Get your criminal record check for Toronto online — no appointment, no trip to the station. Results in 15 minutes or less.
Average processing time
CPIC database search
No in-person visits
No need to visit a police station or wait in line. Complete your criminal record check from anywhere in Toronto. Most checks are processed in 15 minutes or less during business hours.
Your personal information is protected with bank-level encryption. All data is stored in secure Canadian data centers and handled in full compliance with federal and provincial privacy laws.
Bridgewater Police Service searches the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database to provide accurate and comprehensive results. Same quality as in-person checks from local police services.
Our criminal record checks are accepted by employers, landlords, volunteer organizations, and licensing bodies across Ontario and all of Canada.
Click "Start Your Check Now" and fill out your personal information. Takes about 3 minutes. You'll need a valid government-issued ID.
Pay with your credit card through our secure payment system. Add rush service for $10 to skip the queue during busy periods.
Bridgewater Police Service searches the CPIC database on your behalf. Our system works 24/7 to deliver fast results.
Your criminal record check arrives in your email inbox. Most Toronto residents receive results within 15 minutes during business hours.
Many Toronto employers require background checks for new hires, especially in healthcare, education, finance, and security sectors.
Schools, sports organizations, and non-profits in Toronto often require criminal record checks for volunteers working with vulnerable populations.
Landlords in Toronto may request a criminal record check as part of the rental application process.
Many professional licensing bodies in Ontario require criminal record checks for certification and renewal.
Immigration applications usually need an RCMP-certified check based on fingerprints, taken by an accredited fingerprinting company in Toronto. An online name-based check like ours does not meet that requirement.
Many Toronto residents order checks for their own peace of mind or to maintain personal records.
Skip the weeks-long wait at 40 College Street. Get the same RCMP CPIC database search online in 15 minutes.
| Comparison | SafeHire (Online) | Toronto Police Service (In Person) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $64.99 | $26.72 (Level 1 and 2) / $71.72 (Level 3 VSC); free for volunteers |
| Processing Time | 15 minutes | 7–10 business days (TPS estimate); no rush service |
| Availability | 24/7, any device | Online 24/7, or in person Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri |
| Appointment Required | No | Only for fingerprinting, if required |
| Physical Visit | No — fully online | Not for an online application; 40 College Street if fingerprints are needed |
| Database | RCMP CPIC | RCMP CPIC + TPS local records |
| Result Format | Digital PDF by email | Certificate downloaded securely after an email |
| Accepted by Employers | Yes — most Toronto employers | Yes |
Skip the trip to 40 College Street and the 2-6 week wait.
SafeHire delivers your Toronto criminal record check in 15 minutes — accepted by most GTA employers, landlords, and volunteer organizations.
As Canada's largest city and economic hub, Toronto has the highest demand for background checks across virtually every industry.
Toronto is Canada's financial capital, home to the Big Five banks' headquarters (TD, RBC, BMO, Scotiabank, CIBC), along with major insurance companies, investment firms, and fintech startups on Bay Street. IIROC (now CIRO) and OSFI-regulated institutions require background screening for all client-facing and compliance roles. Toronto's financial sector employs over 400,000 people — nearly all positions require criminal record checks.
Toronto's hospital network — including University Health Network (UHN), Sunnybrook, SickKids, Sinai Health, and Michael Garron — employs tens of thousands of clinical and non-clinical staff. The College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) and College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) both require criminal record checks for professional registration. Home care agencies, long-term care facilities, and community health centres across the GTA also mandate pre-employment screening.
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) — Canada's largest school board — and the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) require criminal record checks and vulnerable sector screening for all staff, supply teachers, and regular volunteers. The Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) mandates checks for teacher certification. Toronto's universities (U of T, Ryerson, York) require checks for many student placements in education, nursing, and social work programs.
Toronto's tech sector — including the MaRS Discovery District, Communitech corridor, and hundreds of startups in Liberty Village, King West, and the Waterfront — conducts background checks for roles involving access to sensitive data, client systems, and intellectual property. Major tech employers like Shopify, Wealthsimple, and Google DeepMind Toronto require screening as standard practice.
Toronto is North America's third-largest film production centre. Studios, production companies, and broadcasters (CBC, CTV, Rogers Media) require background checks for crew members with access to sets, equipment, and talent. The rise of streaming production in Pinewood Toronto Studios and other facilities has increased demand for pre-employment screening in the entertainment industry.
Toronto's construction boom — driven by condo development, transit expansion (Eglinton Crosstown, Ontario Line), and commercial projects — means thousands of workers need background checks for site access. Property management companies like Cadillac Fairview, Oxford Properties, and Brookfield require checks for building staff, superintendents, and maintenance personnel with key access to residential units.
The City of Toronto, Ontario Public Service, and federal agencies based in the GTA require criminal record checks for all employees. Toronto Police Service, Toronto Fire Services, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), and Toronto Public Library all mandate background screening. Municipal and provincial hiring typically requires checks to be renewed periodically.
Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Skip The Dishes, and Instacart all require criminal record checks for Toronto-based drivers and couriers. The City of Toronto's vehicle-for-hire bylaw mandates annual police record checks for all licensed drivers. Most platforms accept SafeHire's online check for onboarding, and checks must typically be less than 90 days old.
Hiring across the GTA? SafeHire offers bulk ordering and employer portal solutions for Toronto businesses.
Order criminal record checks for multiple employees at once. Each applicant receives a secure link to complete their own application — no need to collect sensitive personal information.
Track all employee checks from one portal. Get notifications when checks are complete, download results, and maintain audit trails — ideal for Toronto's regulated financial and healthcare sectors.
For high-volume Toronto employers, our API integrates directly with your ATS or HR platform. Ideal for staffing agencies, banks, hospitals, and tech companies with continuous hiring.
Common questions about getting a background check in the Greater Toronto Area.
You can get a criminal record check in Toronto online through SafeHire (results in 15 minutes, $64.99) or in person through Toronto Police Service at 40 College Street. The online check searches the same RCMP CPIC database and is accepted by most Toronto employers, landlords, and volunteer organizations.
Yes. Toronto Police Service offers three levels of police record checks: Level 1 (Criminal Record Check), Level 2 (Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check), and Level 3 (Vulnerable Sector Check). Applications are submitted online through the TPS portal, and Toronto Police estimates 7 to 10 business days, with no rush service available. For faster Level 1 results, SafeHire provides the same CPIC search in 15 minutes.
Some Toronto landlords and property management companies request a criminal record check as part of tenant screening. While landlords cannot legally require one under Ontario human rights law, many tenants choose to provide one voluntarily to strengthen their application in Toronto's competitive rental market. SafeHire's online check is commonly used for this purpose.
Most Toronto employers require a standard criminal record check (CPIC name-based search). This is what SafeHire provides online. Employers in healthcare, education, and childcare may require a vulnerable sector check (Level 3), which must be done through Toronto Police Service. Federally regulated employers like banks or airlines may have additional requirements.
Toronto Police estimates 7 to 10 business days, but says this may fluctuate due to volume and time of year, and there is no rush service. A Level 3 vulnerable sector check can take longer, because it can only be started once the requesting organization gives you a code, and fingerprints are required if your gender and date of birth match a pardoned sexual offence record. SafeHire delivers Level 1-equivalent CPIC results in 15 minutes online.
For more information about criminal record checks across Ontario, visit the Ontario provincial page. Checks are also available in nearby Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, and Ottawa. See also: Police Check Canada | What Is a CPIC Check? | What Shows Up on a Police Check
Toronto residents get police record checks from the Toronto Police Service, which offers all three Ontario levels and charges $26.72 for a Criminal Record Check for employment, nothing for volunteers with a signed letter, and $71.72 for a Vulnerable Sector Check for employment. Toronto Police estimates 7 to 10 business days and says there is no rush service. A Toronto Vulnerable Sector Check is unusual in two ways: your home postal code must begin with "M", and the organization asking for the check must already be a Toronto Police-approved registered Vulnerable Sector Agency that gives you a code before you can submit the application.
| Comparison | SafeHire (online) | Toronto Police Service |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $64.99 | A Criminal Record Check and a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check each cost $26.72 for employment or other purposes, and nothing for volunteers who attach a signed letter on the organization's letterhead, since Ontario removed the volunteer fee on 1 April 2022. A Vulnerable Sector Check costs $71.72 for employment, paid student placement, professional licencing, practicum or other purposes, and $26.72 for volunteers and unpaid student placements. Additional printed copies are $4.67. |
| Turnaround | Most results in 15 minutes | Toronto Police estimates 7 to 10 business days for applications, but says this may fluctuate due to volume and time of year, and states there is no rush service for applications. |
| How to apply | Online, 24/7, from any device | Online 24 hours a day through the Toronto Police online application system, paying by Visa, Visa Debit, MasterCard or American Express; in person at the Information Access counter at Toronto Police Headquarters, 40 College Street, open 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and closed Wednesdays; or by mail to 40 College Street with a certified cheque, business cheque or money order. |
| Who can apply | Anyone living in Canada | You cannot apply on behalf of another person. Vulnerable Sector Checks are limited to people whose home postal code begins with "M", covering Toronto and the former municipalities of Scarborough, North York, East York, York, Etobicoke and Old Toronto. Toronto Police processes youth Vulnerable Sector Check applications only where the employment or volunteering is with a federal, provincial or municipal government agency. |
| ID | Government photo ID, verified with your phone camera | Two pieces of government-issued identification: one must include your photograph and signature, and one must include your full name and date of birth. Ontario Health Cards are not accepted for identification. Online applicants are authenticated with timed questions drawn from their personal credit file, with an alternative process if authentication fails. |
| Vulnerable sector check | Not available — see below | Offered as the Level 3 check, but only when the organization requesting it is a Toronto Police-approved registered Vulnerable Sector Agency that provides you with a code to submit the application. Fingerprints are required whenever the applicant's gender and date of birth match an existing pardoned sexual offence record, which Toronto Police notes is RCMP policy and not an accusation of criminality. Prints are taken by appointment only at 40 College Street, Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m., and the application cannot proceed until that is done. |
| Result | PDF emailed to you | If there are no concerns or follow-up required, Toronto Police emails the applicant instructions for securely downloading the completed police record check certificate. Additional printed copies cost $4.67. |
Toronto Police Service details from Toronto Police Service — Police Checks and Toronto Police Service — online police record check application system, checked September 2026. Fees and times change — confirm with the police service before you apply there.
Ask whoever requested the check which type they need before you order. The difference matters: an online check is a standard criminal record check, and some roles in Ontario require a vulnerable sector check that only the police can do.
SafeHire can’t issue a vulnerable sector check, and neither can any other online provider. It has to come from Toronto Police Service. Here is what they require.
Offered as the Level 3 check, but only when the organization requesting it is a Toronto Police-approved registered Vulnerable Sector Agency that provides you with a code to submit the application. Fingerprints are required whenever the applicant's gender and date of birth match an existing pardoned sexual offence record, which Toronto Police notes is RCMP policy and not an accusation of criminality. Prints are taken by appointment only at 40 College Street, Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m., and the application cannot proceed until that is done.
From Toronto Police Service, checked September 2026. Confirm before you apply.
Not sure which one you need? Compare a vulnerable sector check with a standard criminal record check.
A Criminal Record Check or Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check costs $26.72 for employment, and is free for volunteers who attach a signed letter on the organization's letterhead. A Vulnerable Sector Check costs $71.72 for employment and $26.72 for volunteers and unpaid student placements.
Toronto Police estimates 7 to 10 business days, but says this may fluctuate due to volume and time of year. There is no rush service.
Two rules catch people out. Your home postal code must begin with "M", and the organization requesting the check must already be a Toronto Police-approved registered Vulnerable Sector Agency that gives you a code before you can submit the application. Without that code the application cannot be started.
Only if your gender and date of birth match an existing pardoned sexual offence record, which Toronto Police notes is RCMP policy and not an accusation of criminality. If that happens, prints are taken by appointment only at 40 College Street, Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Most criminal record checks for Toronto residents are completed within 15 minutes during business hours. Some checks may take up to 24 hours depending on database availability. Rush service is available for priority processing.
Standard criminal record checks are priced competitively. Rush service is available for an additional $10. We offer transparent pricing with no hidden fees. See our pricing page for current rates.
No. Our standard criminal record checks cannot be used for vulnerable sector screening. Vulnerable sector checks require fingerprinting and must be done in person through local police services.
Yes. Our criminal record checks are conducted by Bridgewater Police Service using the CPIC database and are accepted by employers, landlords, and organizations across Toronto, Ontario, and all of Canada.
The check shows any convictions without pardons as of the search date. It does not include juvenile records, pardoned convictions, absolute or conditional discharges, or outstanding charges that haven't resulted in conviction.
Toronto employers across various industries require background checks. Find requirements specific to your field.
Also serving all of Ontario
Join thousands of Toronto residents who trust SafeHire for fast, secure background checks.