Last updated: July 25, 2026
Ontario makes the driver's abstract easier to get than any other province: the standard 3-year driver record costs $12 uncertified, is ordered online through ServiceOntario, and arrives as a PDF by email. A certified copy, carrying the Ministry of Transportation seal, costs $18 and arrives by mail within 15 business days. For employment purposes the uncertified record is almost always what is being asked for; certified copies exist for legal proceedings. Details and fees here come from ontario.ca's driving record page and are current as of July 2026.
What the 3-Year Record Shows
The 3-year driver record lists your identification details, demerit points, active suspensions, and driving convictions from the past three years. It does not include your address, and it does not include medical suspension history. If a screening request asks for your "driving record", "driver abstract", "MTO abstract" or "MVR" in Ontario, this document is what they mean.
Ontario also issues a separate driver's licence history, at the same $12/$18 pricing, which covers licence changes and education courses rather than convictions. Unlike the 3-year record, the licence history can only be ordered by the driver or by a Canadian law enforcement agency.
Who Can Order One
Anyone with a valid Ontario licence number can order the 3-year record. No consent form is collected by ServiceOntario, no relationship to the driver is verified. That makes Ontario the easiest province for employer-side screening, and it is also a reason to treat your licence number as personal information: whoever holds it can read your last three years of driving history for $12.
Reputable employers collect written consent anyway, both as good practice and because screening that pairs the abstract with a criminal record check requires consent for the record-check half regardless. That half runs online in about 15 minutes; the abstract arrives from ServiceOntario in parallel.
How to Order, Step by Step
Ordering the uncertified 3-year record online takes a few minutes: the ServiceOntario driver-record service asks for the licence number, takes payment, and emails the PDF. Ordering in person at a ServiceOntario centre produces the uncertified record immediately. Mail orders, and all certified copies, take up to 15 business days via Canada Post.
What Ontario Employers Actually Ask For
A driving role in Ontario is normally screened with two documents: the 3-year driver record above, and a criminal record check. The abstract covers the driving; the record check covers everything else, because provincial driving convictions and Criminal Code history live in different systems. As part of a pre-employment screen, the record-check half completes online in about 15 minutes, with per-check pricing and volume screening for fleets and staffing agencies, while the $12 abstract arrives from ServiceOntario by email.
Commercial Drivers: the CVOR Abstract
Commercial vehicle operators in Ontario have a second record: the CVOR abstract, tied to the Commercial Vehicle Operator's Registration rather than to an individual licence. Carriers reviewing drivers under their National Safety Code obligations usually need both documents. The CVOR abstract is ordered separately, through the Ministry of Transportation's CVOR service.
For the wider picture of what abstracts show in every province, and how they differ from licence verification, see the national driver's abstract guide. British Columbia's process is covered in the BC guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a driver's abstract cost in Ontario?
The 3-year driver record costs $12 uncertified and $18 certified from ServiceOntario. The uncertified copy is the one employers normally ask for.
How fast is an Ontario driver's abstract online?
The uncertified 3-year record ordered online arrives as a PDF by email. In-person orders at ServiceOntario are printed immediately. Certified copies and mail orders take up to 15 business days.
Can an employer order my Ontario driving record without my consent?
ServiceOntario will issue a 3-year driver record to anyone with a valid licence number. Good screening practice still collects written consent, and the criminal record check that usually accompanies an abstract requires it.
What is the difference between certified and uncertified?
The content is the same; a certified record carries the Ministry of Transportation seal and is normally only needed for legal proceedings. Certified copies cost $18 and arrive by mail rather than instantly.
Does an Ontario driver's abstract show criminal convictions?
No. It shows driving convictions, demerit points and suspensions from the past three years. Criminal history requires a separate criminal record check, which can be completed online in about 15 minutes.
Instant Record Check Editorial
Writing on criminal record checks and background screening in Canada.
