ICBC Appraisal in BC: One Service, Multiple Use Cases
When ICBC needs to see a documented value for your vehicle, the form is FIN-320 and the answer is an independent certified appraisal. We handle the FIN-320 for private-sale PST, family transfer support, and imported vehicles, all remotely across BC for $75 flat.
Why buyers use this page
- Used for private-sale PST, family transfer paperwork, and imported vehicle registration
- The form is FIN-320, the same certified appraisal regardless of the use case
- $75 flat fee, 1-hour turnaround after the file is accepted
- Remote workflow, accepted by Autoplan brokers and ICBC adjusters across BC
ICBC Appraisal BC
When people ask for an ICBC appraisal, the document they mean is the FIN-320 Motor Vehicle Appraisal Form. The form states it must be completed by a motor dealer registered under the BC Motor Dealer Act, a person authorized to carry on a similar business in another jurisdiction, or "a person whose business it is to appraise motor vehicles". IC Appraisal BC qualifies under the third category, and the appraiser signs the Part 5 certification on every form. The same FIN-320 covers several situations: PST on a private sale at registration, a total loss dispute, a family transfer, and an imported vehicle.
When you actually need an ICBC appraisal
You do not always need a FIN-320. You need one when the value of the specific vehicle you are dealing with materially differs from a generic reference value. That happens most often with high-mileage daily drivers, below-average condition vehicles, work trucks, JDM imports, modified vehicles, low-mileage well-maintained vehicles in total-loss settlements, and family transfers in disputed scenarios.
The four most common ICBC appraisal scenarios
Different problems, same form. Each scenario shapes what we emphasize in the appraisal.
Private-sale PST support
You bought a used vehicle privately. The broker plans to charge PST on the Black Book value, which is higher than what you paid. A FIN-320 documents the actual market value and supports the lower tax basis.
Imported vehicle registration
A vehicle arriving from another province or from the US needs its value documented for registration and provincial sales tax. A FIN-320 records the value of the specific vehicle rather than a generic reference figure.
Family transfer paperwork
You are gifting or transferring a vehicle to a family member. Some transfers are exempt; others are taxed. Where the value matters, a FIN-320 puts a documented figure for that specific vehicle on the file, signed, with the evidence it rests on.
Imported vehicle registration
JDM, right-hand-drive, and unusual trim imports often do not fit Black Book tables. A FIN-320 documents the BC market value rather than relying on a number that may not exist for your vehicle.
What you receive
The deliverable is a single PDF, certified and ready to use.
Signed FIN-320 form
The official BC motor vehicle appraisal form, completed by a qualified appraiser, with the appraised value, vehicle details, and condition notes.
Supporting evidence
Comparable-sales references and condition adjustments that justify the appraised value when the broker, adjuster, or Consumer Tax Branch reviews the file.
Email-ready format
PDF delivered by email so you can forward it directly to your broker, ICBC adjuster, or Consumer Tax Branch refund file without printing or mailing anything.
How to get your ICBC appraisal
Submit the vehicle details, the relevant paperwork (APV9T, ICBC offer letter, transfer paperwork, or import documents), and a complete photo set.
We review the file, confirm the appraisal is supportable, and flag any missing details before completing the valuation.
After acceptance and payment, you receive the signed FIN-320 by email, typically within 1 hour, ready to use with your broker, ICBC, or Consumer Tax Branch.
ICBC Appraisal BC FAQ
What is an ICBC appraisal?
It is a certified FIN-320 motor vehicle appraisal completed by a qualified appraiser. ICBC, brokers, and the BC Consumer Tax Branch all reference the same form across multiple use cases.
Is this the same as a FIN-320?
Yes. The form people search for as an "ICBC appraisal" is FIN-320. It supports private-sale PST, family transfers, and import documentation. It is a Ministry of Finance tax form, so it is not the instrument for an insurance settlement dispute.
Do brokers accept a remote ICBC appraisal?
The FIN-320 asks who completed the appraisal and carries a Part 5 certification that the information given is true. It does not require the appraiser to have examined the vehicle in person. Every certified FIN-320 we issue says on its face that it was prepared remotely from photographs and documents, so the basis is visible to whoever reviews it. We cannot speak for how an individual broker will treat a particular file.
How much does an ICBC appraisal cost?
IC Appraisal BC charges $75 flat plus tax. The fee is the same for any of the use cases above.
How fast can I get the appraisal?
Typically within 1 hour after the file is accepted and payment is complete. Missing photos or unclear paperwork can slow acceptance, so a complete upload helps.
Do I always need an ICBC appraisal?
No. You need one when the specific vehicle is materially different in value from generic reference data, or when an ICBC settlement, transfer, or registration depends on a documented number rather than a default value.
Helpful next steps
Use these supporting pages to keep moving.
Key facts, sources and verification
- Form
- FIN 320, Motor Vehicle Appraisal Form
- Governing legislation
- Provincial Sales Tax Act (British Columbia)
- Value reported
- Expected retail value on a private sale. The form states the appraised value is not a trade in figure.
- What the value rests on
- The specific vehicle: odometer, damage, mechanical condition, whether it runs, and its documented history. Not a lookup from the VIN alone.
- Who may complete it
- A registered motor dealer, an equivalent business in another jurisdiction, or a person whose business it is to appraise motor vehicles
- Area served
- All of British Columbia, handled remotely
- Provider
- IC Appraisal BC
- Standard fee
- $75 plus tax for an accepted standard remote FIN 320 file
- What ICBC and the Ministry each do
- ICBC and Autoplan brokers handle registration and claims. PST is assessed by the BC Ministry of Finance. The FIN 320 is a Ministry of Finance form.
Quick answers
- Who is allowed to complete a FIN-320 in British Columbia?
- The FIN 320 form states it must be completed by a motor dealer registered under the BC Motor Dealer Act, a person authorized to carry on a similar business in another jurisdiction, or "a person whose business it is to appraise motor vehicles." Bulletin PST 308 repeats the same requirement. IC Appraisal BC qualifies under the third category, and the appraiser signs the Part 5 certification on every form.
- How does BC decide how much PST you pay on a private vehicle sale?
- PST is charged on the greater of the purchase price or the average wholesale value, which Bulletin PST 308 defines as the Canadian Black Book value. If you believe the vehicle is worth less than that, you may provide a completed FIN 320. The bulletin then says that where the appraised value and the purchase price are both below the average wholesale value, PST is calculated on the greater of the appraised value and the purchase price.
- What value does a FIN-320 actually report?
- Retail value, not a trade in figure. The form itself carries the note that the appraised value "is NOT intended to be trade-in value but represents the expected retail value when a motor vehicle is sold privately." This is the single most common misunderstanding, and quoting a trade-in figure on a FIN 320 is a defect in the form.
- What is the difference between a FIN-320 and a FIN-355MV?
- The FIN 320 is the appraisal; the FIN 355/MV is the refund application. You present a FIN 320 when you register the vehicle to have PST charged on the appraised value in the first place. If PST has already been paid, the FIN 320 instead becomes an attachment to a FIN 355/MV refund claim, which the Ministry of Finance must receive within 30 days of the registration date.
- Can the seller get the appraisal, or does it have to be the buyer?
- Either. Bulletin PST 308 states that appraisals "may be obtained by the purchaser or seller of the motor vehicle." In practice the buyer usually orders it, because the buyer is the one paying the PST.
Sources
The statements above are drawn from the following primary documents. Each was checked against the source on the verification date below.
- FIN 320, Motor Vehicle Appraisal Form (BC Ministry of Finance)
- Bulletin PST 308, PST on Vehicles (BC Ministry of Finance)
- Notice 2022-005, PST on Motor Vehicles Purchased at Private Sales or Imported from Outside Canada
- FIN 355/MV, Application for Refund of PST Paid on a Motor Vehicle
- ICBC vehicle registration
Canadian Black Book returns one number from the VIN. It does not account for kilometres, damage, mechanical condition, or whether the vehicle runs at all. A FIN 320 appraisal is built on those things, which is why it produces a figure the Ministry of Finance accepts. The form itself states the appraised value “is NOT intended to be trade-in value but represents the expected retail value when a motor vehicle is sold privately”.
Verified against the source documents on .
This page is general information about British Columbia vehicle appraisal and PST, not legal or tax advice. PST is assessed by the BC Ministry of Finance and registration is handled by ICBC and Autoplan brokers, so the amount of tax owing or refunded on any particular vehicle is determined by them, not by the appraiser. Figures quoted from government publications were verified against the source documents on the date shown.
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