With the upcoming return of spring and warm temperatures, many drivers will want to take out the vehicle they have decided to put away before winter. Is this your case? Whether it’s the first time or not, a few reminders are in order.
First, the request for a vehicle to be released from the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) can only be made on the same day that you want to use it again. So you cannot apply in advance.
A very important point: if your vehicle has been stored for more than 12 months, for example because you lived outside the country, it is mandatory to submit it to a mechanical inspection before you can drive it freely. If it is found to be compliant, you will receive a mechanical verification certificate which you must present at the time of the transaction.
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What procedure?
The discount request can be made in person at one of the SAAQ service outlets. Of course, you need to have the license plate number of the vehicle you want to reuse, as well as your driver’s license or other official document with photo.
The most convenient option is to do it online, a service that is now available through the new SAAQclic portal. This first requires you to create an account and identify yourself with the government authentication service (insurance number, social insurance number, health insurance number and notice of assessment number).
You must then link a bank account in the My financial file section of the left-hand menu of SAAQclic before going to the Vehicles section, under the “Storage, de-storage or discard a vehicle” tab. Have the latest registration certificate of the vehicle to be deregistered and follow the instructions on the screen.
As for the payment, when deregistering your vehicle, you must pay the full registration of the current month and the period remaining until the month of the usual renewal.
Finally, in the event that you wish to deregister a vehicle and store another in the same month, the SAAQ reminds you that you must first store your current vehicle, then deregister the one you had already stored and pay the cost of registration until your expiry month. This will prevent you from paying twice for registration for the same month.