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Your insurance coverage could be void without a valid driver’s licence


For many Ontarians, a driver’s licence is a valuable thing to have, especially if you live in a rural area. Once you have your driver’s licence, it’s crucial to keep it up to date. Residents with an expiring driver’s licence and licence plate will no longer be mailed paper renewal notices. This shift away from snail mail, along with the elimination of licence plate stickers and renewal fees, has caused some confusion among Ontario drivers.

When should I renew my driver’s licence and licence plate?

Provincially, Ontario has the highest number of motor vehicles registered at 9 million1 – that’s a lot of licences! All drivers are required to renew their licence (for $90) every five years2. All vehicle owners are required to renew their licence plate (for free) every one or two years, usually before their birthday, depending on vehicle type and the renewal period they choose3.

There are consequences

Not only is driving with an invalid driver’s licence illegal, but it also comes with a hefty fine of $2604 and voids your insurance coverage. It should be stressed that provided you are a current OTIP auto insurance client and your licence is invalid, you will not receive an automated offer to renew your policy. Insurance policies are written with the condition that you are authorized by law to operate a vehicle, which means having a valid driver’s licence. Suppose you get into a car accident and your licence is not valid. In that case, your insurance company could refuse to cover the damage, and you could be personally responsible for any property damage and personal injuries. If another driver injures you, it could also prevent you from being able to sue the at-fault driver. Plus, getting a ticket for driving without a valid licence could increase your car insurance premiums, costing you more in the long run.

If you let your licence stay expired for too long, you will have to restart the licensing process from square one. If your driver’s licence has expired for more than three years, you will have to reapply for a licence and meet all the requirements of graduated licencing, including passing the G1 and G2 tests5.

Typically, your driver’s licence expiry dates are synced up with your licence plate expiry. If your licence plate is expired, you could get fined $85 in addition to the ticket you get for driving without a valid licence4.

Renewing is easy

Renewing your driver’s licence in Ontario is easy—if you don’t need a new photo, don’t have any outstanding fines, don’t need any tests (vision, written, or road), and you have a full G, D, or M licence, you can renew it online2. To see if you’re eligible to renew online, check the restrictions on the Government of Ontario’s website; otherwise, you can visit a ServiceOntario centre in person.

You can sign-up for digital reminders to ensure you never forget to renew again. You will get free email, text message, or phone call reminders 60 and 30 days before it is time to renew your driver's licence. If you have questions about your car insurance coverage, call 1-800-267-6847 to speak with an OTIP insurance broker.
 

  1. Statistics Canada

  2. Ontario.ca

  3. Ontario.ca

  4. Ontario Courts

  5. Ontario.ca

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