down payment is required, the most you can borrow and the longest term are all set by the lender itself: the car brand's own finance company, a bank or a credit union. They look at your income, your job and your credit history in Canada, and also at your status and when it expires. Below are a few examples we read on each company's website on November 4, 2026. They are only examples, not a complete list, and the terms can change at any time:

The TD example alone shows that the same bank offers different terms to PRs and to foreign workers: foreign workers need a bigger down payment, can borrow less, and get a shorter term.

What we could not read this time: the Audi Canada page for newcomers and foreign workers and the GM Canada (Chevrolet, GMC, Buick) "Welcome to Canada" page refused our access, so we could not check them. Whether other brands have newcomer programs, and what the terms are, we also could not check on the brands' websites; please ask at the dealership in person.

Ask specifically about your status expiry date

Work permits and study permits both have an expiry date. How many years a lease or loan can run, whether it can go past your status expiry date, and what happens if you renew before it expires all differ from company to company, and we did not find one standard answer on their websites. So be sure to ask in person, and have them put the answer in writing.

You will also be asked about your driver's licence

ICBC's rule is: after you move to B.C. to live, you have 90 days to switch your valid licence from elsewhere to a B.C. licence. A few groups are not subject to this 90-day limit and can keep using their original licence: visitors on a trip of up to 6 months; full-time students at a designated school in B.C. with a valid student exemption; people who normally live outside B.C.; and workers in the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP), for up to 12 months. What licence a dealership or finance company wants to see for a lease or loan may differ from one to another, so ask before you go. For how to get a B.C. licence, see section 8 of Guide No. 6, Driver licensing.

Protected persons and refugee claimants

The status types listed on the pages above are PR, work permit and study permit; protected persons and refugee claimants are not mentioned separately. If you have one of these statuses, ask the company directly whether they accept it and what documents they need.

Questions you could ask at the dealership

• I'm on a work permit that expires in [month year]. Can I lease or finance, and can the term go past my permit's expiry date?
• I'm an international student with a study permit. Do you have a newcomer or student program? How much down payment is required?
• I don't have a Canadian credit history yet. What documents do you need from me?
• Please give me the approval conditions in writing.

For how to check your credit reports and protect your credit in Canada, see Guide No. 34, Protecting your credit.

Related: Guide No. 6, Driver licensing; Guide No. 34, Protecting your credit.

5. Can you lease only new cars?

No. The PST bulletin that the B.C. Ministry of Finance publishes for dealers and leasing companies (PST 116) states that PST must be charged on leases of both new and used vehicles in B.C. This shows that used cars can be leased too. There are two common ways.

Option 1: leasing a certified pre-owned car (CPO lease)

Some brand dealerships lease certified pre-owned cars. We looked at a few pages on November 4, 2026: Toyota Canada's certified pre-owned website only showed loan rates, and we did not see leasing; BMW Victoria's website has certified pre-owned inventory and also offers leasing, but does not say whether certified pre-owned cars can be leased. So we could not confirm on their websites whether this is offered or on what terms; you can only ask in person:

• Do you offer leasing on certified pre-owned vehicles? What are the rate, term and kilometre allowance?

When you buy a used car (including a certified pre-owned one), the VSA says the dealer must state in the written sales contract: whether the car came from outside B.C. and where it was registered before; whether it was ever a police car, a taxi, an emergency vehicle such as an ambulance, a leased car or a rental car; whether the odometer reading is accurate; and whether it has had damage costing more than $2,000 to repair. In addition, anything that would affect your decision to buy, such as whether it is a rebuilt car that was once written off, or whether it was stolen and recovered, must also be disclosed to you. Before you lease a used car, you can ask for the same information. For how to check whether a used car is stolen, see section 9 of Guide No. 57, High-theft vehicles and insurance surcharges.

Option 2: taking over someone else's lease (lease takeover)

Someone leases a car, drives it for a year or two, no longer wants it, and finds a person to take over the rest of the contract. This is called a lease takeover, also known as a lease transfer or lease assumption. One of the examples in PST 116 describes a customer taking over someone else's lease, which shows this happens in B.C.

The advantage of taking over is that fewer years are left, and sometimes the original person even gives you a small incentive. But be careful:

• The original finance company has to agree. LeaseBusters, a Canadian lease transfer platform, also says on its own page that every leasing finance company does this differently. Generally the person taking over has to pass the company's approval, and there is a transfer fee; how much it is and who pays it differ from company to company, so ask the finance company and get it in writing. ICBC also states that the leasing company, as the vehicle owner, is the only party that can register, sell or transfer a leased vehicle, and that the lessee cannot do any of these without the leasing company's authorization.
• Whether the original person is then off the hook. LeaseBusters' page says that in earlier years most auto finance companies would not release the original person from responsibility, and this only changed gradually; ask how each company does it now. If you are the one transferring the lease out, ask: "Will I be fully released from the lease after the transfer?"
• Before taking over, read the remaining terms of the contract carefully: how many months are left, how much each month is, how many kilometres are left, the buyout price at the end, whether the car has any damage, and whether anything is still unpaid. "How many kilometres are left on the lease, and what is the buyout price at the end?"
• The insurance must be bought in your own name. ICBC's rule is that the policyholder for a leased car is the person using it, so after you take over, you arrange the insurance yourself through an Autoplan broker.
• After you take over, the monthly payments still carry PST and GST. Section 6 explains how they are charged.

Websites that handle lease transfers include LeaseBusters and LeaseCosts; they are all commercial companies. LeaseBusters' page says the dealerships it works with are mainly in Ontario and Quebec. For what you have to pay to use these platforms, see their own terms.

6. Which taxes you pay when you buy, lease or rent a car in B.C.

There are two taxes on cars: B.C.'s PST (provincial sales tax) and the federal GST (goods and services tax). In B.C., GST is 5%. The rules below come from two B.C. Ministry of Finance bulletins: PST 308, PST on Vehicles (revised August 2026), and PST 116, Motor Vehicle Dealers and Leasing Companies (revised April 2026); the GST rules come from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) website. This section only explains the rules; it does not do your taxes for you.

First, tell "passenger vehicles" from other vehicles

A passenger vehicle, as the bulletins use the term, is a motor vehicle mainly used to carry people, including pickup trucks and vans with a capacity of ¾ ton or less. Pickup trucks and vans over ¾ ton, vans converted into campers, motorhomes, buses, ambulances, hearses and motorcycles of 250cc or less are not passenger vehicles.

PST rates: buying from a dealer, leasing or importing (regular vehicles)

PST rates: zero-emission vehicles bought from a dealer, leased or imported (acquired after February 22, 2022)

Zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) means battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and vehicles powered only by hydrogen. Ordinary hybrids (ones that cannot be plugged in) do not count.

These zero-emission vehicle rates have an end date. The bulletin states that these rates apply until February 22, 2027, after which the regular vehicle rates above apply again. For example, if you buy a $60,000 electric passenger vehicle from a dealer, it is taxed at 7% now; according to the bulletin, if you buy it after February 22, 2027, the regular rates apply, and $60,000 falls in the 10% band. For leased zero-emission vehicles, the bulletin says these rates apply starting with the first lease payment due after February 22, 2022; for a lease that runs past February 22, 2027, the bulletin does not say separately which band applies to the later payments, so ask the dealership to answer in writing before you sign. Also, the PST exemption for used zero-emission vehicles already ended on April 30, 2025.

Buying from a dealer: how PST is calculated

PST = tax rate × taxable vehicle price.

• What the "price" includes. The bulletin says the price is the total you pay for the car, before any trade-in or down payment is deducted. It includes: financing and interest charges, documentation fees, service fees, air conditioning and environmental levies (such as tire levies), delivery charges before you take the car, the value of anything the dealer accepts as part of the payment, mandatory warranty and maintenance contracts, accessories, and other amounts paid to buy the car. It does not include: GST, the federal luxury tax, insurance premiums and licence fees paid to ICBC, transfer fees, or manufacturer's rebates.
• Manufacturer's rebates are different from other incentives. A manufacturer's rebate lowers the vehicle price used to calculate PST; incentives from anyone else, such as third-party rebates, credit card points and government incentives, do not lower the price, and PST is charged on the original price. The bulletin's example: for a $50,000 car with a $3,000 government incentive at the point of sale, PST is still calculated on $50,000, at 7%, which is $3,500.
• Add-ons bought within two days before or after you buy the car. If, within two days before or after buying a car from a dealer, you buy add-ons such as rustproofing or undercoating from the same dealer, the add-ons are taxed at the car's PST rate; for a passenger vehicle, the cost of the add-ons is also added to the car's price to set the rate. The bulletin's example: a $54,000 car (7%), and two days later $2,000 spent on rustproofing and interior treatment, for a combined $56,000; PST on that $2,000 is charged at 9%.
• Very expensive cars. For cars taxed at 15% or 20% PST, the PST is included when GST is calculated. Higher-priced cars may also be subject to the federal luxury tax; this guide has not checked the details of the federal luxury tax, so ask the dealership before you buy.
• Trading in your old car has its own rules, explained in section 7.

Leasing: how PST is calculated

• The rate is set by the "tax rate value". The bulletin says that for a leased passenger vehicle, the rate depends on the vehicle's tax rate value, which is generally its market value on the day the leasing company first leases it out; you then find the rate in the tables above.
• Which amounts carry PST. The down payment and each monthly payment, and also: the value of a trade-in, the disposition fee when you return the car at the end, excess kilometre charges, financing charges, late payment and late return charges, early termination charges, and mandatory warranty and maintenance contracts.
• Which amounts do not carry PST. GST, the federal luxury tax, the buyout amount at the end (the buyout is taxed separately; see below), repair costs and loss-of-use charges you pay under the contract when the car is damaged, refundable deposits, insurance premiums, fuel, and tolls and parking tickets paid on your behalf.
• Buying the car at the end counts as a separate purchase. The bulletin states that buying the car under the lease at the end is a separate sale, and PST is charged at the purchase rates, even if the buyout price is only $1. The bulletin's example: for a car with a tax rate value of $60,000, PST on the monthly payments is 10%; the buyout price at the end is $20,000, and the rate is found using $20,000, which is 7%, so PST is $1,400.
• GST. The CRA states that when you lease a car from a GST registrant, GST is charged on each lease payment.

Buying a used car privately: how PST is calculated

• Rates. Passenger vehicles: 12% for a price under $125,000, 15% for $125,000 to $149,999.99, and 20% for $150,000 and over; other vehicles are 12% across the board. Zero-emission vehicles bought privately are also 12% if the price is under $125,000.
• Which price it is based on. The higher of the price you actually paid and the Canadian Black Book average wholesale value. If you think the car is actually worth less than the average wholesale value, you can have a dealer or a professional appraiser fill out an appraisal form (FIN 320). When both the appraised value and the sale price are below the average wholesale value, PST is based on the higher of the appraised value and the sale price. If you already paid tax on the average wholesale value and only got the appraisal form later, you can apply to the Ministry of Finance for a refund: the Ministry must receive your refund application and the appraisal form within 30 days after the car is registered, so if you mail them, send them early.
• Where you pay it. Usually ICBC collects it when you transfer and register the car at an ICBC Autoplan broker. ICBC requires the car to be transferred into your name within 10 days of buying it. Bring the seller's signed original Vehicle Registration (APV250) and a completed Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T) with original signatures from both you and the seller. ICBC recommends that you and the seller go together to an Autoplan broker right away to complete the transfer.
• GST. The CRA says that when you buy a car privately from someone who is not a GST registrant, GST is generally not charged.
• Cars given by family members. If your spouse (married, or living together in a marriage-like relationship continuously for at least two years), parent, child, brother or sister, grandparent, grandchild or another such relative gives you a car, and the person giving it paid the tax when they bought it and did not get a refund, or bought it tax-exempt, you can be exempt from PST; the two of you fill out a gift form (FIN 319) together; if the car was brought into B.C. from another province, you also have to prove the tax was paid. The same car can be exempted only once in 12 months.

If you have just moved to B.C. and brought your own car

The bulletin states that a vehicle brought by a new B.C. resident, for personal use only and not for business, is exempt from PST if both of these are true: you owned the car for at least 30 days before becoming a B.C. resident; and the car arrived in B.C. within one year after you became a B.C. resident. You submit the registration or the bill of sale from where you lived before, to prove you owned it for 30 days; you may also need to prove the date you became a B.C. resident, for example with your Medical Services Plan (MSP) registration.

Short-term and monthly rentals: PST, GST and the passenger vehicle rental tax

• PST. The bulletin says PST on renting a passenger vehicle is between 7% and 20%, found by looking up the vehicle's tax rate value in the rate tables earlier in this section.
• Passenger vehicle rental tax (PVRT). When you rent a passenger vehicle for more than 8 consecutive hours but not more than 28 consecutive days, $1.50 is charged for each day (each 24 hours; part of a day counts as a full day). The bulletin's example: you rent on Friday afternoon and return on Monday morning, which counts as 3 days, so $4.50. PST is not charged on PVRT, but GST is. If you rent for more than 28 days at a time, according to the bulletin the rental is outside the scope of PVRT.
• GST. The CRA states that GST is charged on what you pay to lease (rent) a car; for terms of 3 months or less, the rate of the province where the car is delivered applies.

Who to ask

For PST, ask the B.C. Ministry of Finance: website gov.bc.ca/pst, toll-free 1-877-388-4440, email CTBTaxQuestions@gov.bc.ca. ICBC also has a page explaining PST on private vehicle purchases. For the GST rules, see the CRA website.

7. Trade-ins and down payments: how they work, how they affect tax, and the traps

Trading in your old car (trade-in)

You hand your old car to the dealership to cover part of the price of the new one, which saves you selling it yourself. In B.C., a trade-in affects tax completely differently when you buy and when you lease, and this is the easiest point to get wrong.

Trading in when you buy from a dealer: you pay less PST, but the rate does not change.

The bulletin's rule: the trade-in value can be deducted from the taxable price, so you pay less PST; but the rate is set by the price before the deduction. The bulletin's example: you buy a $60,000 ¾ ton pickup (which counts as a passenger vehicle) and trade in an old car for $25,000; the old car is registered in B.C. The rate is set using $60,000, which is 10%; the taxable price is $60,000 minus $25,000, which is $35,000; PST is $3,500.

For the deduction to apply, all three conditions must be met:

1. the old car is handed to the dealer at the same time as you buy the new one, and the trade-in value is written in the sales contract;
2. the old car is your own;
3. tax was paid on the old car when it was bought, or it was tax-exempt at that time. If the old car is currently registered in B.C., the dealer can treat it as tax paid.

The deduction does not apply in these cases: the old car was handed to the dealer separately, before or after the sales contract was signed (this counts as two separate transactions); the old car is not registered in B.C. and you cannot show that tax was paid or that it was exempt; the old car does not belong to the buyer, for example using a personal car to buy a car for your own company.

GST is also charged only on the difference. The CRA states that if the trade-in comes from someone who is not a GST registrant (such as an ordinary individual), the dealer charges GST on the difference between the new car's price and the trade-in value.

An example to show the calculation (not a quote): you buy a $30,000 regular passenger vehicle from a dealer and trade in your old car for $10,000; all three conditions above are met, and you are an ordinary individual (not a GST registrant). The PST rate is set using $30,000, which is 7%, and it is charged on $20,000, which is $1,400; GST is 5% on $20,000, which is $1,000.

A trade-in can also be deducted in a private sale. The bulletin's example: a private seller sells you a $10,000 car and accepts your B.C.-registered old car for $6,000, plus $4,000 in cash. PST is 12% on $4,000, which is $480.

Trading in when you lease: not a cent less PST. The bulletin is very clear: trading in an old car when you lease does not lower the rate, and does not reduce the total lease payments that are subject to PST; the trade-in value itself is also subject to PST. The bulletin's example: you lease a car with a tax rate value of $60,000 and trade in an old car for $10,000 as the down payment; $1,000 of PST at 10% is charged on that $10,000, and on each later monthly payment of $600, another $60 of PST is charged. So if you are trading in to save tax, that reason does not work for a lease.

Down payment

• Buying: a down payment is just one way of paying. The bulletin says the price for PST is the total before the down payment is deducted. Whether you put down more or less, PST is calculated on the car's price and does not go down. A bigger down payment means you borrow less, so you pay less interest and the monthly payment is lower.
• Leasing: the down payment itself is subject to PST at the same rate, and making a down payment does not lower the rate; the monthly payments after that are still subject to PST (section 6). A bigger down payment makes the monthly payment somewhat lower.

A few traps

Trap 1: your old car still has a loan, and the difference gets rolled into the new contract.

When you owe more on your old car than it is worth, that is negative equity. Dealerships often say "we'll take care of what you still owe on the old car", but that money does not disappear. The FCAC says that if you buy a new car while you have negative equity, you may have to borrow for both the new car and what you still owe on the old one, so the loan is bigger and you pay more interest. The FCAC's advice is: when you have negative equity, try not to trade in. Whether it is a loan or a lease, ask exactly where the money owed on the old car has gone:

• How much do I still owe on my trade-in, and where is that amount going in this new contract?
• Please show me the trade-in value and the payout of my old loan as separate lines.

The VSA says the sales contract must state the down payment or deposit, including the trade-in value. Check these figures before you sign.

Trap 2: you make a large down payment on a lease, then the car is written off or stolen early, and you may not get this money back.

The registered owner of a leased car is the leasing company. ICBC's explanation is: when a car is declared a total loss, ICBC pays the car's market value at the time (actual cash value), and the cheque is made out to the registered owner and anyone else with an interest in the car. The FCAC also warns that when a car is a total loss, the insurance payout may not be enough to pay what you still owe.

Here is the reasoning: a down payment puts part of the money into the contract in advance, in exchange for lower monthly payments. If the car is gone early, the insurance payout goes first to settle the account with the leasing company; whether you get back any part of the extra down payment you made depends on the contract, and the official pages do not say anywhere that you will definitely get it back. So before you make a large down payment, ask:

• If the car is written off or stolen early in the lease, what happens to my down payment? Is any of it refunded?
• Is there any coverage for the gap between the insurance payout and what I still owe?

ICBC also sells several new vehicle protections (New Vehicle Replacement Plus, Replacement Cost, Limited Depreciation): if the car cannot be repaired, they pay based on the price of the same new model or what you originally paid, not the depreciated market value. The conditions are that the car is no more than two or three model years old, and that you also buy Collision and Comprehensive (or Specified Perils) coverage. Whether these protections can be used on a leased car, the ICBC page does not say; ask an Autoplan broker.

Trap 3: extra dealer fees that only appear when you sign. The VSA says a dealer's advertised price must be the total price you will pay, including dealer fees written in the fine print; standard fees that were not in the ad, were not mentioned while you were negotiating and only appear at signing are, the VSA says, "likely illegal". Ask while you negotiate: "Is this the total price including all dealer fees, before taxes?"

8. Leased and rented cars: how ICBC insurance works

Leased cars: the insurance is your responsibility

ICBC states: as the person who leases the car (the lessee), you are both the licensee for the car and the insurance policyholder, and you alone are responsible for the insurance and the plates. The leasing company (the lessor) is the registered owner, but it is no longer responsible for, and has no authority to arrange, the plates and insurance for you. If you sign an ICBC Letter of Authorization from the Lessee, the leasing company can renew your insurance and increase your coverage for you, but cannot make other changes. You can renew the insurance yourself, or go to any Autoplan broker, and refund or rebate cheques for the insurance come to you directly.

How much ICBC Basic insurance covers. ICBC's Basic insurance includes $200,000 of third party liability coverage, which pays the other party when you hit someone, injure someone or damage someone else's property. It also includes up to $200,000 of Basic Vehicle Damage Coverage, which covers repairs to your car when someone else is responsible; when you are responsible, it only pays if you have bought Collision coverage as well. Third party liability can be increased to up to $5,000,000.

Leasing companies usually require you to buy more. Each leasing finance company has its own insurance requirements for leased cars, set out in the contract. For example, the page of Ford Canada's finance company (Ford Credit) says that for cars it leases out, third party liability must be at least $1,000,000; Collision and Comprehensive must both be bought as full coverage, with a deductible of no more than $1,000; the policy must include an endorsement that permits the car to be rented or leased; and the policy must also name the company it specifies, as required. Other brands may have different requirements; ask before you sign the lease, and take the requirements with you to an Autoplan broker:

• What insurance do you require on this leased vehicle? Please give it to me in writing.

An Autoplan broker is a licensed insurance agent; you can check whether they are licensed in the licensee directory of the Insurance Council of British Columbia, linked at the end of this section. The directory lets you search for individuals and agencies, and shows their licence status, licence class and the agencies or firms they are authorized to represent.

If you want to add an anti-theft device such as a tracker to a leased car, first ask your insurance company whether it recognizes the device and the dealership whether it affects the warranty, and also ask the leasing company first; for how theft risk is built into car insurance and how to get ICBC's anti-theft discount, see sections 2, 3 and 6 of Guide No. 57, High-theft vehicles and insurance surcharges.

Ordinary rentals: what about damage to the car

The question people ask most when renting is "should I buy the rental company's protection?" There are several options:

1. Buy the rental company's own protection. At the counter, the rental company will ask whether you want damage protection (common English names include damage waiver, CDW and LDW). Enterprise Canada's page states that buying rental insurance is optional, and you can rent without it.
2. Use ICBC's Rental Vehicle coverage. ICBC has dedicated rental insurance (Rental Vehicle coverage), which includes third party liability, enhanced accident benefits, underinsured motorist protection, Collision, Comprehensive and loss of use. ICBC's RoadStar and Roadside Plus packages already include it. ICBC's news release of April 2022 says: it can be bought on its own for $10 a day; it can only be used if the daily rental rate is no more than C$300 in Canada or US$250 in the U.S.; you can add the other drivers named on the rental contract; and a claim under this coverage does not affect your ICBC discount. This is what was said in 2022; ask an Autoplan broker about the current price and limits. The ICBC page also reminds you to ask the rental company before you go whether it accepts this ICBC coverage; some rental companies ask for a bigger deposit if you do not buy their protection, and may want to see proof of your Autoplan insurance.
3. Rental coverage that comes with your credit card. If your credit card says it includes rental car coverage, first call the number on the back of the card and ask exactly what is and is not covered, and whether you have to decline the rental company's protection for it to apply; decide once you know.

Peer-to-peer car rental platforms (such as Turo)

ICBC's page is written for owners who rent out their own cars: peer-to-peer rental platforms do not necessarily have blanket ICBC insurance, so owners need to have an Autoplan broker change the vehicle's use and rate to the right ones; if this is not done correctly, the consequences of a crash can be serious, and the owner may have to pay back the entire claim amount. For how you are protected as the person renting, see the Turo part of section 11.

Crash claims

If you crash a leased or rented car, for how to claim with ICBC in B.C. and how to get accident benefits, see Guide No. 38, ICBC no-fault crash claims.

Related: Guide No. 38, ICBC no-fault crash claims.

9. Using Victoria as an example: where to lease each brand

The FCAC says leases are usually arranged by the dealership. So if you want to lease a particular brand, go to that brand's dealer.

The table below lists the dealership names we confirmed on November 4, 2026 on the dealers' own websites or the websites of the dealer groups they belong to. For addresses, phone numbers and opening hours, check the dealer's and the brand's websites.

Not confirmed this time, so not listed: dealers in Victoria for Ford, Audi, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Volvo and Mitsubishi. This time we could not open their websites or could not find them, so we could not confirm the dealership names and did not list them. For these brands, please use the "Find a Dealer" tool on the brand's website. A brand may have more than the one dealer shown in the table in the Victoria area; check the brand's website for that too.

Tesla does not sell through dealers

Tesla's 2025 annual report (Form 10-K), filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, says it sells cars through its own website and company-owned stores. So to buy a Tesla, you do not go to a dealer; you order on Tesla's website. The annual report also says Tesla offers leasing or financing in some parts of North America, Europe and Asia, without naming Canada. Tesla Canada's website refused our access this time, so we could not check whether Tesla currently offers leases in Canada, which models can be leased and whether you can buy the car at the end, or where its stores and service centres are in the Victoria area; please see tesla.com/en_ca or ask Tesla directly.

Before you go, check that the dealership and the salesperson are licensed

The B.C. Ministry of Finance's PST 116 states that anyone with a place of business in B.C. who sells or leases vehicles to retail customers must be registered as a motor dealer, and registration is handled by the VSA; salespeople must also hold a VSA salesperson licence, and the VSA says salespeople should display their licence for you to see. The VSA website has "Search a Dealership or Salesperson", linked at the end of this section. When we opened this search link on November 4, 2026, the browser warned that the site's certificate had expired; if you cannot open it, call VSA consumer services at 604-575-7255 or toll-free at 1-877-294-9889.

10. A lease versus an ordinary rental: what is the real difference

A lease is really a kind of rental too, and the FCAC also says a lease is like a long-term rental. In both cases, "the car is not yours, and you pay to use it". But the two are completely different in these ways:

The last row is general reasoning. For example: you have just arrived in Victoria, your work permit has only a little over a year left, and you do not yet know where you will live or how far you will commute; signing a three- or four-year lease would tie you down, and getting out early could be very expensive. In that case, renting short-term or monthly first, or using car share, and waiting until you are settled, is usually more flexible. On the other hand, if you are already a PR, plan to stay long term and drive to work every day, it is worth getting quotes for all three options, paying in full, financing and leasing, and comparing them.

11. Where you can rent a car in Victoria: the risks of each, and what each suits

Victoria International Airport (YYJ)

The airport website says five rental companies have counters inside the airport, in the arrivals hall, right across from the information desk; two more are off the airport and have no counter, so you must arrange to be picked up when you book; the pickup spot is at the end of the arrivals hall, across the crosswalk.

The airport website also says that Avis and Budget can reserve cars with hand controls (for drivers who have difficulty using their legs or feet) in advance: 48 hours ahead for Avis and 24 hours ahead for Budget.

Enterprise's website lists three locations in the Victoria area: Victoria Airport Offsite, off the airport; Victoria Cruise Port Offsite, near the cruise ship terminal; and the Langford branch. For whether each company has other locations in the city, check its own website.

Things to ask before you rent (each company's written terms are what count)

Every rental company has different rules, and different locations of the same company may also differ. The examples below use the rules on Enterprise Canada's website; for other companies, ask them yourself:

1. Age and young driver surcharge. Enterprise says: the minimum age across Canada is 21; renters under 25 pay a young driver surcharge, on average about $25 a day, higher or lower depending on the location; renters aged 21 to 24 may be limited in which car types they can rent.
2. Deposit, and credit card or debit card. Enterprise Canada's payment page says: both airport and non-airport locations in Canada accept credit cards; if you do not have a ticketed return trip (such as a return flight), your credit card needs enough available credit to cover the rental, plus a deposit of $200 to $850, depending on the location and car type; Discover cards are accepted in Canada only at major airport locations; prepaid cards are not accepted at pickup. The part of this page about debit cards and how long refunds take has a heading that says Canada, but the text is about locations in the United States and Puerto Rico; so for whether debit cards are accepted and how long refunds take, be sure to ask the pickup location, and get it in writing.
3. Kilometres. Enterprise says: kilometres are generally unlimited within the province where you rent; if the location allows travel outside the province, kilometres will be restricted. Whether you can drive out of the province, and the limit, depends on the pickup location.
4. Going to the U.S. Enterprise says: most cars rented in Canada can be driven to the U.S.; ask the pickup location about any restrictions. For what you need to prepare to drive to the U.S., see Guide No. 14, Going to the U.S..
5. Ferries, gravel roads and logging roads. If you plan to take a BC Ferries ferry to the mainland or another island, or to drive on unpaved roads or logging roads, first ask whether the contract allows it. This time we did not find these rules on the companies' websites.
6. Fuel. At pickup, ask how full the tank must be when you return the car, and what you will be charged if it is not full.
7. Winter tires. If you will drive over the Malahat or into the mountains in winter, ask what tires the car has and whether they meet B.C.'s winter tire requirements. For the winter tire rules, see Guide No. 30, Winter tires in B.C.; section 9 of that guide covers rental cars.
8. Damage. For whether to buy the rental company's protection, or to use ICBC rental coverage or your credit card's coverage, see section 8.

Take photos and video at pickup and return. This is the most effective way to avoid arguments when you return the car: at pickup, walk around the car and photograph or film all four sides, the wheels, the windshield, the seats, and the mileage and fuel level on the dashboard, ideally with your phone recording the time; if you see scratches or dents, ask the staff to note them on the inspection form before you drive off. Take photos again when you return it. If you are told "you damaged the car", these photos are your evidence. You could say: "There's a scratch on the rear bumper. Can you note it on the form before I leave?"

Monthly rentals

Enterprise Canada's long-term rental page says: you can rent for as long as you like, three weeks, a month or longer; rentals under 30 days are charged at daily or weekly rates; most car types have unlimited kilometres; and you can add insurance and 24-hour roadside assistance. According to the PST bulletin, a single rental of more than 28 days is outside the scope of the $1.50-a-day passenger vehicle rental tax. If you have just arrived and are not settled yet, or your own car is being repaired, a monthly rental is worth considering; ask for the monthly rate: "What is your monthly rate for this car, including all taxes and fees?"

Turo: a peer-to-peer car rental platform

Turo is an online platform where owners list their own cars for rent; you book a car on Turo and arrange with the owner where to pick it up and return it. The Turo website has a page for renting in Victoria, but it refused our access this time, so we could not check how many cars are available there or the prices.

The rules in the Turo Help Center for guests renting in Canada (the pages were last updated on May 4 and October 19, 2026):

• Third party liability. Every trip includes $2,000,000 of third party liability coverage, which you cannot decline; for trips in B.C., this coverage is provided by ICBC. If you have your own car insurance and it applies, your own insurance is used first.
• Protection plans for damage to the car. There are three levels, setting the most you pay the owner for physical damage to the car: Premier, $0 (only for trips of two days or more and cars worth less than $25,000); Standard, $500; Minimum, $2,000. None of the three covers mechanical breakdowns or interior damage. You can also choose no protection plan, in which case you pay for all physical, mechanical and interior damage, plus claim processing fees and appraisal fees.
• This is not insurance. Turo states that these protection plans are not insurance; they are a contract between you and Turo.
• Going to the U.S. You can drive across provincial borders and the Canada–U.S. border and the protection plan still applies; if you drive into Mexico, the protection plan no longer applies.
• Cancelling. The English page in the Turo Help Center says: for a refundable booking, you get a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the trip starts; for a non-refundable booking, you get a full refund if you cancel within 24 hours of booking; if you book within 24 hours of the trip start, you can cancel for free within 1 hour of booking. This page does not say whether it also applies in Canada; when you book, the cancellation terms on the booking page are what count.
• Age. We could not check Turo's age requirements for renting in Canada this time; check the page when you book.

Before you book, read all the rules on that car's page.

Car share: Evo and Modo

If you only need a car for an hour or two, or for a quick errand, car share is often more convenient. For how to sign up for Evo and Modo in Victoria, how they charge and where to return the car, see Guide No. 27, Evo car share and BCAA membership; we will not repeat it here.

What each option suits

• Rental companies with airport counters: you are flying in and out and need a car as soon as you land.
• Locations in the city and in Langford: you live nearby and need a car for a few days, or your own car is being repaired.
• Monthly rental: you arrived only a few months ago and have not yet decided whether to buy or lease; or your own car will be in the shop for a long time.
• Turo: you want to rent a specific model, or want the owner to bring the car to you; but each car has different rules, so read them one by one.
• Car share: short trips in the city, charged by the minute or the hour.

Related: Guide No. 27, Evo car share and BCAA membership; Guide No. 14, Going to the U.S.; Guide No. 30, Winter tires in B.C..

12. Who to go to if something goes wrong

A dispute with a dealer (buying, leasing, used cars): the dealer first, then the VSA

Dealers in B.C. are regulated by the VSA (Vehicle Sales Authority of BC).

• Talk to the dealer first. The VSA requires you to try to resolve the problem with the dealer yourself first.
• The VSA's My Self-Help. Online, it walks you step by step through your rights and what to do; if you qualify, you can also use the VSA's online dispute resolution platform, Connector, to negotiate with the dealer directly. The VSA says this is often faster than a formal complaint. For disputes about deposits and dealer fees, the VSA does not accept formal complaints; you can only use My Self-Help.
• Formal complaints. All four conditions must be met: the dealer or salesperson may have broken the Motor Dealer Act, its regulations or the relevant parts of the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act; the vehicle is a type the VSA regulates; the other party is a dealer, broker or salesperson licensed by the VSA; and it is a consumer transaction. You can fill out the form and upload documents in the VSA's online system (Consumer Portal), or download the complaint form and mail it. Two VSA pages give different average processing times: the "Make a Formal Complaint" page says about 55 days for complaints that need no investigation, about 97 days for those that need one, and about 178 days for those that need a hearing; the "Consumer Complaints" page says about 83, 163 and 308 days. The VSA says the time depends on how complex the matter is; ask the VSA how long yours will actually take.
• What the VSA cannot handle. General contract disputes go to mediation or court; B.C. has no general right for you to return a car to the dealer.
• If a dealer goes out of business or fails to meet its legal duties and you lose money as a result. The VSA runs the Motor Dealer Customer Compensation Fund, which pays only individuals, for vehicles mainly used for personal or household purposes, up to $20,000 for each eligible loss. Within 4 years of the transaction you must first make a formal demand to the dealer (Demand to Motor Dealer), and then apply within 120 days of making the demand.
• Contacting the VSA. Consumer inquiries and complaints: phone 604-575-7255, toll-free 1-877-294-9889, email consumer.services@vsabc.ca; Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed on statutory holidays, Easter Monday and Boxing Day; walk-in visitors without an appointment are not served.

Buying privately

The VSA says that if something goes wrong with a private purchase, your options are very limited, and generally you can only go to court. Watch out for "curbers": unlicensed sellers posing as private sellers, who may sell stolen, repaired or flood-damaged cars without telling you. Before buying privately, use the vehicle identification number (VIN) to check for liens: liens registered in B.C. can be searched at the Personal Property Registry, through BC OnLine or at some Service BC offices, for a small fee; liens registered in other provinces can also lead to the car being seized. Dealers must sell vehicles free of liens; when buying privately, the VSA recommends a lien check. Banks, credit unions and finance companies often do this for a slightly higher fee. Because a lien could still be registered between your search and the sale, the VSA suggests making the purchase subject to a condition that the vehicle is free from liens at the agreed time of the sale. The VSA also suggests completing the paperwork before you pay: ask the seller to go with you to an Autoplan broker to complete the transfer of ownership. You can also check for free with the VIN whether the car has been reported stolen; see section 9 of Guide No. 57, High-theft vehicles and insurance surcharges.

Problems with a rental company or platform

First go to the rental company or platform itself, and keep the contract, receipts and the photos from pickup and return. Consumer Protection BC administers the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act and deals with deceptive practices (such as saying things that are untrue, hiding information or deliberately writing things in a way that is hard to understand) and unconscionable practices (such as high-pressure selling or taking advantage of vulnerable people). Its complaint page states that buying a car, car repairs and car warranties (whether private or from a dealer) are not handled by it; it says nothing specific about car rentals, so you can use its online complaint assistant to see whether it will take your complaint. Its toll-free number is 1-888-564-9963; press 1 to leave a message; calls are not answered by a person, and a call back may take a few days.

Money disputes of $5,000 or less

The Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) handles small claims disputes of $5,000 or less, including purchases, contracts and personal property. The VSA's page says small claims disputes of $5,000 or less must be resolved at the CRT. The CRT also handles disputes over claims related to vehicle crashes. The CRT website has a Solution Explorer you can use first for free legal information; to make a claim, use "Apply now" under "Want to make a CRT claim?" on the homepage.

Disputes with a bank or finance company

The FCAC says: all federally regulated banks must have a complaint-handling process, so complain to the bank itself first; if a dealer misled you, contact your provincial consumer affairs office.

Quality problems with a new car, or the manufacturer will not honour the warranty

The VSA lists the Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan (CAMVAP), which uses binding arbitration to resolve eligible disputes between you and the car manufacturer about vehicle defects and new vehicle warranties; it is free; phone 1-800-207-0685.

13. Checklist before you act

• First decide how long you plan to live here, how many years you will drive the car and roughly how many kilometres a year, and then choose between paying in full, financing, leasing or renting first.
• Get written quotes from at least two or three places, and compare "the total you will pay", not just the monthly payment.
• If you are on a work permit or study permit: ask whether the contract can run past your status expiry date, and get the approval conditions in writing.
• Lease: ask about the yearly kilometres, the charge per extra kilometre, what counts as excessive wear, the buyout price at the end and the penalty for ending early; ask for the lease disclosure statement. After signing you have a "one clear day" cooling-off period; buying and financing a purchase do not.
• Trade-in: when buying from a dealer, a trade-in lowers the PST and GST you pay; when leasing, a trade-in does not save a cent of PST. If your old car still has a loan, ask which item in the new contract the amount owed has gone into.
• Down payment: when buying, a down payment does not reduce PST; when leasing, the down payment itself is subject to PST. Before making a large down payment on a lease, ask what happens to it if the car is written off or stolen early.
• Zero-emission vehicles: the current lower PST rates for them apply until February 22, 2027; if your lease runs past that date, ask how the later payments will be taxed.
• You buy the insurance for a leased car yourself; first ask the leasing company how much third party liability it requires and the maximum deductible.
• Before going to a dealership, check the dealer's and the salesperson's licences with the VSA.
• Renting: ask about age, deposit, debit cards, kilometres, whether you can go to the U.S. and take ferries, and the fuel rules; take photos and video at pickup and return.
• Buying a used car privately: check for liens first, transfer the car at an Autoplan broker within 10 days of buying it, and pay the PST there.
• If something goes wrong: for dealers, go to the VSA; for money disputes of $5,000 or less, the CRT; for banks, the bank first.

Related guides

• → No. 6 · Driver licensing
  Getting and upgrading a driver's licence in B.C.: choosing among the eight licence classes, getting a regular car licence from scratch and finding a driving school; the ID and driving experience documents newcomers need to switch their licence, the usual 90 days to switch, and who is exempt (section 8).
• → No. 34 · Protecting your credit
  Checking your two credit reports from Equifax and TransUnion for free (section 2) and adding a fraud alert (section 3); how to fix an error in your report (section 8); looking carefully before paying for credit monitoring or credit repair; how to recognize common scams; and security alerts and free credit freezes in B.C. from August 2027.
• → No. 57 · High-theft vehicles and insurance surcharges
  How theft risk is built into car insurance in B.C. and how to get ICBC's anti-theft discount; which vehicles are stolen most often; anti-theft steps starting with the free ones, including asking the leasing company first before adding a tracker to a leased car (section 6); what to do first if your car or things in it are stolen; how to check whether a used car is stolen (section 9); and the theft surcharges you may face if you move to another province.
• → No. 38 · ICBC no-fault crash claims
  If you are in a crash in B.C.: who can get no-fault benefits; what to do on the day and how to report it (the registered owner, principal driver or lessee can report online); how to use pre-approved treatment and get income replacement; how your vehicle is repaired and how responsibility is assessed; and how to challenge an ICBC decision.
• → No. 14 · Going to the U.S.
  Going to the U.S. with Canadian status: which passport to travel with; how a visa's validity differs from how long you can stay each time; whether you need to register if you stay 30 days or longer; what NEXUS can and cannot do; and declaring everything when you return to Canada.
• → No. 30 · Winter tires in B.C.
  Which B.C. routes require winter tires and on which dates, which tires count as legal and how much tread is enough; rental cars, out-of-province vehicles and car share (section 9); and what happens if you do not have winter tires.
• → No. 27 · Evo car share and BCAA membership
  Using Evo car share in Victoria: who can sign up, how it charges and where you can end a trip, and how BCAA membership saves you money; choosing between Evo, Modo and U-Haul, including Modo's membership conditions and rates (section 10).

Main official links in this guide

All the web addresses used in this guide are listed here, in five groups by organization; the end of each section also lists the ones for that section. The two B.C. Ministry of Finance PST bulletins (PST 308 and PST 116) were read in full; the pages of the VSA, the FCAC, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), ICBC, Consumer Protection BC, the CRT and Victoria International Airport, and the own pages of the banks, dealerships, rental companies and Turo, were all opened and read on November 4, 2026; the Insurance Council of British Columbia licensee directory and the CAMVAP homepage were also opened and read that day. Three points to note: when we opened the VSA dealer and salesperson search link that day, the browser warned that the site's certificate had expired, so the search itself was not used; VSA My Self-Help was not opened on its own, and what this guide says about it comes from the VSA's other pages, as does the point that CAMVAP is free; and the last group is the companies' own pages, which are where "each company's rules" in this guide come from; what they give you in writing in person is always what counts.

B.C. government and regulators

ICBC

Federal government

Other

Companies' own pages (where "each company's rules" in this guide come from; what they give you in writing in person is what counts)