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Overview
Your vehicle must have a valid licence plate and be insured to drive legally in Ontario. The licence plate renewal period varies depending on type of vehicle and if you choose to renew for 1 or 2 years.
Owners of passenger vehicles, light duty vehicles under 3,000 kg, motorcycles and mopeds must renew licence plates every 1 or 2 years, usually before your birthday.
When you renew:
- you will no longer receive a sticker for your licence plate or vehicle permit
- you do not have to pay licence plate renewal fees
- law enforcement will be instantly aware your licence plate was renewed
Heavy commercial vehicles
Heavy commercial vehicles (over 3,000 kg), buses, school buses and farm plated vehicles can now renew online.
Learn more about renewing your heavy commercial licence plate.
Valid for 1 or 2 years
You must renew your licence plate every 1 or 2 years. For most this will be before your birthday.
What you need to do before you renew
When you need to renew
You can renew your licence plate up to 180 days before it expires. The expiry date for individuals is usually your birthday.
The expiry date for passenger vehicle, light commercial vehicle, motorcycle or moped licence plates can be checked online using your licence plate and vehicle permit numbers.
Check your licence plate expiry date
What you need before you renew
To renew your licence plate, you need:
- your licence plate number
- your vehicle permit number
- your insurance company name and policy number
- your odometer reading
- to pay any defaulted fines, tolls or fees
- to pay for your renewal fees (if applicable)
- an emissions test, if you are renewing for a heavy commercial diesel vehicle
Renew online and in-person
Renew online
Most customers can renew online.
Sign up for renewal reminders
Never forget to renew again!
Sign up to get free reminders by email, text message, or phone call when it's time to renew your licence plate.
Renew in-person
Visit a ServiceOntario centre if you cannot renew online.
You may be able to book an appointment ahead of your visit.
Questions about renewals
Find out more information about renewal requirements or call us at
Eliminating licence plate stickers
Sticker refund for individuals
We have eliminated licence plate stickers for passenger vehicles, light-duty trucks, motorcycles and mopeds.
If you paid renewal fees for your licence plate sticker for an individually-owned vehicle between March 1, 2020 and March 12, 2022, you would have been sent your refund cheque in the mail.
Cost and delivery
Cost
$0 for passenger vehicles, light-duty trucks, motorcycles and mopeds.
Note: your renewal fee may vary based on your situation. For example, if you have a company vehicle, trailer or snowmobile.
If you renew online
For passenger vehicles, light-duty trucks, motorcycles and mopeds, transaction receipts can be printed for your records at the end of your transactions.
If you renew in-person
A representative will provide you with a transaction receipt.
How to pay in-person
Pay with cash, cheque, money order, VISA, Mastercard or Interac®
If you are paying by cheque please note:
- personal cheques must be certified (we will not accept uncertified personal cheques)
- company cheques must have the company name pre-printed on them
- cheques must be made payable to: Minister of Finance
Delivery
You will no longer receive a licence plate sticker for passenger vehicles, light-duty trucks, motorcycles and mopeds. You must continue to renew your licence plate every 1 or 2 years, usually before your birthday.
Once you complete your renewal online or in-person, law enforcement will be instantly aware your licence plate has been renewed.
Renewals for business owners, heavy commercial vehicles or dealer
Vehicles under 3,000 kg
You can renew online for up to 10 vehicles per transaction, for vehicles that weigh 3,000 kg or less:
- passenger vehicles
- light duty vehicles under 3,000 kg
- motorcycles
- mopeds
- snow vehicles
Plate renewals for passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles, motorcycles and mopeds are now free. Businesses are still required to pay any unpaid renewal fees from March 2020 to March 12, 2022.
These unpaid fees must be paid at the time of your next plate renewal.
Vehicles over 3,000 kg
You can renew online for up to 5 vehicles per transaction, for:
- heavy commercial vehicles weighing over 3,000 kg
- buses/school buses
- farm plated vehicles
Snow vehicles
Snow vehicles still require a licence plate sticker.
You can renew your snow vehicle sticker online.
Renew your sticker
Note: you can also renew in-person at a ServiceOntario centre.
Cost
$15 Southern Ontario
$0 Northern Ontario
How you can pay
Online
VISA, Mastercard
Delivery
If you renew online
Your licence plate sticker(s) will arrive in the mail within 14 days. It may take longer:
- if you are outside of Ontario
- when demand is higher than normal
If your sticker is expiring soon
You will get a temporary licence plate sticker validation document when you renew your sticker:
- 14 days or less before it expires
- after it expires
Until the new sticker arrives, you must:
- print the temporary licence plate validation document and keep it in the vehicle
- leave the existing sticker on the licence plate
The temporary licence plate sticker validation document is:
- proof that you renewed your sticker
- gives you a 14-day extension from the order date until the new sticker arrives
If you renew in person
You will be given your licence plate sticker at the ServiceOntario centre.
Unpaid fines
Driver fines or fees
Defaulted driver fines are for any unpaid moving violation and do not include vehicle (parking or highway toll) fines.
Examples of moving violations are:
- speeding
- drinking and driving
- careless driving
- racing
You may have to pay a reinstatement fee or Administrative Monetary Penalty (AMP) if your licence was suspended.
Your licence could be suspended:
- at the side of the road (a roadside suspension)
- a court could order a suspension
- if you receive a suspension letter from the Ministry of Transportation
Defaulted driver fines must also be paid in full before you can renew your driver’s licence or order a personalized licence plate.
You can pay online or in person at a ServiceOntario centre.
Pay driver fines or fees online
Vehicle fines, penalties or tolls
You must pay outstanding vehicle fines, penalties, tolls and fees when you renew your licence plate. These include:
- highway tolls
- outstanding vehicle licensing fees (bounced cheques, for example)
- vehicle fines or penalties such as:
- parking
- red light camera
- passing a stopped school bus
- operating an unlicensed taxi
- automated speed enforcement
- passing a stopped streetcar
To pay any outstanding fines, penalties, tolls or fees on your vehicle, please visit a ServiceOntario centre.
Insurance coverage
Insure your vehicle
By law, to renew your licence plate, your vehicle must be insured.
The Ministry of Transportation verifies that your vehicle is insured by checking your vehicle identification number – a unique number assigned to your vehicle – with the insurance information from your insurance provider.
If your insurance information cannot be verified, or your vehicle identification number cannot be matched, you will not be able to renew your licence plate.
You will need to compare the vehicle identification number on 3 things:
- the dashboard of your vehicle
- your vehicle permit
- your Canadian inter-province motor vehicle liability insurance card (pink card)
If the vehicle identification number on your dashboard and your Canadian inter-province motor vehicle liability insurance card do not match, you will need to contact your insurance company to fix it.
Check your vehicle identification number before you renew
You will need to correct your vehicle identification number before you can renew your licence plate online.
If the vehicle identification number on your dashboard and vehicle permit does not match, you will need to visit ServiceOntario to correct it. You will need to bring the following documents:
- the vehicle permit (ownership) – the vehicle portion of the permit is required
- your Canada Inter-Province Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Card (“pink card”)
- one of the following documents:
- original vehicle manufacturer’s warranty
- copy of manufacturer’s invoice
- original or copy of the bill/certificate of sale from the original selling dealer
- letter from an authorized dealer for your make of vehicle verifying the correct vehicle identification number of the vehicle
- copy of certificate of title/certificate of origin
- copy of new vehicle information statement (NVIS).
- written confirmation from municipal or provincial police verifying that the vehicle identification number was checked through the Canadian police information centre
- original safety standards certificate, form SR-E-214, only if the last 6 characters of the vehicle identification number are correct
- sworn affidavit by the vehicle owner explaining the vehicle identification number error
If you do not have insurance, you must get it from an insurance provider licensed to do business in Ontario. Proof of insurance is required to renew your licence plate.
If you’ve moved recently
You must change your address within 6 days after you move. You should keep your address up to date to make sure:
- any products you order online will arrive at the correct address
- the validation fee you are charged aligns with the area you live in
- you are complying with the law
Issues with your plate
If you have any issues with your licence plate, for example:
- stolen
- damaged
- lost
You must visit a ServiceOntario centre.