Safety standards certificate

A safety standards certificate shows that your vehicle meets the minimum safety standards. You can't put a licence plate on a vehicle without one.

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New rules for mechanics and garage owners
You must use the Passenger/Light-Duty Vehicle Inspection Standard ( PDF ) for vehicles that require a safety standards certificate. Learn more about the new regulations.

Overview

A safety standards certificate confirms that your vehicle met the minimum safety standards on the date the certificate was issued. It is not a warranty or guarantee of the vehicle’s condition.

You can buy and register a vehicle without a safety standards certificate, but cannot put plates on a vehicle without one.

To get a certificate, your vehicle must first pass an inspection at an inspection station, licensed by the Ministry of Transportation ( MTO ).

Where to get a certificate

Any inspection station in Ontario, licensed by MTO , can give you a certificate once your vehicle passes an inspection. Most licensed inspection stations have a sign that says Motor Vehicle Inspection Station.

When you need a certificate

You need a safety standard inspection and certificate if you are:

1. registering a rebuilt vehicle
2. transferring a used vehicle to a new owner (unless the new owner is your spouse)
3. registering a vehicle in Ontario that was bought in or came from another province, territory or country
4. changing the status of a vehicle from unfit to fit

Who is exempt

You do not need a safety standards inspection and certificate if you are:

1. registering a used motorized snow vehicle, off-road vehicle, motor-assisted bicycle ( e.g. moped), or trailer
2. transferring the vehicle to your spouse

If you have questions or need more information on exemptions, please call ServiceOntario’s Driver and Vehicle Contact Centre at:

• 416-235-2999
• Toll-free: 1-800-387-3445

Inspection criteria

When you take your vehicle to a licensed Motor Vehicle Inspection Station, they must use government-regulated inspection criteria to determine if your vehicle meets the minimum standards to pass inspection.

Learn more about the inspection rules for:

• light duty trucks and passenger vehicles that need a safety standard certificate ( PDF )
• motorcycles with only one front wheel
• motorcycles with two front wheels
• salvage motor vehicles ( i.e. vehicles that are damaged due to a collision, impact ( e.g. a large tree falls onto the vehicle), fire, flood or have been stolen and dismantled)
• commercial vehicles ( e.g. trucks and trailers), buses, school buses and accessible vehicles (5.3 MB PDF )

If you have a concern or complaint about an inspection station or recently certified vehicle, please call us at 1-800-387-7736 (toll-free). You’ll need to know the current mileage of the vehicle. If you’ve done a qualified re-inspection, you’ll need those results as well.

Cost

The cost of a safety standard inspection and the certificate is different at each Motor Vehicle Inspection Station. This isn’t regulated by the government.

Validity period

A safety standards certificate is valid for 36 calendar days after the inspection.

Please note that if it expires before you register your vehicle, you will have to pay for a new inspection and certificate.

Certifying a salvage vehicle as rebuilt

A salvage vehicle is a vehicle that has been identified as stolen and dismantled or damaged as a result of a collision, impact ( e.g. a large tree falls onto the vehicle), fire or flood.

In order to register and put a plate on a salvage vehicle:

• it must be inspected, certified and/or repaired by a specialized Motor Vehicle Inspection Station, licensed to conduct more in-depth, structural inspections (call the inspection station to confirm)
• you must get both a Structural Inspection Certificate and a Safety Standards Certificate from the inspection station

The vehicle will be re-branded from salvage to rebuilt once you submit a Structural Inspection Certificate at any ServiceOntario location.