Frequently Asked Questions

What does Underbook Appraisals do?

We review privately purchased vehicles in British Columbia to determine whether an appraisal may support a lower value for PST purposes. If the vehicle appears to be worth less than the value being used to calculate tax, an appraisal may help reduce the PST owed at transfer.

Can I use this appraisal for ICBC or a PST refund?

Yes. Underbook Appraisals prepares BC vehicle appraisal packages for private-sale situations, including pre-registration transfers and already-paid-PST refund support.

For pre-registration customers, we prepare a clear, broker-ready appraisal package for the vehicle transfer process. For customers who have already registered and paid PST, we prepare a refund-support package based on the timing, vehicle details, and supporting documents provided.

Before asking for payment, we review your situation to make sure an appraisal appears useful. If the numbers do not make sense, the timing looks wrong, or the refund path appears unlikely to help, we will tell you upfront instead of pushing you through a paid process.

Our goal is to give you a clear, properly prepared package you can understand and use with confidence — not vague paperwork, not a mystery process, and not a "pay first, ask questions later" appraisal.

How does the refund-support package work?

If you have already registered the vehicle in your name and already paid PST at ICBC, Underbook prepares a refund-support package instead of a pre-registration transfer package.

Your refund-support package includes your appraisal, a plain-language checklist, the key numbers you need for the refund form, and instructions for what to send with your application.

The goal is to make the refund process easier to understand, not leave you with a government form and a pile of mystery paperwork. We show you what the package is for, what supporting documents are usually needed, and what steps are still your responsibility.

You are responsible for signing and submitting the refund application. The Ministry of Finance makes the final refund decision.

Do I have to pay upfront?

No. Underbook is designed so you can check whether an appraisal appears worthwhile before paying for one. We review your submission first. If we believe the appraisal is likely to save you more than it costs, we send a payment request. If not, we tell you before you pay anything.

Is savings guaranteed?

No. A preliminary estimate is not a guarantee. Final acceptance and tax treatment depend on the information provided, the completed appraisal, and the transfer process. We only provide an appraisal when we believe it appears worthwhile based on the vehicle details and condition.

Can I get a refund after the appraisal is delivered?

Because Underbook provides a professional review and completed appraisal package, the service is considered performed once the completed package is delivered. We do not normally refund a completed and delivered appraisal simply because you decide not to use it, because ICBC asks for more information, or because the final tax result is different than expected. If we made a material error, we'll review it and may correct the package.

What vehicles are a good fit?

Underbook is most useful when a privately purchased vehicle may be worth less than the standard value being used for tax. This can happen because of mileage, condition, damage, mechanical issues, market conditions, or other factors that affect real value.

What information do I need to submit?

You will need basic vehicle details, the VIN, purchase price, mileage, condition information, and photos of the vehicle. Clear photos help us review the vehicle properly before requesting payment.

Why do you ask for photos?

Photos help confirm the vehicle condition and support the review. They also help us decide whether an appraisal appears worthwhile before asking you to pay.

Do you show the raw reference value?

No. Any internal reference values used during review are not shown publicly. Customers see only a preliminary savings range or a final confirmed estimate after review.

What happens if the appraisal is not worth doing?

We tell you. If the likely savings do not appear to justify the appraisal fee, we do not send a payment request.

What if the vehicle is a gift?

If the vehicle is genuinely a qualifying gift, you may be eligible for BC's vehicle gift exemption instead of needing an appraisal. Underbook is for appraisal-supported PST reduction when PST is payable. If your transfer may be a gift, check the BC gift-transfer requirements first, including FIN 319. We do not recommend buying an appraisal if a gift exemption is the correct path.

What if the PST savings are small?

If our review shows that an appraisal is unlikely to save you more than it costs, we tell you and we will not ask you to pay.

If the appraisal still helps but the savings are modest, Underbook may automatically reduce the fee so the numbers still make sense. For confirmed borderline savings, the fee may be set at 50% of the confirmed PST savings instead of the standard appraisal fee. This follows a fixed fair-pricing rule based on your confirmed savings — it is not haggling, pressure, or a case-by-case sales decision.

Is this only for British Columbia?

Yes. Underbook Appraisals is built for BC private vehicle transfers and BC PST-related appraisal use.

What does an appraisal cost?

The standard appraisal fee is $80. You are never charged upfront — a payment request is only sent after manual review, and only if the appraisal appears likely to be worthwhile.

Do repeat customers pay the same price?

Your first completed appraisal is $80. After that, future appraisals are $71.

There is no membership and no subscription. It is just an earned repeat-customer rate for customers who have already completed a paid appraisal with Underbook. Each new vehicle still needs its own review, evidence and photos, and its own final appraisal decision.

If a future appraisal has only modest PST savings, our fair-pricing rule can still reduce the fee below the repeat-customer rate. You will never pay more because you are a repeat customer.

Will every request qualify?

No. Each submission is manually reviewed. If an appraisal does not appear likely to provide a useful benefit, we will tell you and will not request payment.

How do I receive updates on my request?

Updates are normally sent by email. Customers who provide a mobile number and expressly opt in may also receive optional transactional text message updates about their request — see Terms for details. SMS updates are optional and are not required to use the appraisal service.

How do I contact Underbook?

See the Contact page for our support email address.

Can I submit an appraisal request online right now?

Online appraisal requests are temporarily unavailable while we complete final launch preparations. Business information and support remain available in the meantime — contact us on the Contact page.