The tow truck pulls away, the driveway is empty, and you have a bill of sale in your hand. That’s the end of the car, but it isn’t quite the end of the job. A few accounts and records are still tied to that vehicle or its plates, and if nobody tells them, you can keep paying for a car you no longer own. This post covers who to notify after scrap car removal in Scarborough, in the order most people find easiest.
Canadian Auto Wreckers is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and has been buying scrap, junk and unwanted vehicles since 1981, including across Scarborough and the east GTA. If your car hasn’t been picked up yet, call 416-559-3683 or fill in our online quote form for a cash price.
CAW Team, Canadian Auto Wreckers
Key takeaways
- Keep the bill of sale. It is your proof of the date and time the car left your hands.
- In Ontario the plates stay with you. Take them off before the car leaves, then store them, move them to another vehicle or return them through ServiceOntario.
- Call your insurer after pickup, not before. Ask to cancel the policy or move it to your other vehicle.
- Anything linked to the plate number, like a 407 ETR account or a City of Toronto parking permit, needs updating too.
- Cars submitted through our website form get a cash price, free towing on an accepted sale, pickup as soon as the next day before noon when paperwork and access are ready, and a bill of sale at pickup.
For the full service details, see our Scarborough scrap car removal page.
Who to notify, at a glance
| Who | Why it matters | When |
|---|---|---|
| Your insurance company or broker | Stops premiums on a car you no longer own, or moves coverage to your other vehicle. | Same day or next business day |
| ServiceOntario (only if needed) | For returning plates you won’t use, or putting them on another vehicle. | When it suits you |
| 407 ETR (if you have an account) | Accounts are linked to plate numbers and transponders. Remove the old vehicle so the account stays accurate. | Within the week |
| City of Toronto parking permits | Residential street permits are tied to a plate. Update or cancel it. | Within the week |
| Condo or building management | Frees up the parking spot record, fob or visitor pass tied to that car. | Within the week |
| Roadside assistance, car apps, warranties | Remove the vehicle from memberships, connected-car apps and any extended warranty you were paying for. | Within the month |
| Your lender (if there was a loan) | Confirm the lien is fully discharged and nothing is still owing. | Before or right after the sale |
1. Your insurance company
This is the one that costs you money every month you forget it. Once the car is gone and you have the bill of sale, call your insurer or broker. Most will ask for the date the car was sold and may ask for a copy of the bill of sale. If you have another vehicle, ask whether the policy can move to it rather than being cancelled outright.
Don’t cancel before pickup day. If the car is sitting on your driveway or a street in Scarborough, it is still yours until the bill of sale is signed.
2. Your plates and ServiceOntario
In Ontario, licence plates belong to the person, not the car. That’s why you take them off before the truck leaves. After that you have three choices:
- Keep them in a drawer if you think you’ll register another vehicle.
- Put them on another vehicle you’re registering.
- Return them through ServiceOntario if you won’t need them.
Rules and options can change, so check ServiceOntario for the current steps. Our Ontario paperwork, plates and insurance guide goes into more detail.
3. 407 ETR and other toll accounts
Plenty of Scarborough drivers use the 407 to get across the top of the GTA. If you had a 407 ETR account, the old plate number and any transponder are probably still attached to it. Log in or call them to remove the vehicle. If the transponder was in the car, take it out before pickup and ask 407 ETR what to do with it.
4. City of Toronto parking permits
If you had a residential on-street parking permit, it is linked to a specific plate. Scrapping the car doesn’t cancel the permit by itself. Update it to your new vehicle or cancel it through the City of Toronto so you aren’t paying for a permit you don’t use.
5. Your condo, building or workplace
A lot of Scarborough condos and apartment buildings keep a list of resident vehicles, plate numbers and parking spots. Let management know the car is gone so they can update their records. The same goes for a workplace parking pass or a reserved spot you were renting.
6. Memberships, apps and warranties
These are small, but they add up. Think about roadside assistance memberships, connected-car apps on your phone, satellite radio subscriptions, and any extended warranty or maintenance plan. Some can be moved to another car. Others can simply be cancelled.
A situation we often see
Someone sells an old car that hasn’t moved in months. Pickup goes smoothly, the plates come off, and the bill of sale goes into a kitchen drawer. A few weeks later the insurance renewal shows up, still listing the old car, along with a monthly charge for a roadside plan they forgot they had. None of it is hard to fix, but it’s easier to make the calls in the first week while the bill of sale is still on the counter.
After-pickup checklist
- ☐ Bill of sale filed somewhere safe (paper and a phone photo)
- ☐ Plates off and stored, transferred or returned
- ☐ Insurer or broker called
- ☐ 407 ETR account updated and transponder removed
- ☐ City of Toronto parking permit updated or cancelled
- ☐ Condo, building or workplace parking records updated
- ☐ Garage door opener, parking fob and toll transponder taken out of the car
- ☐ Roadside, app, satellite radio and warranty subscriptions sorted
- ☐ Lender confirmed nothing is owing (if there was a loan)
If the car hasn’t left yet, our post on what to expect on pickup day in Scarborough covers the steps before the truck arrives.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to tell ServiceOntario that I scrapped my car?
You keep your plates in Ontario, so the main things to deal with are the plates and the ownership. Hand over the signed vehicle portion of the ownership at pickup and keep your bill of sale. Check ServiceOntario for the current steps if you want to return your plates.
When should I cancel my car insurance after scrap car removal in Scarborough?
After the car has been picked up and you have the bill of sale. Before that, the car is still yours.
What should I do with my licence plates?
Take them off before the car leaves. You can keep them for another vehicle, put them on a vehicle you’re registering, or return them through ServiceOntario.
Why do I need to keep the bill of sale?
It shows the date and time the car left your possession. Your insurer may ask for it, and it is useful if any question comes up later about the vehicle.
Do you pick up scrap cars in Scarborough and the rest of Toronto?
Yes. We serve Scarborough and the rest of Toronto, plus Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Clarington, Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes.
Still have the car?
If your old car is still parked in Scarborough or anywhere in Toronto, get a quote first and sort the paperwork after. Call 416-559-3683 (Monday to Saturday 9 AM to 7 PM, Sunday 9 AM to 5 PM) or use our online quote form. For more, visit our Scarborough scrap car removal page.