Alberta DMV vin search??

MoboMac · Poncho Master!

Alberta DMV vin search??

68 427 · Poncho Master!

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ALBERTA PURGES RECORDS OF VEHICLES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED IN THE LAST 15 YEARS. SO IF IT HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED IN ALBERTA DURING THE LAST 15 YEARS THERE WILL BE NO RECORD OF IT IN THE SYSTEM. IF YOU WERE IN ALBERTA, YOU WOULD THEN HAVE TO GET AN OUT OF PROVINCE INSPECTION DONE ON THE VEHICLE TO GET IT REGISTERED HERE AGAIN.

EXAMPLE:

MY '64 LAURENTIAN IS, AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN AN ALBERTA CAR. IT WAS LAST REGISTERED IN ALBERTA IN 1972. IT IS NO LONGER IN THE SYSTEM. TO GET REGISTRATION ON IT, I WILL NEED AN "OUT OF PROVINCE" INSPECTION DONE ON THE CAR. IF IT PASSES THE INSPECTION (VERY STRICT MECH. AND SAFETY) THEY WILL THEN GIVE ME REGISTRATION AND IT WILL RE-ENTER THE SYSTEM. THE REASON IT NEEDS THE O.O.P. INSP. IS BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECORD ANYMORE OF IT EVER BEING IN ALBERTA.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU WOULD NEED IN YOUR PROV. TO MAKE IT LEGAL, BUT IF IT IS AN ALBERTA CAR AND HAS BEEN OFF THE ROAD FOR 15+ YEARS THERE IS LIKELY NOTHING TO BE GAINED SEARCHING ALBERTA REGISTRATION. NOT TO SAY DON'T BOTHER, JUST SAYING DON'T GET YOUR HOPES UP.

OTHERS ON HERE MAY KNOW BETTER HOW IT WORKS.

seventy2plus2 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

In Alberta we can do a Vehicle Information Report, but it doesn't list previous owners, etc. It will list whether the vehicle is active in the Alberta system, and possibly where it was last registered.

Alberta's database was computerized in about 1983-1984, so vehicles that have not been registered since then are not in the system. The system visible to the Alberta Registry locations may only go back to the early 90's, but the registry can contact their government group who can see back to about 1983-1984.

My pickup had not been registered since the late 70's (it was used as a farm truck), did not appear in Alberta's system, and required an Out of Province Inspection.

The Vehicle Information Report is about $25.

1965CS · Guru

Is it possible to find out previous owners?

seventy2plus2 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

1965CS wrote:
Is it possible to find out previous owners?

I don't think so here in Alberta.

rebelrouser · Poncho Master!

Ya they have this thing that they are very strict about-Privacy Act.

MoboMac · Poncho Master!

BC closed that door over 20 years ago,as well.

I bought 2 cars in Ontario this year & BOTH came with a printout of previous owners.

Blackheart4355 · Poncho Master!

YUp,

Providing a list of previous owners is a Privacy Act Violation. Not sure how ON gets away with it..yet I've asked for service info on a car at a dealer in ON and was told it was a PA violation....

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

I've often wondered how we get away with that here in Ontario. The used car seller's package really is a blatant PA violation.

Blackheart4355 · Poncho Master!

Might have a better chance finding that out by having your local formerly Pontiac dealer, check through service records via the VIN..might give you an idea of the number of different owners...you would just have to tell them you don't want names..just the number of previous owners..they might tell you...they might not...

JERICO · Addicted!

Canadian Poncho wrote:
I've often wondered how we get away with that here in Ontario. The used car seller's package really is a blatant PA violation.

smile This is what the Ontario Used Car package did for me guys.My car bought as a Chevy II with Ont.registration turned out to be an Acadian.The sellers pack on that vin 611537O55403 showed 3 owners,2 dead,1 alive. The survivor gave me the info I needed to trace it's history. The cowl tag info sent to GM Historical revealed its BORN with vin that had been physically removed.I was driving a hotrod with no visable vin as required by law.MTO Ontario showed ,upon presenting my GM info and $20 for the Sellers package on that vin and hours later that it was still registered to the OWNER as unfit.Now I had a hotrod with no visable vin and owned by someone else,but I had his NAME smile and I had to find him & this involved a lot of time& people and memories.Remember, 2 guys are dead and the survivors had the answers. Fortunately he came to the Drag strip a few weeks ago and I was shocked to see his name on the Tech Card when he handed it to me. It was his 1st car as a teen. We exchanged info and he called the following Monday saying he had a copy of the ownership and would see me again at the strip to give it to me.He came,I coverd his costs and have spoken to him since.I Now have Paper Work that shows the BORN with vin.Now its in my name with all the Correct Paper Work so important in todays world that shows what it really is. A 66 SD Acadian # 274 of 552 made. smile John

-- Edited by JERICO on Saturday 20th of October 2012 10:58:12 AM

chambers1968 · Veteran Member

any one know the steps for reging an ablerta car in bc? the last time it was reged in aberta is reater than 15 years, it is in mid restoration therefore needs a interprovincial but now way it would pass in the state it is in....just moved to bc now have to reg it there.....just bought it this summer

any help would be appreciated..

bob

THECHEEF · Member

I can guarantee that you will not be given a list of previous owners of the vehicle from alberta registry services. Seventy2plus2 is correct. you would have to attend to a registry office and pay a fee to search the vehicle history but they will not provide you with a list of previous owners.

dualquadpete · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I contacted 2 of previous owners of the 52 by using U C P & boy were they surprised!! 1, that the car was still around [6 or 7 owners since they sold it never transfered the owenership] & 2, that i was able to trace them!! Ont. Gov. is only concerned with getting their $20 bucks & likely didn't even think about privacy issues!!! That big gap in owners may cause some troble in finding out when this was converted to a V8 Before Jan 99 it's exempt from the EMM up dates & guy I bought it from is sure it was done b-4 that but how do you prove it???