Reinstate Licence
Types of suspensions
You can lose your driver’s licence for many reasons — but every suspension is considered serious.
Your licence could be suspended:
- At the side of the road (a roadside suspension)
- A court could order a suspension
- If you receive a suspension letter from the Ministry of Transportation
A court will order a suspension if you are convicted of violating certain driving-related laws.
Your driver’s licence could be suspended if you:
- Have alcohol in your blood
- Fail or refuse to give a breath sample when asked by police
- Break the graduated licensing rules for new (‘novice’) drivers
- Fail to insure your vehicle
- Fail to stop for a police officer and court believes that you tried to escape police
- Accumulate too many demerit points on your driving record
- Fail to attend a demerit point interview on your driving record
- The result of a demerit point interview is unsatisfactory
- Fail to pay claim/court judgement
- Fail to attend the remedial measures program
- Fail to file a vision report
- Do not pay court-ordered child or spousal support
- Do not pay a traffic fine when ordered by a court
- Have a medical condition that a doctor believes could affect your ability to drive safely
- Are convicted of certain driving-related offences (e.g., careless driving, driving 50 km/h or more over the speed limit)
You will have to surrender your licence.
What you need to reinstate
Before you can get a new licence, you will need to:
Step 1: Pay any outstanding fines.
Step 2: Complete any court processes/court-ordered programs needed to clear the suspension.
Step 3: Gather any documents that state that the suspension has been lifted (e.g., a Notice of Suspension letter, a medical letter, an affidavit).
Once a suspension is lifted, you can renew your driver’s licence.
How to get a new licence
To get a new driver’s licence, visit:
- A DriveTest centre
- The ServiceOntario College Park location in downtown Toronto
Bring original identification that verifies your legal name, date of birth and your signature.
Fee
$281 reinstatement fee (does not apply if your licence was suspended for a medical reason)
Plus applicable fees for the written test and road tests, if you need to take them.
Tests
If your full class licence has been suspended for more than one year, you need to take certain tests.
1-3 years suspended: you need to take an eye test.
3-10 years suspended: you need to take:
- A written knowledge test
- An eye test
Two road tests (G1 and G2)
- You can book your first road test as soon as you pass your knowledge and eye tests
- You can book your G2 road test, as soon as you pass your G1 road test
10+ years suspended: you need to re-apply as a new driver and re-take all required tests. You cannot fast-track and need to serve all mandatory waiting periods.
If you’ve been charged with dangerous driving
If you have been charged with dangerous driving, you need to:
- Successfully complete a driver improvement interview
- Successfully complete a re-examination
- Pay the applicable fees
Driver improvement interview
To schedule a driver improvement interview, call the Ministry of Transportation’s scheduling office at 1-800-396-4233 or 416-235-3579. You can schedule the interview while you are serving your suspension term for the dangerous driving conviction.
You will remain suspended if you do not attend a driver improvement interview.
Re-examination
The re-examination takes place at a DriveTest Centre. This three-part test includes:
- Vision screening
- A knowledge test
- G1 and G2 road tests
Novice drivers
If you were a novice driver (G1 or G2 class) and your license was invalid for more than three years, you are required to serve the mandatory waiting periods under the graduated licensing system.
Fully licensed drivers
If you were a fully licensed driver, you may have to complete the graduated licencing system depending on how long your licence was invalid:
- 1-3 years invalid: You do not have to complete the graduated licencing system. Upon reinstatement, you will be issued a temporary driver’s license with your last known class – it will be valid for 60 days. You must complete all re-examination requirements within 60 days, or your driver’s licence will be cancelled.
- 3-10 years invalid: You will have to complete the graduated licencing system. You must successfully complete a vision screening test, a knowledge test, and the G1 exit and G2 exit road tests to reinstate your driving privileges. You are not required to serve the mandatory waiting periods between tests.
- 10+ years invalid: You are required to serve the mandatory waiting periods under the graduated licensing system.
Applicable fees
You can pay your $281 reinstatement fee online or in person at a ServiceOntario centre.
You are required to pay all re-examination fees at the DriveTest Centre.
Reinstate a suspended driver’s licence: outside Ontario
If you are outside Ontario, you can submit your reinstatement fee payment by sending a signed letter indicating:
- Your driver’s licence number or name and date of birth
- The reason for your request
- An out-of-province mailing address
- Telephone number and/or e-mail address
The fee of $281, in the form of a cheque or money order, must be included and made payable to the “Minister of Finance/MTO” and drawn on a Canadian bank account.
If you wish to use Visa or Mastercard, we require a signed and dated letter of authorization that includes the following information:
- Name of card holder
- Card type (Visa or Mastercard)
- Card number
- Expiry date (month and year)
- Reason (i.e. driver’s licence replacement)
- Amount to be charged
Send the letter and payment to:
Ministry of Transportation
Licensing Administration and Support Office
Special Enquiry Unit
87 Sir William Hearst Avenue
Room 178
Toronto, Ontario
M3M 0B4
Fax: 416-235-4414