Get a safety or emissions inspection for a commercial vehicle
Learn about safety and emissions inspections for commercial vehicles and how to find a DriveON Vehicle Inspection Centre.
Overview
To ensure commercial vehicles are safe to drive, they need regular inspections. There are different types of inspections:
- Annual and semi-annual inspections are completed by a licensed technician at a certified DriveON Vehicle Inspection Centre (VIC).
- Annual and semi-annual inspections can be used as a Safety Standards Certificate for 36 days after the inspection date.
- Preventative maintenance inspections are part of an operator’s maintenance plan and schedule and must be performed by a qualified technician at prescribed intervals.
- Daily inspections are completed by the driver or other person on behalf of the operator.
Certain types of heavy-duty commercial vehicles also need an emissions test every year at a DriveON vehicle inspection centre. If you own one of these vehicles, you will receive a notification in the mail when it is time to renew your vehicle registration.
Emissions tests are not required for light-duty and passenger vehicles.
Vehicles that need annual and semi-annual safety inspections
Vehicles that need an annual safety inspection (valid for 12 months) include:
- most trucks, trailers and converter dollies, alone or in combination, with a total gross weight, registered gross weight or manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of more than 4,500 kg
- tow trucks regardless of weight
- concrete pumps and mobile cranes (not including off-road mobile cranes)
Total gross weight : total weight of the truck and/or trailer, including the driver, passengers, fuel, equipment, tools and cargo while on the road.
Registered gross weight (RGW) : maximum weight allowed based on the fees paid for the vehicle’s licence plates. You can find this information in kilograms on the truck’s ownership paper next to "REG. GROSS WT." (right plate portion). Trailers and converter dollies do not have an RGW.
Manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) : maximum weight a truck or trailer can carry as set by the manufacturer. This number is found on the vehicle identification number (VIN) plate or safety certification label.
Vehicles that need a semi-annual inspection every 6 months include:
- passenger vehicles with 10 or more seats (not including the driver). For example, buses, large vans, limousines
- school purposes vehicles used for transporting 6 or more persons
- accessible vehicles
Exemptions
You do not need an annual or semi-annual safety inspection for:
- buses with manufacturer's GVWRs of 4,500 kg or less that are for personal use
- a recreational vehicle, unless it is used for commercial purposes
- pick-up trucks and trailers drawn by pick-up trucks and meet all the conditions:
- vehicles are used for personal purposes without compensation
- vehicles are not carrying commercial tools or cargo, or equipment normally used for commercial purposes
- pick-up truck has a manufacturer’s GVWR of 6,500 kg or less and is fitted with either the original, unmodified box that was installed by the manufacturer or an unmodified replacement box that duplicates the one originally installed by the manufacturer
What an inspection covers
Ontario has strict requirements for safety inspections based on Canada’s National Safety Code (Standard 11, Part B). Inspections include:
- power train
- suspension
- brake systems
- hydraulic brakes
- air brakes
- steering
- instruments and auxiliary equipment
- lamps
- electrical system
- body
- tires and wheels
- coupling devices
Failed inspections
If your vehicle does not pass an inspection, you will be required to repair it and have it re-inspected before a Safety Standards Certificate is issued. You do not need to repair the vehicle at the DriveON VIC where you had it inspected.
You can return the repaired vehicle to the same VIC for re-inspection within 10 days. An extra charge may apply if the wheels need to be removed to have the brakes re-inspected.
Search a vehicle’s inspection test history
You can find your digital DriveON vehicle inspection report online.
To search your vehicle’s inspection history, you need your VIN. You can find it on the:
- green ownership certificate — issued by the Ministry of Transportation
- vehicle insurance certificate (pink form) — issued by your insurance company
- Statement of Compliance label, located inside the vehicle on the driver’s-side door opening
- vehicle’s dashboard
If you need help, call the DriveON contact centre toll-free at
Vehicles that need an emissions test
Your vehicle needs an emissions test if it is a heavy-duty diesel commercial motor vehicle (large truck or bus) with an RGW over 4,500 kilograms and the vehicle is either:
- at least 7 model years old and you are renewing your licence plate sticker
- older than the current model year and you are registering the vehicle as a new owner
Vehicles that do not need an emissions test
Your vehicle does not need an emissions test if it is a:
- light-duty or passenger vehicle with an RGW less than or equal to 4,500 kilograms, (including motorcycles and motorhomes)
- heavy vehicle with an RGW over 4,500 kilograms that does not run on diesel
How to get an emissions test
Emissions tests are done at registered DriveON vehicle inspection centre or by licensed DriveON technicians. To get an emissions test, you can:
- go to a DriveON VIC
- call the DriveON contact centre toll-free at
1-833-420-2103
If you are out of the province for 6 to 12 months and unable to renew your registration, contact the DriveON contact centre toll-free at
What happens during an emissions test
An emissions test for a heavy diesel commercial motor vehicle involves:
- a pre-test check
- an opacity test
- an on-board diagnostic (OBD) system test for 2007 and newer vehicles with a GVWR rating of up to 6,350 kilograms
There are measures in place to ensure emissions tests are fair, such as:
- VICs must have computerized, tamper-proof equipment approved for the program.
- Your test results are compared with emissions standards set for all vehicles of the same particular year and model. All results are recorded in a central database to facilitate monitoring and auditing.
- All technicians performing the tests are monitored continuously for expected pass or fail rates and irregularities.
All VICs are audited to ensure they follow proper testing procedures.
Every registered technician and VIC must follow the inspection procedures and apply the equipment and performance standards set out in Ontario’s DriveON inspection directive (PDF).
Pre-test check
Before performing the emissions test, the technician will do a visual check of the vehicle.
The technician may find issues with the vehicle that must be corrected before they can continue with the emissions test. Issues may include:
- the vehicle has visible emissions for more than 5 seconds in any 1-minute period
- the vehicle has a missing fuel cap or fuel cap that fits improperly — the same applies to the diesel exhaust fluid tank cap
- the vehicle has exhaust system leaks
- the engine speed governor malfunctions or is maladjusted
- the VIN is missing or does not match the vehicle permit
- the inspector cannot connect to the OBD system data link connector (for example, the connector is missing, damaged or tampered with, or another device is attached)
- the testing may cause a risk to the inspector’s health or safety
- the testing may cause damage to equipment, property or the vehicle
Opacity test
This test measures the opacity of the emissions from heavy commercial diesel vehicle exhaust. To pass the opacity test, the overall opacity result must not exceed the corresponding opacity percentage for its model year as listed in the table below.
| Vehicle model year | Opacity standard — Vehicle passes inspection | Opacity standard — Vehicle fails inspection |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 and older, not a school bus | 0 - 40% | > 40% |
| 1990 and older school bus | 0 - 30% | > 30% |
| 1991 to 2007 | 0 - 30% | > 30% |
| 2008 to 2010 | 0 - 20% | > 20% |
| 2011 and newer (Started July 1, 2023) | 0 - 10% | > 10% |
On-board diagnostic system test for model year 2007 and newer with a GVWR up to 6,350 kilograms
This test identifies if the diesel emissions control systems are operating as intended.
A vehicle that fails the on-board diagnostic test will not pass the emissions test.
Some vehicles may be exempted from the on-board diagnostic test.
On-board diagnostic non-communication exemption list
A small number of heavy-duty diesel commercial motor vehicles have unique testing characteristics that prevent them from communicating with an on-board diagnostic test unit. These vehicles cannot be OBD-tested to determine if the OBD system has an active emission-related Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC).
For these vehicles, a technician may issue an emissions inspection certificate that indicates a pass without testing the vehicle to determine whether the OBD system has an active emissions-related DTC. The vehicle would still need to show compliance with the opacity standards to pass.
On-board diagnostic monitor readiness exemption list
The OBD test will exclude the check of monitor status for Monitor IDs for vehicles listed in the table below, which is updated regularly. All other aspects of the OBD test will apply.
OBD monitor readiness exemption table
| Item | Start model year | End model year | Make | Model | VIN mask | Monitor IDs excluded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2007 | 2007 | Dodge | Ram Pickup | N/A | Exhaust gas sensor, PM filter |
Monitor name and ID table
| OBD monitor ID number | Diesel monitor name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Comprehensive components |
| 2 | Misfire |
| 3 | Fuel control |
| 4 | NMHC catalyst |
| 5 | NOx SCR aftertreatment |
| 6 | Exhaust gas sensor |
| 7 | PM filter |
| 8 | EGR |
| 9 | Not applicable |
| 10 | Boost pressure system |
| 11 | Readiness result of A/C refrigerant |
| 12 | Readiness result of thermostat |
| 13 | Readiness result of PCV |
Emissions test results
After completing the emissions test for a heavy-duty diesel commercial motor vehicle, you may receive a:
- pass report or certificate
- fail report
Pass
If your vehicle passes the emissions test, you:
- will get an electronic emissions inspection with a report or certificate indicating a pass by email
- can print and keep the pass report or certificate with your vehicle’s maintenance information
The pass report or certificate is valid for 12 months.
Fail
Failing an emissions test could be related to the opacity portion of the test and/or the OBD portion. The inspector can explain the emissions results.
Your vehicle’s emissions problems should be evaluated and repaired (if necessary) before you:
- take a retest
- renew your heavy commercial diesel vehicle registration or transfer vehicle ownership
Enforcement
All motor vehicles driven on Ontario’s roads are subject to Ontario’s emissions standards. If your vehicle is found to be in contravention of these standards, you may be subject to compliance or enforcement action such as written warnings and/or fines.
Ministry of Transportation enforcement officers and police anywhere in Ontario are authorized to stop and inspect your vehicle if they believe:
- your vehicle is emitting excessive exhaust emissions
- emissions control equipment has been tampered with or removed
Report a smoking or tampered heavy-duty diesel commercial vehicle
Tampering refers to removing or rendering inoperative all or part of a system or device used to prevent or lessen the discharge of any contaminant.
If you see a smoking or tampered heavy-duty diesel commercial vehicle, you can:
- fill out an online form
- call the DriveON contact centre toll-free at
1-833-420-2103
If available, include the following information:
- licence plate of the vehicle
- description of the vehicle
- location, date and time you saw the vehicle
- business name and location