A vehicle’s brand (or status) is determined by an insurance company and/or within provincial guidelines and applied by provincial vehicle registration authority to note the vehicle’s structural and/or mechanical integrity status and therefore its ability to be registered and/or operated within the province.
Branding is applied by the province each time the vehicle is registered. Along with a CARFAX Canada Vehicle History Report, we also recommend:
- Having the vehicle inspected by a qualified mechanic/auto body professional,
- Checking the vehicle's most recent provincially-issued registration document,
- And/or contacting the province to further verify the vehicle's current brand and to ensure a negative brand is not applicable at time of next registration.
CARFAX Canada reports reflect the vehicle’s past and present brand/status, as reported to us by participating data partners at the time the report was ordered.
The vehicle’s brand/status will be reported in the following areas on the report:
- Last registered in:
- Registration
- Detailed history
- Other damages
The brand/status language appearing on CARFAX Canada reports may differ slightly from brands/statuses used by provincial vehicle registration authorities as each province has their own terminology/criteria for brand/status. For more information on these variances, please contact your Provincial Vehicle Registration Authority.
Before you buy a used car, we recommend that you get a CARFAX Canada Vehicle History Report, take a thorough test drive and have the vehicle inspected by a qualified mechanic or auto technician to make sure the vehicle is functioning properly. We would also recommend speaking with your provincial vehicle registration authority to further ensure vehicle can be registered with and operated in your province.