Can I return a used car I bought?

Your legal rights and options vary depending on whether you bought the car from a private seller or from a dealer (a person or business that sells cars to try to earn income).

In either case, you can’t back out simply because you changed your mind or because your situation has changed. In BC, there is no general legal right to return a vehicle once you have taken possession of the vehicle. There is no “cooling-off period” when you buy a used vehicle.

But with any purchase you make, you are protected by the legal warranty. This is a level of quality and durability implied under the law in BC into every sales contract. The legal warranty applies regardless of whether the seller mentions it. However, if you buy privately from an individual, the legal warranty is more limited than if you buy from a dealer.

Learn more about the legal warranty in our page on problem with a used car, as well as the steps to deal with the problem.