Vehicle Inspection Requirements

Amendments to the Vehicle-for-Hire bylaw have come into effect on January 1, 2020. Learn more about the updated bylaw, including the creation of an Accessibility Fund Program, data requirements, mandatory training for all drivers and improvements in the licensing and enforcement of vehicles-for-hire.

Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 545 and 546, require all tow truck, driving schools, taxicabs, limousines and private transportation company (e.g. Uber, Lyft and Facedrive) vehicles to pass mechanical inspections as a condition of licensing.

What is a Safety Standards Certificate or Annual Inspection Certificate?

A Safety Standard Certificate (SSC) or an Annual Inspection Certificate (AIC) for accessible vehicles is issued following a mechanical inspection by a Motor Vehicle Inspection Station (MVIS) garage operator licensed by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

SSCs and AICs are only valid when issued by a provincially licensed MVIS garage operator. SSCs and AICs cannot be more than 36 days old at time of submission to the Licence and Permit Issuing Office.

For more information, please visit the Ministry of Transportation’s webpage on commercial vehicle safety requirements.

How do I submit my SSC or AIC?

  1. Email a photograph or scanned copy of your SSC or AIC to vehicleinspection@toronto.ca. Please indicate your plate number in the subject line. Staff will only contact you if there are any issues with your email submission, or
  2. Bring an original copy to the Licence and Permit Issuing Office at the East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Avenue.

Additional requirements:

  1. SSC or AIC needs to be submitted once a year.
  2. Valid SSC or AIC cannot be more than 36 days old at time of submission to the Licence and Permit Issuing Office. SSC or AIC may be submitted up to 30 days before the submission date.
  3. All SSCs and AICs (hard copy) are to be kept in vehicle and produced upon request.

When do I submit my SSC or AIC?

Find your submission date:

Toronto Taxicab Licence (TTL) Taxicab Vehicle Inspections
Standard Taxicab Vehicle Inspections

For accessible vehicles: AICs are required for D409 compliant vehicles along with SSCs.

What happens if I do not submit my SSC or AIC?

Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 546-15 (C) gives Municipal Licensing and Standards (ML&S) the authority to suspend the licence of a vehicle if SSC or AIC is not provided within seven days of the “Next Submission Date” when an inspection has been required.

Replacing a taxicab:

The vehicle

  • Must be no more than 7 model years old. For example, a taxicab manufactured in 2013 must be replaced in 2020.
  • Cannot be a former Police vehicle or a taxicab in other jurisdictions.
  • Must have the taxicab plate affixed to the right side of the rear bumper.

What is a Safety Standards Certificate or Annual Inspection Certificate?

A Safety Standard Certificate (SSC) or an Annual Inspection Certificate (AIC) for accessible vehicles is issued following a mechanical inspection by a Motor Vehicle Inspection Station (MVIS) garage operator licensed by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

SSCs and AICs are only valid when issued by a provincially licensed MVIS garage operator. SSCs and AICs cannot be more than 36 days old at time of submission to the Licence and Permit Issuing Office.

For more information, please visit the Ministry of Transportation’s webpage on commercial vehicle safety requirements.

How do I submit my SSC or AIC?

  1. Email a photograph or scanned copy of your SSC or AIC to vehicleinspection@toronto.ca. Please indicate your plate number in the subject line. Staff will only contact you if there are any issues with your email submission, or
  2. Bring an original copy to the Licence and Permit Issuing Office at the East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Avenue.

Additional requirements:

  1. SSC or AIC needs to be submitted once a year.
  2. Valid SSC or AIC cannot be more than 36 days old at time of submission to the Licence and Permit Issuing Office. SSC or AIC may be submitted up to 30 days before the submission date.
  3. All SSCs and AICs (hard copy) are to be kept in vehicle and produced upon request.

When do I submit my SSC or AIC?

Find your submission date:

Limousine Vehicle Inspections

What happens if I do not submit my SSC or AIC?

Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 546-15 (C) gives Municipal Licensing and Standards (ML&S) the authority to suspend the licence of a vehicle if SSC or AIC is not provided within seven days of the “Next Submission Date” when an inspection has been required.

Replacing a Limousine:

  • Sedan vehicles must be no more than 7 model years old.  For example, a sedan limousine manufactured in 2013 must be replaced in 2020.
  • Stretch vehicles must be no more than 8 model years old. For example, a stretch limousine manufactured in 2013 must be replaced in 2021.
  • Vehicles cannot be branded as rebuilt.
  • Must have the limousine plate affixed to the front grill.

Private Transportation Companies (PTC), such as Uber, Lyft and Facedrive, are responsible for submitting valid Safety Standard Certificates (SSC) or Annual Inspection Certificates (AIC) on behalf of PTC drivers.

Additional requirements:

  1. SSC and AIC needs to be submitted once a year.
  2. Valid SSC and AIC cannot be more than 36 days old at time of submission to the Licence and Permit Issuing Office. SSC or AIC may be submitted up to 30 days before the submission date.
  3. All SSCs and AICs (hard copy) are to be kept in vehicle and produced upon request.

For more information, please visit the Ministry of Transportation’s webpage on commercial vehicle safety requirements.

What happens if SSC or AIC is not submitted?

Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 546-15 (C) gives Municipal Licensing and Standards (ML&S) the authority to suspend the licence of a vehicle if SSC or AIC is not provided within seven days of the “Next Submission Date” when an inspection has been required.

What is a Safety Standards Certificate (SSC)?

A Safety Standard Certificate (SSC) is issued following a mechanical inspection by a Motor Vehicle Inspection Station (MVIS) garage operator licensed by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.
SSCs are only valid when issued by a provincially licensed MVIS garage operator and the SSCs cannot be more than 36 days old at time of submission to the Licence and Permit Issuing Office.
For more information, please visit the Ministry of Transportation’s webpage on commercial vehicle safety requirements.

How do I submit my SSC?

Tow Truck owners are required to submit an original valid SSC at time of licence renewal to the Licence and Permit Issuing Office at the East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Avenue.

Additional requirements:

  1. Valid SSC cannot be more than 36 days old at time of submission to the Licence and Permit Issuing Office.
  2. All SSCs (hard copy) are to be kept in vehicle and produced upon request.

What happens if I do not submit my SSC?

Licence renewal will not be granted if a SSC is not submitted.

What is a Safety Standards Certificate (SSC)?

A Safety Standard Certificate (SSC) is issued following a mechanical inspection by a Motor Vehicle Inspection Station (MVIS) garage operator licensed by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.
SSCs are only valid when issued by a provincially licensed MVIS garage operator and the SSCs cannot be more than 36 days old at time of submission to the Licence and Permit Issuing Office. For more information, please visit the Ministry of Transportation’s webpage on commercial vehicle safety requirements.

How do I submit my SSC?

Driving school vehicle owners are required to submit an original valid SSC at time of licence renewal to the Licence and Permit Issuing Office at the East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Avenue.

Additional Requirements:

  1. Valid SSC cannot be more than 36 days old at time of submission to the Licence and Permit Issuing Office.
  2. All SSCs (hard copy) are to be kept in vehicle and produced upon request.

What happens if I do not submit my SSC?

Licence renewal will not be granted if a SSC is not submitted.