Reading Your Bill of Sale: Every Line, What It Means, and Why It Matters

Photo: American Honda (Honda US Newsroom). 2026 Honda Accord.

OMVIC calls the bill of sale "the most important document in your car purchase." That's not marketing. The bill of sale is the contract that defines what you bought, what you paid, what the dealer agreed to do, and what protections apply if something goes wrong.

Every line on the bill of sale has a specific meaning under the MVDA. Most buyers skim past them. The ones who read them carefully — and ask about anything they don't recognize — are the ones who never get surprised three months after delivery.

The header information — who, what, when, where

• Dealer's registered legal name and business address (must match the OMVIC registration)
• Dealer's HST registration number
• Date of the contract
• Buyer's full legal name and address
• Co-buyer information if applicable
• Vehicle make, model, year, trim, VIN, and odometer reading at delivery

The price breakdown — the all-in number

• All-in advertised price (this is the number the dealer advertised)
• Freight from the manufacturer (if not already inside the all-in price)
• PDI (pre-delivery inspection) charge
• Admin fee (the dealer's document-processing charge)
• OMVIC transaction fee — $22.00 as of September 1, 2025
• Any pre-installed accessories the dealer won't remove (nitrogen, paint protection, etc.)
• Subtotal — the all-in price before tax
• HST (13% in Ontario)
• Licensing fee (varies by plate type and municipality)
• Total — what you actually pay

Photo: American Honda (Honda US Newsroom). 2026 Honda Accord.

The mandatory disclosure block — what the dealer is attesting to

• Whether the vehicle is new or used
• Make, model, trim, model year, and VIN
• Whether the odometer reading is accurate
• For used vehicles: actual kilometres driven (or appropriate disclosure if unknown)
• For new vehicles: maximum odometer reading at delivery
• Previous use status (rental, taxi, limo, police, emergency)
• Accident history with repair costs above $3,000
• Damage history (fire, flood, structural)
• Salvage or rebuilt branding status
• Whether the manufacturer's warranty has been cancelled
• Any other material information that could affect the buyer's decision

The financing terms — if applicable

• Lender name
• Annual percentage rate (APR)
• Term length in months
• Payment amount and frequency (bi-weekly, weekly, monthly)
• Total of payments over the term
• Total cost of credit
• Any dealer commission or reserve disclosed
• Prepayment terms (open vs closed loan)
• Any conditions the buyer agreed to

The trade-in section — if applicable

• Trade-in vehicle description (year, make, model, VIN)
• Agreed trade-in value
• Lien payoff (if any)
• Net trade-in value (after lien payoff)
• Trade-in credit applied to the new purchase

The warranty and add-on section

• Factory warranty terms (for new Hondas)
• Honda Plus extended warranty (if purchased)
• Third-party extended warranty (if purchased)
• Other add-on products (paint protection, fabric protection, etc.)
• Cost of each warranty or add-on separately itemized

The signature block — where buyer protections live

• Statement acknowledging the contract is final and binding once signed (unless MVDA disclosures are missed)
• Signature line for the buyer (and co-buyer if applicable)
• Signature line for the dealer representative
• Date of signing
• Acknowledgement of receipt of any conditions (subject to financing, subject to insurance, etc.)