How much does it cost to renew your licence plate? Will your licence plate still need a sticker? Read on to find out more about the new process of renewing your Ontario licence plate and which vehicles are eligible for automatic licence plate renewal.
Steps to Renew Your Licence Plate in Ontario
In 2024, Ontario changed its licence renewal system to automatically renew plates for most vehicles as long as they’re eligible.
How Much Does Ontario Licence Plate Renewal Cost?
If you have a vehicle that needs to be manually registered, you will still need to pay a fee to renew your licence plate. These fees can go up to $200 depending on the type of vehicle you own.
Renewing your Ontario licence no longer costs anything, as long as you’re driving a personal vehicle or light commercial vehicle weighing under 3,000 kilos. Ontario has eliminated the need for licence plate stickers, and consequently, the need for any fees associated with them. However, if you have outstanding fines or penalties, you’ll need to pay those before you can renew your licence plate.
What to Do if You Missed the Renewal Deadline?
Ontario’s automatic online licence plate renewal will ensure that most licence plates are renewed on time. However, sometimes you may forget to manually renew your licence plate before the deadline passes. In that case, you’ll get a letter in the mail from ServiceOntario 72 hours after your plates expire, reminding you to renew them.
If you haven’t renewed your licence plates within those 72 hours, you can still renew them online or in person, as long as you’ve paid any fees or fines and have valid insurance.
The Nuances of Renewing Licence Plates for Used Cars
If you’re renewing the licence plate for a used car, there are a couple of steps you need to take to ensure that the plate is valid and in your name:
- Complete the portion of the permit for a plate transfer at a ServiceOntario centre.
- Sign over the permit from the previous owner and pay the transfer fee.
- Show proof of your active insurance policy to link coverage with the transferred plate.
To avoid any issues with a newly bought used car, don’t forget to re-link your own insurance policy to the vehicle, as this can lead to a failed e-licensing check. You should also remember that registering the vehicle in your name changes the expiry calendar, so don’t rely on the old owner’s calendar for licence plate renewal.
What If the MTO is Unable to Verify Your Insurance?
When you renew your licence plate, whether automatically or manually, the MTO will automatically check with your insurance company for a valid auto insurance policy. If they’re unable to verify that you’re insured, but you have a valid insurance policy, you can take the following steps to confirm your insurance manually:
- Contact your insurer to confirm they’ve submitted your policy details correctly.
- Obtain an official insurance binder or letter from your broker.
- Bring that document to a ServiceOntario centre or upload it online if prompted.
Do I Need to Renew My Licence Plate Sticker in Ontario?
If you’re driving a personal vehicle in Ontario, you may not need to manually renew your licence plate anymore. Since July 1, 2024, Ontario has introduced automatic licence plate renewal for the following vehicles:
- Passenger vehicles
- Light commercial vehicles under 3,000 kg
- Motorcycles
- Mopeds
For the vast majority of Ontario drivers, this means that your licence plate will be automatically renewed every year without any need for manual input. However, there are some vehicles that still need to have their licence plates manually renewed. These include:
- Commercial and business vehicles over 3,000 kg
- Motorhomes
- Vehicles manufactured before 1983
- Buses and school buses
- Snowmobiles
If you own any of these vehicles, you will need to physically go to ServiceOntario for licence plate renewal or renew it online.
Take note that only drivers with a clean record and no outstanding fines will be eligible for automatic licence plate renewal. You also need a valid auto insurance policy before your licence plate can be renewed automatically. Since most licence plates now get renewed automatically, Ontario no longer issues yearly registration stickers, giving you one less ting to worry about when it comes to renewing your licence.
Renewal Process for New Residents
If you’ve recently moved from another country or province, you may be wondering how to renew your licence plate in Ontario. Renewing your licence plate involves a few additional steps to ensure compliance with provincial regulations. Here’s a step-by-step guide for how to renew your licence plate in Ontario:
Important Factors to Consider
Even though sticker fees were abolished for most Ontario drivers, you could still receive fines for driving without a renewed licence plate. If you’re caught driving without an up-to-date licence plate, you can be fined up to $1,000, while driving without an up-to-date driver’s licence can net you fines up to $260.
Law enforcement agencies use Automatic Licence Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology to check for expired registrations, so you don’t even need to get pulled over to get caught. It’s important to make sure your driver’s licence and plates are always up-to-date so you can avoid racking up unwanted fees.
If you own a vehicle that isn’t eligible for automatic plate renewal, such as a heavy commercial vehicle, a bus, or a historical vehicle, you still need to manually renew your plates every year. Fortunately, you can sign up for digital reminders through ServiceOntario, allowing you to receive emails 60 and 30 days before your renewal date. Take note that for these kinds of vehicles, you still need to pay a renewal fee, unlike regular passenger vehicles.
Key Advice from MyChoice
- Make sure that your licence plate is properly renewed, since getting caught driving without a valid plate can lead to fines of up to $1,000 and a potential license suspension.
- Keeping your auto insurance policy updated is important to ensure that you’re eligible for automatic licence plate renewal.
- You still need to manually renew your licence plate and pay a renewal fee if you own a heavy commercial vehicle, bus, motorhome, or historical vehicle.
- If the MTO can’t verify your insurance, double-check with your insurer.