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Ontario begins automatic licence plate renewals starting July 1st

From the Ontario government

The Ontario government is making life easier and more convenient for more than eight million drivers by becoming the first jurisdiction in North America to introduce automatic licence plate renewals. The change takes effect on July 1, 2024, and will save vehicle owners time, amounting to more than 900,000 hours every year.

“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is making life more affordable and convenient for drivers,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “First, we eliminated licence plate sticker fees for passenger vehicles, saving drivers $120 a year for every car they own. Now, we’re saving drivers valuable time and making their lives easier by automatically renewing licence plates.”

Licence plates for passenger vehicles, light-duty trucks, motorcycles and mopeds will renew automatically 90 days before expiry if the vehicle owner has valid insurance and no outstanding fines or tolls. If a licence plate cannot be renewed automatically, the vehicle owner will be notified and required to manually renew online or in person at ServiceOntario.

“The automatic licence plate renewal program stems from our government’s unwavering commitment to deliver modern, seamless and time-saving services,” said Todd McCarthy, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement. “By utilizing innovative technological solutions to streamline and improve government services, we are saving Ontarians precious time and money.”

Until automatic licence plate renewals take effect, vehicle owners are required to manually renew their plates at no cost. Ontarians can check their licence plate status at ontario.ca/platerenewal.


Quick Facts

  • Vehicle owners can ensure they do not miss digital notifications about issues related to automatic renewal by signing up for ServiceOntario reminders at https://reminders.ontario.ca/en or 1-800-387-3445.
  • Vehicle owners who have signed up for ServiceOntario digital notifications will be sent notifications through email, text, or voicemail if their licence plates cannot be renewed at 90, 45, and 10 days before expiry, and again at 72 hours after expiry.
  • Vehicle owners who have not signed up for digital notifications will be sent paper notifications by mail 90 days before expiry and 72 hours after expiry.
  • In 2022, the Ontario government eliminated licence plate sticker fees and stickers for passenger vehicles, saving drivers up to $120 a year for every car they own.
  • The introduction of automatic licence plate renewals will not change the way the province, municipalities or the 407 ETR collect unpaid fines and tolls.
  • In May 2024, the Get It Done Act received Royal Assent allowing for the transition to automatic renewal of licence plates.
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4 Comments

  1. Paul Kuebler says:

    Dear Mr. Beatty,

    Really… common sense? You are Ok with constant lies from the Ford Government? You must be Ok with selling the 407 for 3 Billion, when it cost $10 Billion?

    You must be Ok with the Ford Government not having to pony up for inflation like you and I have to? e.g. a budget for the 2 Hospitals inflating to $1.5 Billion, but Ford holding the budget to the original $1 Billion and telling Muskokans to suck it up?

    You must be Ok with Privatized Healthcare; cancelling 738 Green Energy projects (resulting in thousands of job losses, and a legal bill no one has access to); cancelling the Pawn Brokers Act (resulting in easier fencing of stolen goods); tearing out EV charging stations at GO Stations; de-funding Education and Healthcare to the tune of BILLIONS $$$???

    IF this is common sense, then we need to re-write the dictionary meaning.

    Paul Kuebler
    Port Sydney

  2. Bill Beatty says:

    Common Sense Government. How refreshing . Keep up the money/time saving legislation !

  3. Just making sure. We do not pay for our vehicles licensing any more? If we have 3 cars, all we pay for is the initial license plate so that the license is in our individuals name?

  4. Bob Braan says:

    $1.1 billion/year cost of eliminating licence plate sticker renewals.
    Hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars for a parking garage for a private spa.
    Hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to make booze more accessible.
    But not a dime for minor repairs to the Science Centre.

    Ford claims the new tiny Science Centre Kiosk at Ontario Place would save $250 million over 50 years. 
    Another blatant lie.
    Attempting to baffle Ontario with big numbers.
    That’s only $5 million a year.
    Peanuts.
    $250 million “saving” is another blatant lie. 
    It actually costs $250 million MORE for Ford’s plan to downsize and move the Science Centre.

    The auditor general pointed out Ford didn’t include the half billion cost of the parking garage for the private spa in the “savings calculation.” 
    So actually it costs at least $250 million MORE for a Science Centre half the size. 
    Save hundreds of millions and  leave it where it is and do the minor repairs while it’s open as architects and engineers suggest.

    Trudeau/Liberals need a boost in the polls.
    The Science Centre needs some minor repairs.
    Toronto is looking to take over the Science Centre.
    Trudeau should step forward and fund the repairs for Toronto and demand Ford reopen the Science Centre.
    Win-win-win.
    Under Ford Ontario continues to be lose, lose, lose.

    Trudeau just has to repeat what engineers and architects have stated which is the opposite of Ford’s false claims.
    The costs and time for repairs according to Ford are “grossly inflated” according to architects and engineers.
    Repairs can easily be done with the Science Centre open.

    It wouldn’t be the first time Trudeau provides funding for a provincial responsibility when Ford refuses.
    Ford refused to spend hundreds of millions in Covid money he got from the feds, for example.
    The feds have already bypassed Ford with funding for housing by going directly to municipalities.

    But Ford claims he’s at 99% of his housing target right now.
    Another blatant lie.
    Only because he started counting LTC beds and basements as homes.