Ontario Driver's Abstract: How to Order Your Driver Record and What It Costs
Ontario's driver's abstract is officially the 3-year driver record: $12 uncertified, $18 certified, from ServiceOntario. How to order it, what it shows, and when you need the licence history or a longer record instead.
How do I get a driver's abstract in Ontario?
What employers call a driver's abstract is Ontario's 3-year driver record. It costs $12 uncertified or $18 certified. Order the uncertified record online and it arrives as a PDF by email; at a ServiceOntario centre it's handed to you on the spot. Certified records and mail orders are processed within 15 business days and sent by regular mail.
- 3-year driver record: $12 uncertified, $18 certified
- Online (uncertified): PDF sent by email
- ServiceOntario centre: uncertified record given immediately
- Certified or by mail: processed within 15 business days, sent by Canada Post
- Insurers usually want the driver's licence history, a separate $12 record
The short answer
In Ontario, the record most employers mean by "driver's abstract" is the 3-year driver record. It costs $12 uncertified or $18 certified. You can order it online, at a ServiceOntario centre or by mail. An uncertified record ordered online is sent to you as a PDF by email. At a ServiceOntario centre you get it on the spot. A certified record, or any record ordered by mail, is processed within 15 business days and sent by regular mail.
It shows your demerit point total and your Highway Traffic Act and Criminal Code of Canada convictions, suspensions and reinstatements from the past 3 years. It does not show collisions or your address.
Ontario's two everyday driving records
The Ontario government issues two records that most people order. They answer different questions.
| 3-year driver record | Driver's licence history | |
|---|---|---|
| Usually needed for | Employment | Vehicle insurance |
| Shows | Demerit point total, active fine suspensions, HTA and Criminal Code convictions, suspensions and reinstatements from the past 3 years | Licence replacements, renewals and class changes (e.g. G2 to G), beginner driver education course completion, past and current addresses (online or mail orders only) |
| Doesn't show | Your address, driver education course completion, expired medical suspensions | Demerit points, convictions or suspensions |
| Who can order | Anyone with your driver's licence number | Only you, or a Canadian law enforcement agency |
| Fee | $12 uncertified, $18 certified | $12 uncertified, $18 certified |
Both records also include your driver identification details: name, licence number, date of birth, sex, height, licence class, expiry date, status (for example licensed or suspended), earliest licence date, and any conditions or endorsements.
Certified or uncertified?
Uncertified records meet most people's needs. A certified record carries a Ministry of Transportation seal and is usually needed only for legal reasons. If an employer hasn't asked for certified, the $12 uncertified record is what to order.
How to order the 3-year driver record
Online
- Uncertified: order through ServiceOntario and the record is sent as a PDF by email. You need your driver's licence number (or RIN) and a Visa or Mastercard.
- The licence number isn't validated when you order, and you're charged even if no record is found, so type it carefully.
- Certified: ordered through the Ministry of Transportation website, processed within 15 business days and sent by regular mail through Canada Post.
- Ordering 100 or more records at once (for example, a fleet employer): the ministry asks you to contact ARIS@ontario.ca instead.
In person at ServiceOntario
- Uncertified records are provided immediately. Certified records are processed within 15 business days and mailed.
- Payment: cash, debit, Visa, Mastercard, or a certified cheque or money order payable to the Minister of Finance.
By mail
- Complete the Record search application form (023-SR-LC-112) and mail it to: Ministry of Transportation, Information Services Office, Information and Data Retrieval Unit, 87 Sir William Hearst Avenue, Room 158-D, Toronto, Ontario M3M 0B4.
- Payment: Visa, Mastercard, or a personal cheque or money order payable to the Minister of Finance.
- Processed within 15 business days and sent by regular mail.
The driver's licence history (for insurance)
Insurers usually ask for your licence history because it shows how long you've been licensed and when you moved up classes. It costs the same as the driver record: $12 uncertified, $18 certified.
- In person: the fastest way. An uncertified copy is given immediately at a ServiceOntario centre, but without address information. Certified copies are mailed within 15 business days.
- Online: processed within 15 business days and sent by regular mail to the address on file. There's no digital version, so update your address first if it's changed.
- By mail: same Record search application form and address as above. Use this if the history needs to go somewhere other than the address on file.
Longer driving records: 5-year, extended and complete
If you need more than 3 years, Ontario sells three longer records. None comes as a digital copy. All are processed within 15 business days and mailed to the Ontario address on file.
| Record | Shows | Fee (uncertified / certified) | How to order |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-year | HTA convictions, suspensions and reinstatements for 3 years; Criminal Code for 5 years; demerit total | $12 / $18 | Online, in person or by mail |
| Extended | All HTA and Criminal Code convictions, suspensions and reinstatements as far back as available; demerit total | $12 / $18 | In person or by mail |
| Complete | Everything on the extended record, plus all collisions, all residential addresses on the record and all licence changes | $48 / $54 | In person or by mail (by mail, use the Freedom of Information Driver Record Search form) |
The complete record is the only Ontario driving record that lists collisions. Apart from the driver, the 5-year record can also be ordered by lawyers and Canadian law enforcement, the extended record by law enforcement and Crown Attorney's offices, and the complete record by Crown Attorney's offices.
CVOR abstracts (commercial drivers and carriers)
If you drive a truck or bus, or run a company that operates them, you may be asked for a CVOR abstract instead of, or as well as, the driver record above. CVOR stands for Commercial Vehicle Operator's Registration. A CVOR abstract summarizes safety performance: collisions, convictions and inspections.
| Abstract | Shows | Who can order |
|---|---|---|
| CVOR driver abstract | 5 years of collisions, safety-related offences, convictions and inspections for one driver, covering time operating in Ontario only. Also shows licence status and medical due date. | Anyone |
| CVOR abstract, Level 1 | A one-page summary of a carrier's record over 2 years | Anyone |
| CVOR abstract, Level 2 | The 2-year summary plus 5 years of detailed collision, conviction and inspection events | The carrier only |
Fee: $5 uncertified, $10 certified.
How to order:
- Online: through the Ministry of Transportation, paying by Visa or Mastercard.
- In person: at ServiceOntario.
- By mail: send the application form and payment to the Ministry of Transportation's Information and Data Retrieval Unit in Toronto. If you pay by cheque, use a separate cheque for each abstract.
Level 2 abstracts are mailed to the carrier's address on file about 15 days after the order is received. Carriers can also view their full CVOR record online for free by signing in with the email address on the record.
Also need a criminal record check?
Employers who hire for driving roles often ask for a criminal record check as well. A driver record doesn't replace one. It only shows driving-related convictions, not other criminal convictions. SafeHire runs an online Canadian criminal record check, a name and date of birth search of the RCMP's CPIC database conducted with a police service. It costs $64.99 and you don't need an appointment. Order a criminal record check online. Toronto residents can also see our Toronto page for local police options.
SafeHire does not sell driver's abstracts. Order those from ServiceOntario as described above.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an Ontario driver's abstract cost?
The 3-year driver record costs $12 uncertified or $18 certified. The driver's licence history, 5-year and extended records cost the same. The complete driving record costs $48 uncertified or $54 certified.
How fast can I get my Ontario driver record?
An uncertified 3-year record ordered online is sent as a PDF by email. At a ServiceOntario centre, uncertified copies are handed to you immediately. Certified records and mail orders are processed within 15 business days and then sent by regular mail.
Does the Ontario driver record show collisions?
Not the 3-year record. Collisions appear only on the complete driving record ($48 uncertified, $54 certified), which you order in person or by mail.
Can an employer order my Ontario driver record without me?
Yes, the 3-year driver record can be ordered by anyone who has your driver's licence number. The driver's licence history is different: only you or a Canadian law enforcement agency can order it.
What is a CVOR abstract?
A CVOR abstract is a safety record for commercial vehicle operation in Ontario, showing collisions, convictions and inspections. The CVOR driver abstract covers one driver over 5 years; the Level 1 and Level 2 abstracts cover a carrier. Each costs $5 uncertified or $10 certified.
Does a speeding ticket show on my Ontario driver record?
The 3-year driver record shows Highway Traffic Act convictions from the past 3 years, along with your current demerit point total.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, "Order a driver's record": ontario.ca/page/order-drivers-record (checked 2026-10-17)
- Government of Ontario, "Get longer-term driving records or letters and documents": ontario.ca/page/get-longer-term-driving-records-or-letters-and-documents (checked 2026-10-17)
- Government of Ontario, "Get a commercial vehicle operator's registration (CVOR) abstract or carrier record": ontario.ca/page/get-commercial-vehicle-operators-registration-cvor-abstract-or-carrier-record (checked 2026-10-30)
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