Vulnerable Sector Check Ontario: Who Issues It, Fees and How to Apply
In Ontario, a vulnerable sector check comes only from the police service where you live. Fees, published turnaround times and how to apply at Toronto, Peel, York, Durham, Halton, Hamilton, Ottawa and the OPP, from each service's own pages.
How do I get a vulnerable sector check in Ontario?
Apply to the police service for the area where you live. Most large Ontario services, and the OPP, take vulnerable sector check (VSC) applications online. Employment fees at the services we checked run from $30 (Halton) to $81 (York, in person). No private company, including SafeHire, can issue a VSC.
- Apply where you live, not where the job is: Ontario says VSCs "must be completed by your local police service"
- Online applications: Toronto, Peel, York, Durham, Halton, Hamilton, Ottawa and the OPP all accept them; Durham, Ottawa and the OPP are online only
- Employment VSC fees: Halton $30, Peel $35, OPP $41, Hamilton $55, Durham $58.90, Toronto $71.72, Ottawa $74, York $75 online ($81 in person)
- Published turnaround: 7 to 10 business days (Toronto, Ottawa) to about 4 weeks (Durham); the OPP publishes none
- Fingerprints are only needed in some cases, such as a date-of-birth and gender match to a pardoned sex offence record; they add time and often a fee
- If your employer confirms a standard criminal record check is enough, SafeHire does that online for $64.99
In Ontario, a vulnerable sector check (VSC) can only come from the police service for the area where you live: a municipal or regional service such as Toronto, Peel or Ottawa, or the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) if your community is OPP-policed. Ontario's government says plainly that "vulnerable sector checks must be completed by your local police service." Most large services now take VSC applications online, and the OPP takes them online only.
Employment VSC fees at the services below run from $30 (Halton) to $81 (York, in person), and published turnaround times run from 7 to 10 business days (Toronto, Ottawa) to about 4 weeks (Durham). What you get is a police record check result at Ontario's highest level. SafeHire cannot do a vulnerable sector check, and neither can any other private company. If your employer only needs a standard criminal record check, see the section on that below.
What a vulnerable sector check includes
Ontario's Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015 sets out three levels of police record check. The VSC is the most detailed:
| Check | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Criminal Record Check (CRC) | Criminal convictions, and findings of guilt under the Youth Criminal Justice Act within the disclosure period |
| Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC) | Everything in a CRC, plus outstanding charges and warrants, judicial orders, probation and prohibition orders, and absolute or conditional discharges |
| Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) | Everything in a CRJMC, plus peace bonds, Not Criminally Responsible findings, some non-conviction information from local police records, and record suspensions (pardons) for listed sexual offences that the federal Minister of Public Safety releases |
The pardon part comes from federal law. Section 6.3 of the Criminal Records Act lets a police force check whether an applicant has a suspended record for a listed sexual offence, but only when an organization responsible for the well-being of children or vulnerable persons asks, the position is "one of trust or authority towards that child or vulnerable person", and the applicant has consented in writing.
Who can be asked for one
The Act defines a vulnerable person as someone who, because of age, a disability or other circumstances, is dependent on others or at greater risk than the general population of being harmed by a person in a position of trust or authority towards them. Ontario's police record checks page says people who work or volunteer in a position of trust or authority over vulnerable people "can be asked for a vulnerable sector check."
Some Ontario regulations require one outright:
- Long-term care homes must get a police VSC, conducted within six months before hiring, from new staff and volunteers (O. Reg. 246/22, s. 252)
- Retirement homes must get a VSC, conducted within six months before hiring, from staff and volunteers (O. Reg. 166/11, s. 13)
- Licensed child care centres must get a police VSC from every employee before they start, and from volunteers and placement students before they interact with children (O. Reg. 137/15, ss. 59-60)
Outside those, it is the organization's decision. School boards, colleges placing students, agencies and sports clubs set their own requirements, so ask in writing which level they need: CRC, CRJMC or VSC.
Fees, turnaround and how to apply, by police service
These figures come from each service's own website or online portal (see Sources). Turnaround is the time each service publishes for its record checks; a VSC that needs fingerprints takes longer.
| Police service | Employment VSC | Volunteer VSC | Published turnaround | How to apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Police | $71.72 | $26.72 | 7 to 10 business days (estimate); no rush service | Online, in person at 40 College St. or by mail |
| Peel Regional Police | $35, plus $52 if fingerprints are needed | $35 (fingerprint fee waived with an agency letter) | About 10 business days (online) | Online; the Records counter is closed for construction |
| York Regional Police | $75 online, $81 in person | $35 | 10 to 15 business days, longer if fingerprints are needed | Online, or in person by appointment in Aurora |
| Durham Regional Police | $58.90 | $21.42 with a letter | About 4 weeks; no rush service | Online only |
| Halton Regional Police | $30 (plus tax online) | $30 | 2 to 4 weeks; no rush service | Online, or in person at Headquarters in Oakville |
| Hamilton Police | $55 (plus a $9.95 fee and tax online) | $28 | About 14 calendar days for employment, 30 for volunteers (portal estimate) | Online, or in person at Central Station |
| Ottawa Police | $74 | $0 with a letter from the organization | 7 to 10 business days (online) | Online; the service desk is by appointment only |
| OPP | $41 | Listed as free (see below) | Not published | Online only |
A few service rules that catch people out:
- Toronto only does a VSC for people whose home postal code starts with "M", and only when the organization is a Toronto Police-registered Vulnerable Sector Agency that gives you a code to apply with.
- York does VSCs for York Region residents only.
- Fingerprint fees where a service publishes them: Peel $52, York $122, Hamilton $25, Ottawa $56 for employment (free for volunteers with a letter), OPP $90.
For other Ontario services, see our city pages for Barrie, Brantford, Guelph, Kingston, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Peterborough, Sudbury and Thunder Bay, each sourced from that police service.
The OPP
If you live in an OPP-policed community, you apply to the OPP online only. The OPP says record checks are "no longer completed at the Detachment", so do not go to a detachment unless you are asked to (for example, for fingerprints). It lists record checks at $41, fingerprints at $90 and volunteer checks as free, and it does not publish a processing time. You need a letter from the organization asking for the check.
Full steps, the residency map and the letter requirements: OPP vulnerable sector check.
Do volunteers pay?
Not always, but sometimes. Section 7(6) of the Police Record Checks Reform Act stops police services from charging volunteers for the first two levels (CRC and CRJMC). It does not cover the VSC, and Ontario's page says "volunteers are still required to pay any fees charged by police services for a vulnerable sector check." That is why Toronto, Peel, York, Durham, Halton and Hamilton all list a volunteer VSC fee. The OPP lists volunteer checks as free, so confirm the price in its portal before you pay.
How to apply
1. Find your police service. It is the one that polices your home address. Ontario says you request a check "from the police service where you live." If you live in Toronto and work in Mississauga, you apply to Toronto Police.
2. Get the details from the organization. Services ask what the role is and how it involves vulnerable people. The OPP requires a letter; Toronto requires a registered-agency code; York may ask for a letter. Volunteers generally need a letter from the organization to get the volunteer rate.
3. Apply online or in person. Most portals confirm your identity online with questions drawn from your credit file (Peel and York use Equifax). If that fails, the service will tell you how to show ID instead.
4. Give fingerprints only if asked. Fingerprints are not part of every VSC. Toronto Police says they are required whenever the applicant's gender and date of birth match an existing pardoned sexual offence record, which it notes is RCMP policy and not an accusation of criminality. The service will tell you how to book.
Can I get a vulnerable sector check online in Ontario?
Yes, from your own police service's online portal, which is how most applications are now made. No: from a private company. A VSC has to be done by the police service where you live, so no online background check company can provide one.
Also need a criminal record check?
Plenty of roles that ask for a "police check" only need a standard criminal record check, not a VSC. If your employer confirms in writing that a standard criminal record check is enough, SafeHire runs one online: a name and date of birth search of the RCMP's CPIC database, done with a police service. It costs $64.99, needs no appointment and has no residency rule. Start your check online.
This is not a vulnerable sector check and cannot replace one. If the role needs a VSC, apply to your police service as above. For the difference in more detail, see vulnerable sector check vs. criminal record check.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a vulnerable sector check take in Ontario?
It depends on the service. Published times are 7 to 10 business days at Toronto and Ottawa, about 10 business days at Peel, 10 to 15 business days at York, about 14 calendar days at Hamilton for employment, 2 to 4 weeks at Halton and about 4 weeks at Durham. The OPP does not publish a time. Fingerprints add time.
How much does a vulnerable sector check cost in Ontario?
For employment: Halton $30, Peel $35, OPP $41, Hamilton $55 (plus $9.95 online), Durham $58.90, Toronto $71.72, Ottawa $74 and York $75 online or $81 in person. Fingerprints, if needed, cost extra at most services.
Do I have to apply in person?
No, at most services. Toronto, Peel, York, Durham, Halton, Hamilton, Ottawa and the OPP all take online applications. Durham and the OPP do not take in-person applications, and Ottawa's service desk is by appointment only. You may still have to attend in person for fingerprints.
Does being asked for fingerprints mean I have a record?
No. Toronto Police notes that the request can be triggered by your gender and date of birth matching a pardoned sexual offence record, and fingerprints are used to confirm it is not you.
How long is a vulnerable sector check valid?
The Act does not set an expiry. The organization decides how recent the check must be. Long-term care and retirement homes must have one conducted within six months before hiring under their regulations.
Can I apply to a police service near my job instead of where I live?
Generally no. Ontario says to apply to the police service where you live, Toronto and York limit VSCs to their residents, and the OPP will not process an application from someone outside its area.
Can SafeHire do a vulnerable sector check?
No. SafeHire provides standard criminal record checks only. A VSC must come from your police service.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, Police record checks: https://www.ontario.ca/page/police-record-checks (checked 2026-10-17)
- Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015, S.O. 2015, c. 30 (ss. 1, 7(6), 8): https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/15p30 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Criminal Records Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-47, s. 6.3: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-47/page-2.html (checked 2026-10-17)
- O. Reg. 246/22 (Fixing Long-Term Care Act), s. 252: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/220246
- O. Reg. 166/11 (Retirement Homes Act), s. 13: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/110166
- O. Reg. 137/15 (Child Care and Early Years Act), ss. 59-60: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/150137
- Toronto Police Service, Police Checks: https://www.tps.to/police-checks
- Peel Regional Police, Record Checks: https://www.peelpolice.ca/reporting-records/record-checks-and-suspensions-pardons/
- York Regional Police, Service Fees: https://www.yrp.ca/service-fees and Vulnerable Sector Check: https://www.yrp.ca/reports-and-services/police-record-checks/vulnerable-sector-check
- Durham Regional Police Service, Police Record Checks: https://www.drps.ca/online-services/police-records/police-record-checks/
- Halton Regional Police Service, Record Checks: https://www.haltonpolice.ca/services/records/record-checks/ and portal: https://www.policesolutions.ca/checks/services/halton/
- Hamilton Police Service, Get a Background Check: https://hamiltonpolice.on.ca/how-to/obtain-criminal-records-check and portal: https://www.policesolutions.ca/checks/services/hamilton/
- Ottawa Police Service, Fees: https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/reports-and-services/police-record-and-background-checks/fees/ and Police Record Checks: https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/reports-and-services/police-record-and-background-checks/police-record-checks/
- Ontario Provincial Police, Police Record Checks: https://www.opp.ca/index.php?id=147&lng=en (checked 2026-10-17)
Police service fees and times are from SafeHire's city guides, each sourced from the service's own site in September 2026. Many Ontario services change fees on 1 January.
Ready to Get Your Criminal Record Check?
Get your results in as little as 15 minutes with SafeHire.
