How to Reinstate a Suspended Ontario Driver's Licence

What do you need to clear before your licence can be reinstated?

Reinstatement is not simply a matter of paying a fee. Ontario requires you to clear the reason for the suspension and any other outstanding licensing requirements before you can legally drive again.

The Ministry of Transportation lists three basic steps before getting a new licence after a suspension:

1. pay outstanding fines;
2. complete any court processes or court-ordered programs required to clear the suspension; and
3. gather any documents showing that the suspension has been lifted, such as a Notice of Suspension letter, medical letter or affidavit where applicable.

The exact requirements depend on why your licence was suspended. A suspension can arise at the roadside, through a court order or through a Ministry of Transportation suspension notice.

How much does it cost to reinstate a suspended Ontario licence?

The current Ontario fee to reinstate a suspended driver's licence is $281.

The Ministry states that the $281 reinstatement fee does not apply if your licence was suspended for a medical reason. Other costs can still apply depending on the case, including written-test and road-test fees. Some suspensions can also involve separate administrative monetary penalties or remedial-program costs.

The $281 fee is therefore not a complete estimate of every possible cost associated with a suspension.

Can you pay the reinstatement fee online?

Yes. Ontario permits applicable reinstatement fees and defaulted driver fines to be paid online. They can also be paid in person at a ServiceOntario centre.

For an online payment, Ontario states that you need identifying licence information and either the suspension number shown on the Notice of Suspension of Driver's Licence or the offence number shown on the applicable court fine document.

Paying the fee does not guarantee that you are eligible to drive. Other suspensions or requirements may still be recorded against your licence.

Will you get a temporary driver's licence immediately?

If you pay applicable defaulted fines or reinstatement fees online and the system determines that you are eligible to drive, Ontario says a temporary driver's licence will be available for you to download, print, sign and carry at the end of the transaction.

If eligible, a Notice of Outstanding Licensing Requirements that includes a temporary driver's licence can also be mailed to you, or you can obtain a temporary licence at a ServiceOntario centre if you cannot download and print it online. Ontario states that a new driver's licence is mailed in 4 to 6 weeks in this payment-and-reinstatement process.

Do not interpret a successful payment as permission to drive unless your licensing status confirms that you are eligible.

Do you have to retake driving tests after a suspension?

It depends on how long a full-class Ontario licence has been suspended. Ontario currently applies the following requirements:

• 1 to 3 years: an eye test is required.
• 3 to 10 years: a written knowledge test, eye test and two road tests, the G1 and G2 road tests, are required. Ontario allows the first road test after you pass the knowledge and eye tests and the G2 road test after you pass the G1 road test.
• 10 years or more: you must re-apply as a new driver, complete all required tests and serve the mandatory waiting periods. You cannot fast-track the process.

Applicable test fees are additional to the reinstatement fee.

How do you reinstate a licence after a medical suspension?

A medical suspension is handled differently. The Ministry sends a formal Notice of Suspension and information describing the medical evidence needed for your licence to be considered for reinstatement.

Your licence is considered for reinstatement after the Ministry receives and reviews the requested medical information. Ontario states that medical reports are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis and that cases are generally reviewed within 15 business days. More time can be required if additional information is requested.

The Ministry may reinstate the licence, request additional medical information, downgrade a commercial licence, require written, vision or road testing, or require a functional assessment at an approved assessment centre, depending on the circumstances.

If you meet the applicable medical standards and there are no other outstanding suspensions or requirements, the Ministry states that your licence will be reinstated and a reinstatement notice will be mailed to you.

The $281 reinstatement fee does not apply to a medical suspension.

What if your licence was suspended after a dangerous driving conviction?

Ontario imposes additional reinstatement requirements after a dangerous driving conviction. You must successfully complete a driver improvement interview and a re-examination, as well as pay the applicable fees.

The driver improvement interview can be scheduled while you are serving the suspension. Ontario states that you remain suspended if you do not attend the required interview.

The re-examination takes place at a DriveTest centre and includes vision screening, a knowledge test and the G1 and G2 road tests.

Fully licensed drivers

For a fully licensed driver whose licence was invalid for one to three years, Ontario can issue a temporary licence in the driver's last known class for 60 days after reinstatement. The driver must complete all re-examination requirements within those 60 days or the licence will be cancelled.

For three to ten years of invalidity, the driver must complete the graduated licensing tests but does not have to serve the mandatory waiting periods between tests. At ten years or more, the mandatory graduated licensing waiting periods apply.

Novice drivers

If you were a G1 or G2 novice driver and your licence was invalid for more than three years, Ontario requires the mandatory waiting periods under the graduated licensing system.

What if the suspension involved alcohol or drugs?

Alcohol- and drug-related suspensions can involve requirements beyond waiting for the suspension to end and paying the reinstatement fee. Depending on the circumstances and driving history, Ontario's impaired-driving rules can require an education or treatment program, an ignition interlock condition and separate administrative penalties.

Complete every requirement identified by the Ministry before assuming that your driving privilege will be restored. The standard reinstatement page specifically lists failure to attend a required remedial measures program as a reason a licence can remain suspended.

What if your licence was suspended because of unpaid fines?

Defaulted driver fines must be paid before you can restore the affected licensing privileges. Ontario defines these as unpaid fines for moving violations, such as speeding, impaired driving, careless driving or racing, rather than ordinary parking or highway-toll fines.

You can pay eligible defaulted driver fines and reinstatement fees online or at a ServiceOntario centre. However, clearing a fine does not override another active suspension.

If you do not know the offence number, Ontario directs you to contact the court where the fine was imposed.

What if your licence is still suspended after you filed an appeal?

If your driving record contains a conviction that you appealed, the Ministry states that it may take up to 15 business days to process your documents or request. It can take longer when additional information is required, and the licence remains suspended during processing if the suspension has not yet been cleared from the record.

The Highway Traffic Act also contains rules governing the effect of an appeal on a conviction-based suspension. Because an appeal does not mean you should simply start driving, confirm the current status of your licence before operating a vehicle.

Can you pay the reinstatement fee while outside Ontario?

Yes. Ontario provides a procedure for people who are outside the province. You can submit the reinstatement-fee request with identifying information, your out-of-province mailing address and contact details. Ontario accepts the $281 fee by the methods specified by the Ministry, including the online reinstatement-fee option.

If you are outside Ontario and need the Ministry to handle the reinstatement manually, follow the current instructions on Ontario's official suspended-licence reinstatement page before sending payment or personal information.

Where do you go if you need a new licence?

Ontario's reinstatement instructions direct drivers who need a new licence after the suspension is lifted to a DriveTest centre or the ServiceOntario Bay and College location in downtown Toronto.

Bring original identification verifying your legal name, date of birth and signature. If your licence document was also lost or damaged, see the separate Helpydo procedure for replacing an Ontario driver's licence.

How do you know when you can legally drive again?

Check your Ontario driver's licence status before you drive. Ontario expressly states that it is the driver's responsibility to make sure the licence is valid before driving.

This is particularly important when you have paid a reinstatement fee but still have another suspension, are waiting for medical review, need to complete a program or test, or have submitted appeal documents that have not yet been processed.

If your licence is valid again but you later need to exchange a foreign licence for an Ontario licence for a different licensing situation, Helpydo also has a separate guide to exchanging a foreign driver's licence in Ontario.

Common reinstatement mistakes to avoid

• Assuming the $281 payment ends the suspension: you must clear every outstanding requirement affecting your licence.
• Ignoring the suspension end date: a fixed suspension period must expire before reinstatement unless a legally effective appeal or other rule changes its operation.
• Forgetting a required program or test: remedial programs, interviews, medical information or examinations can be prerequisites to reinstatement.
• Paying a reinstatement fee for a medical suspension: Ontario states that the standard reinstatement fee does not apply to a medical suspension.
• Ignoring how long the licence was suspended: a full-class licence suspended for more than one year can trigger additional testing.
• Driving before checking your status: do not rely solely on having paid a fine or submitted documents. Confirm that your licence is valid first.