Motor vehicle inspection stations

Overview

The Motor Vehicle Inspection Stations (MVIS) program will end December 31, 2024 and we will not be accepting new MVIS applications as of May 1, 2024. New or continuing stations that would like to perform vehicle inspections should sign up for the DriveON program.

If you have already applied to the MVIS program with all required documents, we will contact you about the next steps to join DriveON.

Under the MVIS program, the Ministry licenses qualified garage operators to conduct mandatory motor vehicle safety and structural inspections to certify that vehicles meet minimum safety requirements. Inspections are required either at specified time intervals, or when an event such as the sale of a used vehicle takes place.

Transition to DriveON

Ontario’s new DriveON program will be combining the Motor Vehicle Inspection Station and Emissions Testing programs into a single digital platform. In Spring 2022, DriveON was launched to integrate emissions testing and safety inspections for heavy-duty diesel commercial motor vehicles.

On May 9, 2024, the DriveON portal will open to begin onboarding Motor Vehicle Inspection Stations into the DriveON program.

If you operate an existing MVIS, your facility will not be automatically enrolled into the DriveON program. You must apply as a new Vehicle Inspection Centre, then you will be contacted by Parson’s Inc. via email about the new application process.

If you have any questions about the new DriveON program, you can contact the Vehicle Inspection Centre Assistance Line toll free at 1-833-420-2110 or by email at VIC@driveonportal.com.

MVIS Program

The MVIS program oversees the inspection of vehicles at approved facilities and the issuing of safety standards certificates, structural inspection certificates, stickers, annual and semi-annual inspection certificates. The program ensures that vehicles meet a minimum safety standard before they receive a certificate or sticker. The person who holds the MVIS licence is responsible for all station requirements and the icence cannot be used by another station.

To ensure you are receiving the most up-to-date information regarding the MVIS and DriveON program transfer, it is important you have an up-to-date e-mail address on file with us. Only one email address can be kept on file. To update or correct your e-mail address please email mvis.civa@ontario.ca.

Order MVIS Certificates or Stickers (Stock)

Order MVIS Certificates or Stickers (Stock) under the MVIS program, stations need to provide certificates or stickers once a vehicle has passed inspection. You can order safety standard certificates, structural inspection certificates and annual and semi-annual inspection certificates and stickers by completing the Safety Standards Certificate and Inspection Stickers Order Form (PDF - 1.02 MB) or Structural Inspection Certificates Order Form (PDF - 1.49 MB) and sending it to the MVIS Unit.

You can only order stock once you receive your MVIS Licence and have at least one qualified Technician registered to issue the type of stock requested. This may take up to 4 to 6 weeks for processing and delivery. All stock is sent directly from the distribution center and cannot be picked up.

To comply with Ontario Regulation 170/22: Vehicle Inspection Centres, MVIS stations that have not entered the DriveON program must not:

• issue or affix annual inspection or semi-annual inspection certificates/stickers after July 31, 2024
• issue a safety standards certificate after July 31, 2024, if the vehicle requires an annual or semi-annual inspection sticker
• issue a safety standards certificate of any kind or a structural safety certificate after December 31, 2024.

Since the MVIS program is ending this year, we are limiting the sale of certificates and stickers.

• stations will have until June 30, 2024 to order annual and semi-annual certificates and stickers on a limited basis
• as required by law, MVIS stations cannot issue or affix annual or semi-annual stickers after July 31, 2024
• stations will have until October 31, 2024, to order safety and structural certificates on a limited basis
• as required by law, MVIS stations should not issue standard or structural safety certificates after December 31, 2024

Unauthorized use or sale of expired MVIS certificates and stickers are subject to an investigation by a Transportation Enforcement Officer.

As you wait to join DriveON, please keep these dates in mind as you place your requests for MVIS stock.

Stations are recommended to order 5 books per technician, per month, with a maximum of 20 books per order. Limiting stock quantities will reduce wait times for any required refunds when a station is terminated or when they join the DriveON program.

In order to view the prices on the order form, the minimum browser requirements are as follows:

• Windows Operating System
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0 or 9.0
• Mozilla Firefox 17.0

Prices are also listed for your convenience below in the Fees section.

Note: You must download Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 10.0 or above) to view/print PDF forms. If PDF forms do not open in the latest versions of Firefox and Chrome: How to open XFA-based PDF forms.

Types of MVIS Licences

Type 2 – licensed to inspect and certify all motor vehicles, motorcycles and motor tricycles and trailers.

Type 3 – licensed to inspect trailers and converter dollies only.

Type 4 – licensed to inspect motorcycles and motor tricycles only.

Type 6 – licensed to inspect salvage vehicles only.

How to Get a MVIS Licence

As of May 1, 2024, the MVIS Program will no longer accept new applications. If you have already applied to MVIS with all required documents, we will contact you about the next steps for joining the DriveON program. If you have recently submitted an incomplete application to the MVIS program, you should submit a new application to join the DriveON program instead.

Required Tools

Required tools must be present at the MVIS location.

Types 2, 3 and 4 MVIS applicants must have and maintain the following at the MVIS location:

• enough internal space or external hard standing area for the inspection of at least one vehicle of the class or classes that the Licensee is licensed to inspect;
• technician’s common hand tools such as sockets, wrenches, screw drivers, pliers, hammer, etc.;
• hoist or jack suitable for the weight of the vehicle to be inspected;
• devices appropriate to the class or type of vehicle to be inspected and designed to:
  • aim headlights.
  • measure wear in brake system components.
  • measure tire tread depth.
  • measure play or wear in steering and suspension systems.
  • detect leaks in compressed fuel systems i.e. electronic tester or soap and water.
  • measure the torque of wheel and rim fasteners.
  • measure window tint.

Type 6 MVIS applicants must have and maintain the following at the MVIS location:

• sufficient internal space for the inspection of at least one vehicle of the class that the Licensee is licensed to inspect;
• industry-accepted equipment capable of making three-dimensional measurements on unibody and non-unibody vehicles;
• devices suitable for safely supporting the vehicle during inspection;
• copies of the manuals or relevant excerpts from the manuals with manufacturers’ specifications of dimensions for every make, model and year of vehicle that the structural inspection certificate have been prepared for;
• a copy of the actual measurements taken for each vehicle.

All tools must be kept in proper working order and all measuring or testing devices must be calibrated to a degree of accuracy set out in the requirements of the inspection standard.

Register a Technician

You can register technicians for your station as part of the application process or by completing the reverse side of the List of Registered Technicians form and sending it to the MVIS Unit. You cannot order stock of MVIS certificates or stickers until the station has at least one registered technician. To be registered as a technician, the individual must hold a trade certificate of qualification from Skilled Trades of Ontario. Apprentices are not eligible to be registered in the program.

When the MVIS licence is issued, the List of Registered Technicians will be sent to you along with the MVIS licence. You can request a new list if you have lost your copy of the List of Registered Technicians by emailing MVIS.CIVA@ontario.ca.

An apprentice cannot be registered as a technician. Technicians must possess a certified Journeyperson certificate from Skilled Trades Ontario to be licensed to conduct MVIS inspections. The inspection station must wait for the list of registered technicians to be returned to the station to confirm successful registration. It is possible that the registration could be denied. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks to process the registration.

MVIS operators are responsible for updating their list of technicians with the Ministry of Transportation.

Renewals

All MVIS licences and registration of technicians will expire for all stations on December 31, 2024 and we will not renew MVIS stations, licences and registration for technicians going forward.

If you operate an existing MVIS, your facility will not be automatically enrolled into the DriveON program. If you wish to continue to perform vehicle inspections, please apply to join the DriveON program.

Refunds

All unused MVIS certificates and stickers must be returned to MTO.

To qualify for refunds, MVIS stations are required to return (Ontario Regulation 170/22 Vehicle Inspection Centres).

• unused forms of annual inspection and semi-annual inspection certificates and stickers by August 31, 2024
• unused Safety Standards Certificate and Structural Inspection Certificate forms must be returned by January 31, 2025

We will not accommodate refunds if unused forms and stickers are returned to the us beyond these dates. Unauthorized use or sale of expired MVIS certificates and stickers are subject to an investigation by a Transportation Enforcement Officer.

Please make sure your current mailing address for your station is filled out on the Request for Refund Form.

MVIS Fees

Please note that the fees for the DriveON program are different than the MVIS program.

Payment Options

• Credit Card – fill in and attach the Credit Card Authorization Form (PDF - 1.22  MB)
• Certified Cheque – made payable to “Minister of Finance/MTO"
• Stored Credit
• Cheque – made payable to the “Minister of Finance/MTO”
• Money Order – made payable to the “Minister of Finance/MTO”

Signing Authorities

You can designate an individual(s) to be a signing authority who can sign and affix inspection certificates/stickers on behalf of the Licensee. Complete the List of Signing Authorities Form including the MVIS licence number, name, name of signing authority, signing authority’s signature, effective date, and the Licensee’s signature. The form is to be kept at the MVIS location and not to be sent to the Ministry’s MVIS Unit.

When a vehicle meets the minimum criteria for mechanical fitness, the technician signs the inspection certificate as the registered inspecting technician and the Licensee or someone authorized on the List of Signing Authorities form (PDF – 1.03 MB) may sign as the ‘Licensee’.

Safeties can only be signed by the registered inspecting technician, after the inspecting technician completes the inspection and determines that the vehicle meets the minimum requirements for mechanical fitness.

Inspection Types

Structural Inspection - required when a vehicle has the brand of “salvage” and has been repaired or was previously rebuilt in another jurisdiction. A “salvage” vehicle that has a Structural Inspection Certificate (SIC) issued will have that brand changed to “Rebuilt.”

Safety Standard Inspection - required when registering a ‘rebuilt’ motor vehicle, transferring a used motor vehicle to a new owner, registering a motor vehicle in Ontario that was previously registered in another province, territory or country, and changing the status of a vehicle from ‘unfit’ to ‘fit’. A Safety Standard Certificate (SSC) is issued to a vehicle that passes this inspection. It is valid for 36 days. The SSC certifies that the vehicle meets the minimum safety standards on the date it was issued. It is not a warranty or guarantee.

Annual Inspection - required for trucks, mobile equipment vehicles, trailers and converter dollies each year. An annual inspection report is provided to the client for all inspections (pass or fail). When a vehicle passes, an annual inspection certificate is issued, and an annual inspection sticker is affixed to the vehicle.

Semi-annual Inspection - required for buses, accessible vehicles and school purposes vehicles every six months. A semi-annual inspection report is provided to the client for all inspections (pass or fail). When a vehicle passes, a semi-annual inspection certificate is issued, and an orange semi-annual inspection sticker is affixed to the vehicle.

When certifying a commercial motor vehicle and issuing a safety standards certificate for a commercial motor vehicle in the required weight class, you also have to issue an annual inspection certificate, sticker, report and affix the sticker to the vehicle.

With the MVIS program ending December 31, 2024, stations will have until June 30, 2024 to order annual and semi-annual certificates and stickers. As required by law, MVIS stations cannot issue or affix annual or semi-annual stickers after July 31, 2024.

Stations will have until October 31, 2024, to order safety and structural certificates on a limited basis. As required by law, MVIS stations cannot issue standard or structural safety certificates after December 31, 2024.

Unauthorized use or sale of expired MVIS certificates and stickers are subject to an investigation by a Transportation Enforcement Officer.

Brake Inspections

There are five types of brake inspections per the National Safety Code Standard 11B (NSC 11B) when completing a safety inspection. Three are for drum brakes and two are for disc brakes.

Three Types of Inspection for Drum Brakes

A. Full Inspection with Drum Removed: This is a detailed inspection of all internal brake components. Measurements of the drum diameter and brake lining thickness must be taken and recorded on the Inspection Report.

B. Wheel-on Full Inspection: This is an inspection of the internal brake components and is only available for cam-type drum brakes with removable dust shields. Measurements of drum diameter and brake lining thickness must be taken and recorded on the Inspection Report.

C. Limited-Inspection of Drum Brake: This is an inspection through inspection holes and is only available with the proper and valid Proof of Brake Inspection (see below). Measurements of the brake lining thickness of one brake shoe must be taken and recorded on the Inspection Report. Note: this measurement is not required for buses, school purposes vehicles and/or accessible vehicles.

Two Types of Inspection for Disc Brakes

D. Full Inspection with Wheel(s) Removed: This is a detailed inspection of all internal brake components. Measurements of the rotor thickness and pad friction material thickness must be taken and recorded on the Inspection Report.

E. Limited Inspection of Disc Brakes: This is an inspection of visually accessible brake components and only allowed with the proper and valid Proof of Brake Inspection (see below). Measurements of one brake pad must be taken and recorded on the Inspection Report. Note: this measurement is not required for buses, school purposes vehicles and/or accessible vehicles.

When to Remove the Wheel and Drum

• There are three types of brake inspections where the wheel or drum does not have to be removed. (Brake inspections B, C and E)
• There are two types of brake inspections where the wheel and/or drum have to be removed every time. (Brake inspections A and D)

During Wheel-on Inspections, the Wheel and Drum Need to be Removed if:

• Any of the required measurements cannot be taken with the wheel and or drum in place.
• Any defect is found on a brake, the list of defective conditions that requires wheel removal are listed in Section 3: A.2 (page 74) of the NSC standard.

Proof of Brake Inspections

A limited brake inspection can only be used if the operator provides a valid and proper documentation indicating a full brake inspection with drum and wheel removed (inspection type A or D above) was conducted by a qualified technician registered at an MVIS. This can be completed during a brake overhaul or any type of brake work where the wheel is removed. All of the information listed in Section 3.C (page 78) of the NSC standard must be on a Proof of Brake Inspection Report. The report can cover one, several or all the brakes on a vehicle. A report for a bus, school purposes vehicle or accessible vehicle is valid for 7 months.

Requirements and Inspection Criteria

You can find MVIS requirements and vehicle inspection criteria in the Highway Traffic Act and its regulations. The following links provide the information needed to operate a MVIS:

• Highway Traffic Act Sections 85 to 100
• Regulation 611 "Safety Inspections"
• Regulation 601 "Motor Vehicles Inspection Stations"
• Passenger/Light Duty Vehicle Inspection Standard (PDF)
• National Safety Code 11 Part B "Periodic Commercial Motor Vehicle Inspections" (PDF - 2.42  MB); Part B of the Standard starts on page 46
• Regulation 628 “Vehicle Permits”
• Regulation 376/02 “Classification of Vehicles as Irreparable, Salvage and Rebuilt”

The following inspection criteria must be used to determine if a vehicle meets the minimum standards to pass an inspection:

1. Passenger vehicles: Passenger/Light Duty Vehicle Inspection Standard (PDF)
2. Motorcycles except motorcycles with two front wheels: Regulation 611 "Safety Inspections" Schedule 6
3. Motorcycle with two front wheels: Regulation 611 "Safety Inspections" Schedule 6.1
4. Salvage motor vehicles: Regulation 611 "Safety Inspections" Schedule 9
5. Commercial vehicles (trucks and trailers), buses, school purposes vehicles and accessible vehicles: National Safety Code Standard 11 Part B "Periodic Commercial Motor Vehicle Inspections" (PDF - 2.42  MB); Part B of the Standard starts on page 46
   • Ontario modifications to NSC Standard 11B Regulation 611 Schedule 3

For more details on Commercial Vehicle Inspections see Commercial Vehicle Safety Requirements and Commercial Vehicle Operators' Safety Manual (Module 8 “Preventive Maintenance Record Keeping and Vehicle Files”).

For more details on salvage motor vehicles, see Mandatory Vehicle Branding Program.

Safeties can only be signed by the registered inspecting technician, after the inspecting technician completes the inspection and determines that the vehicle meets the minimum requirements for mechanical fitness.

Record Keeping Requirements

As of July 1, 2012, an inspection report must be provided to the customer, noting important information about the results of the inspection, including measurements for specified components (e.g. tire tread depth); and, any warning lamps that are illuminated. Licensees or Technicians can create their own report provided it meets all the requirements set out in Regulation 601.

A Licensee must keep the following at the MVIS location for a period of one year:

• A copy of each safety standards certificate, annual inspection certificate, and semi-annual inspection certificate issued;
• Records of all vehicles inspected including the measurements and any other information required to be recorded. Where applicable, you must also keep a list of defects, recommended repairs, and actual repairs carried out by the Licensee;
• Records of all individuals authorized by the Licensee to sign safety standards certificates, annual inspection certificates, semi-annual inspection certificates or structural inspection certificates, or to affix annual inspection stickers or semi-annual inspection stickers on behalf of the Licensee;
• An annual inspection report for every vehicle to which an annual inspection sticker has been affixed;
• Semi-annual inspection report for every vehicle to which a semi-annual inspection sticker has been affixed; and
• Proof of brake inspection report for every vehicle inspected based upon National Safety Code Standard 11 Part B – Limited Brake Inspection.

A Licensee must provide the MVIS Unit with the following:

• Updated record of all client application information including corporate structure, legal and business name, address, contact information, corporate officers and registered technicians.
• Type 6 stations must submit the complete structural inspection file within seven days of issuing a Structural Inspection Certificate.

Terminating a Station

To terminate your MVIS, you must complete the Termination of MVIS Form and MVIS Refund Form, as well as return your MVIS Sign and all unused stock to the MVIS Unit.

Stations that are enrolled in the DriveON program will automatically be terminated from the MVIS Program.

MVIS Forms

• Application for MVIS Licence
• Representative or Service Provider Authorization
• Notification of Addition / Termination to List of Directors or Corporate Officers
• Credit Card Authorization Form
• Safety Standards Certificate and Inspection Stickers Order Form
• Structural Inspection Certificates Order Form
• Termination of Motor Vehicle Inspection Station (MVIS)
• Request for MVIS Refund
• List of Signing Authorities
• MVIS Replacement/Amendment Form
• Prepaid Account Authorization Application
• Garage Register

In order to view the prices on the order form, the minimum browser requirements are as follows:

• Windows Operating System:
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0 or 9.0
  • Mozilla Firefox 17.0

Prices are also listed for your convenience below in the Fees section.

Note: You must download Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 10.0 or above) to view/print PDF forms. If PDF forms do not open in the latest versions of Firefox and Chrome: How to open XFA-based PDF forms.

Passenger/Light Duty Vehicle Inspection Standard

Technicians must complete the vehicle inspection in accordance with the full  Passenger/Light Duty Vehicle Inspection Standard (PDF) referenced in Ontario Regulation 611.

Daily Operations

Replacement Stickers and Certificates

Safety standards, structural inspection, annual and semi-annual inspection certificates and stickers may be replaced if the original is damaged or destroyed. The replacement may only be made by the MVIS that issued the original.

• The replacement certificate or sticker must contain the same information as the original; and
• You must add the phrase "REPLACEMENT to certificate # XXXX" or "REPLACEMENT" to sticker # XXXX on the station copy of the new Safety Standards, Structural Inspection, Annual and Semi-Annual Inspection Certificates. Replacement fee is not a standard fee - it is set by the MVIS.

Contact

Ministry of Transportation
MVIS Unit, 3rd Floor
301 St. Paul Street
St. Catharines, ON L2R 7R4
Phone: 1-800-387-7736; Select Option 4, then Option 0 (within Ontario only)
Or 416-246-7166; Select Option 4, then Option 0
Fax: 905-704-2574