Automatic licence Plate Renewal Takes Effect in Ontario on July 1
In a groundbreaking move, the Ontario government is set to revolutionize the lives of over eight million drivers by introducing automatic licence plate renewals. This initiative, the first of its kind in North America, will go into effect on July 1, 2024, and is expected to save vehicle owners a remarkable 900,000 hours annually.
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is making life more affordable and convenient for drivers,” stated Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “First, we eliminated licence plate sticker fees for passenger vehicles, saving drivers $120 a year for every car they own. Now, we’re saving drivers valuable time and making their lives easier by automatically renewing licence plates.”
The new system will cover licence plates for passenger vehicles, light-duty trucks, motorcycles, and mopeds. These plates will be automatically renewed 90 days before their expiration date, provided the vehicle owner has valid insurance and no outstanding fines or tolls. In cases where automatic renewal is not possible, the owner will be informed and required to complete the renewal manually, either online or at ServiceOntario locations.
“The automatic licence plate renewal program stems from our government’s unwavering commitment to deliver modern, seamless and time-saving services,” said Todd McCarthy, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement. “By utilizing innovative technological solutions to streamline and improve government services, we are saving Ontarians precious time and money.”
Until this new system is implemented, vehicle owners must continue to renew their plates manually, though at no cost. Ontarians can check the status of their licence plates at ontario.ca/platerenewal.
Quick Facts
Vehicle owners are encouraged to sign up for ServiceOntario reminders to avoid missing digital notifications related to automatic renewals. Notifications are sent via email, text, or voicemail at 90, 45, and 10 days before expiry, and again at 72 hours after expiry. For those not signed up for digital notifications, paper notifications will be mailed 90 days before expiry and 72 hours after expiry.
In 2022, Ontario eliminated licence plate sticker fees and stickers for passenger vehicles, resulting in savings of up to $120 annually for each vehicle owned.
The new automatic renewal system will not alter the way the province, municipalities, or the 407 ETR collect unpaid fines and tolls. The transition to automatic renewals was made possible by the Get It Done Act, which received Royal Assent in May 2024.
Amanda Dean, Vice-President of Ontario and Atlantic for the Insurance Bureau of Canada, also expressed support: “Insurance Bureau of Canada applauds the government’s continued efforts to make it easier and more convenient for Ontario drivers to access the services they need and is pleased to support the implementation of automatic licence plate renewals.”