NVIS for trailers: what it is and how to fill it in
Updated 2026-10-05 · By the VINready team, built by a Canadian trailer manufacturer
When you sell a new trailer, the buyer needs the New Vehicle Information Statement (NVIS) to register it. It’s the manufacturer’s description of the vehicle as built, and it has to match the compliance label exactly.
The vehicle section
- VIN: all 17 characters, the same as the label. A barcode of the VIN makes it quicker to enter at the licensing office.
- Make: your brand name as it should appear on the registration.
- Model and series: your model designation, for example the size and axle setup.
- Model year: the same year as VIN position 10 (see the model year chart).
- Colour and body type: for example BLACK, ENCLOSED or UTILITY.
- Shipping weight (the trailer’s own weight) and GVWR, both in kilograms.
The manufacturer, dealer and purchaser sections
- Manufacturer: your legal name and address, and your HST number.
- Dealer: the dealer’s name, province and dealer number, signed and dated by the dealer at the sale, with the odometer field left blank or N/A for a trailer.
- Purchaser: the buyer’s name and address, filled in at the sale.
The details must match everywhere: VIN, model year, GVWR and manufacturer on the NVIS, the compliance label and your VIN log. A mismatch is the most common reason a licensing office sends a buyer back.
Making NVIS sheets faster
VINready fills in the NVIS from the same details as the compliance label, with your company details, the VIN barcode and, if you like, the buyer, so the two always match. Reprints come out exactly like the original.
Common questions
- What is an NVIS?
- The New Vehicle Information Statement is the manufacturer’s document describing a new vehicle. Provinces use it to register the vehicle for the first time.
- Who fills in the NVIS for a trailer?
- The manufacturer fills in the vehicle and manufacturer sections. The dealer section is completed and signed by the dealer who sells it, and the purchaser section names the buyer.
- I sell trailers directly to customers. Who signs the dealer section?
- When the manufacturer sells directly, the manufacturer generally completes the dealer section itself. Check with your province’s licensing office for how they want it done.
- What if the NVIS is lost?
- The manufacturer can issue a replacement or reprint from its records, often marked as a duplicate. Keep a copy of every NVIS you issue.
This guide explains the rules in plain language and isn’t legal advice. The Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations and Transport Canada’s guidance are the final word; check them, or ask Transport Canada, before relying on a detail.