Stopping halfway: what happens to an unfinished car loan application
A car loan application opens a file partway through the form, not at the end. What an unfinished one leaves behind, and how to have it removed.
Getting approved online
Online car loans in Canada
You can do the whole thing from a phone: apply, be matched with one dealer partner, choose a vehicle with them, and arrange pickup or delivery. This page is what actually happens at each of those steps, and the answers to the questions people ask before they start.
One application
One secure form, one specialist, one dealer partner. Your details are not sent to a list of buyers, and never to more than one dealer at a time.
Every province and territory
Dealer partners can deliver a vehicle or arrange a handover wherever you are in Canada.
Not available to residents of Quebec.
A person reads it
Nothing here is decided by a score alone. A specialist reads the whole file and tells you where you stand.
What you can do without leaving home
Four things happen between filling in a form and driving. Only one of them needs you to be anywhere in particular, and even that one can come to you.
Apply
The form is thirteen short screens and asks one question at a time. Your name and contact details are saved from the second screen; nothing goes to a dealer until the last one.
Be matched with one dealer
Your file goes automatically to a single dealer partner, chosen from your answers, and a specialist there reads it. Not a list, and not an auction.
Choose a vehicle with them
You pick the vehicle with the dealer, from what their lender will finance for you. You see it before you sign anything.
Arrange pickup or delivery
Collect it yourself, or have the dealer deliver it or arrange a handover. That is available in every province and territory.
Not available to residents of Quebec.
From the form to the keys
Step 1: Apply online in 2 minutes
Complete our secure online form. We only ask for what we need. No obligation. Submitting an inquiry with Yes Auto does not trigger a hard credit pull on our end. However, once we match you with a dealer partner, that dealer or their lending institutions may perform a hard inquiry as part of the formal approval process.
Step 2: A specialist reads it
Your file goes to a specialist at one dealer partner. They look at income, how long you have been at your job, where you live and what you can carry — not only at a number.
Step 3: Get approved and get driving
Your specialist walks you through your options and next steps. Most applicants receive a response within 24 hours.
What people ask before they apply online
These are the seven questions that come up most, and the honest answers to them.
Will applying hurt my credit?
Submitting an inquiry with Yes Auto does not trigger a hard credit pull on our end. However, once we match you with a dealer partner, that dealer or their lending institutions may perform a hard inquiry as part of the formal approval process. The upside: once you’re driving, paying your car loan on time every month is one of the most effective ways to build or rebuild your credit.
Is it safe to type my income into a form?
The form is encrypted in transit and at rest. It goes to one dealer partner at a time, where a specialist reads it — never to a list.
Will I need my SIN?
Usually, yes. The dealer partner who contacts you will ask for your Social Insurance Number, because a lender needs it to run the credit check an approval depends on. Give it to them directly, never by email.
Am I committed if I apply?
No. There is no obligation at any point before the dealer’s paperwork, and that is the first thing you will be asked to sign.
Can I really buy a car I have not seen?
You do not have to. You choose the vehicle with the dealer and see it before you sign. Buying sight-unseen is an option, not the process.
Who actually calls me?
A specialist, usually within 24 hours. They will confirm what you entered, ask about anything the file does not explain, and tell you what happens next.
What if I am not near a dealer?
Dealer partners deliver or arrange a handover in every province and territory. Being a long way from a city changes the logistics, not whether you can do this.
Not available to residents of Quebec.
Our lender network
We work with 30+ Canadian lenders spanning prime, non-prime, and in-house financing — including TD Canada Trust, RBC Royal Bank, Scotiabank, CIBC, iA Auto Finance, Rifco, Santander, AutoCapital Canada, and more. One application connects you to the right lender for your situation.
Common questions
How long does an online car loan application take?
The form itself is short. What takes time is the review, and a specialist will normally come back to you within 24 hours.
What documents will I need?
Usually proof of income and proof of address. If you are self-employed, expect to be asked for something showing income over a longer period than a pay stub covers.
What interest rate will I get?
That depends on your credit, your income and the vehicle, and it is set by the lender after they have read the file. The car loan calculator will let you see what a given rate and term actually cost.
Can I apply if I am new to Canada?
Yes. A credit file that did not cross the border is a common situation rather than a disqualifying one, and there is a page about exactly that.
Can I apply on a phone?
Yes, and most people do. The form is one question per screen for that reason.
Does this work outside a city?
Yes. Delivery and handover are available in every province and territory.
Not available to residents of Quebec.
Related reading
Why one dealer, not thirty: how car loan applications are sold to dealers
How lead resale works in Canadian car loans, what it does to the applications sold through it, and why we send one file to one dealer instead.
Applying for a car loan online in Canada, or walking onto a lot
Applying for a car loan online in Canada versus starting at a dealership: what each route decides for you, and what you give up by applying online.
Ready to get started?
Apply online in 2 minutes. Our specialists review every file individually and are available seven days a week.
Programs may vary by province. Approval is subject to lender review and application details.