On March 18, 2020, temporary regulations under the Highway Traffic Act, Photo Card Act, Environmental Protection Act and Motorized Snow Vehicles Act were put in place to extend the validity of driver, vehicle and carrier products and services, including heavy commercial vehicle validation stickers, that expired on or after March 1, 2020.
This has resulted in a substantial backlog of deferred transactions and raised enforcement concerns about the validity of expired licences. In an effort to address these issues and get people and businesses up-to-date, Ontario is reinstating the renewal requirements for driver and vehicle products.
Note the the extension validity periods below have little meaning to drivers and vehicles crossing the border into the United States. The FMCSA have announced that their waiver program is expiring November 30th, which means that driver licences and vehicle plate stickers will need to be updated for cross border travel after November 30th.
For more information:
Waiver in Response to the COVID-19 National Emergency – For States, CDL Holders, CLP Holders, and Interstate Drivers
Operating Commercial Motor Vehicles
For a PDF of the below information, click here.
For driver and vehicle products to remain valid, renewal of documents and/or completed transactions are required by the following deadlines:
Renewal notices are being mailed to customers who took advantage of driver’s licence and vehicle validation (non-heavy commercial vehicle) extensions and for those whose renewals are due before February 28, 2022. Heavy commercial vehicle owners who must renew by December 31, 2021, will receive a renewal notice. Drivers with an expiry after February 28, 2022, must renew by the date indicated on the licence and will also be sent a renewal notice. We strongly encourage individuals to renew their driver’s licences and licence plate stickers online, if eligible, at ServiceOntario.ca. Renewing online will help reduce lines at ServiceOntario centres and help staff and customers physically distance to stop the spread of COVID-19.
If members would like to discuss the operational aspects of the lifting of these temporary regulations, they may contact: