Select Guideline Section Below
The CVOR system tracks the on-road safety performance of the following vehicles:
- Trucks that have a gross weight or registered gross weight over 4,500 kg (9,920 lb) and
- Buses that have a seating capacity of ten or more passengers.
The goal of the CVOR system is to improve road safety for all users of Ontario highways by having an effective monitoring and intervention system for all carriers. Poor performance may result in the loss of privileges to operate commercial motor vehicles.
Vehicles that require a CVOR
A CVOR certificate is required for commercial vehicles that are:
- Plated in Ontario,
- Plated in the USA, or
- Plated in Mexico.
Vehicles that are plated in other Canadian provinces or territories (not Ontario) do not need a CVOR certificate. They require a safety fitness certificate from the province or territory in which the vehicle is plated.
Note: For-hire operators of buses, including motor coaches and school/school purpose vehicles, may also require an operating authority under the Public Vehicles Act and Motor Vehicle Transport Act. Contact the Ontario Highway Transport Board at (416) 326-6732 for more information.
Exemptions
Carriers that operate certain types of vehicles do not need a CVOR certificate. These vehicles include:
- A truck or bus that is plated in another Canadian jurisdiction
- A truck with a registered gross weight (RGW) and a gross weight of 4,500 kg or less, whether towing a trailer or not – see Determining RGW
- A truck or bus leased by an individual for 30 days or less to move their personal goods, or to carry passengers at no fare
- An ambulance, fire apparatus, hearse, casket wagon, mobile crane or tow truck
- A truck or bus operating under the authority of a dealer plate or an in-transit permit
- A bus used for personal purposes without compensation
- A motor home used for personal purposes
- A pickup truck used for personal purposes
Note: For current exemptions, please refer to the Highway Traffic Act.
CVOR Responsibilities
A CVOR operator (carrier) is the person who is responsible for the operation of a commercial motor vehicle. The carrier is responsible for:
- The conduct of the driver
- The mechanical safety condition of the vehicle, and
- The shipping of goods or passengers in the vehicle.
The carrier does not necessarily need to be the vehicle owner, but must hold a valid CVOR certificate when using vehicles that are leased or contracted.
Carriers are responsible for all the drivers and vehicles in their operation. For example, these responsibilities include:
- Employing qualified and licensed drivers;
- Monitoring the safety performance of drivers, including hours of service;
- Resolving driver safety issues when they are identified;
- Keeping vehicles in good, safe condition at all times;
- Ensuring load security
- Ensuring daily and annual/semi-annual inspections are completed;
- Keeping records on file (e.g. vehicle repairs, kilometres travelled per year, annual inspection reports, etc.); and
- Notifying the Ministry of changes such as name, address, telephone numbers, fleet data, kilometric travel, and changes in corporate officers, etc.
Carriers must comply with all regulations and legislation under the Highway Traffic Act in order to operate a business in Ontario.
Failing to comply may result in sanctions or loss of operating privileges.
Applying for an ORIGINAL CVOR Certificate
To apply for a CVOR Certificate, a carrier must complete a “Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration Certificate Application” form and pay the required fee. Carriers can get this form by contacting MTO Carrier Sanctions and Investigation Office.
A CVOR application may also be viewed and downloaded from the Ministry website. Select the following link to view or download the CVOR Application – Individual.
The application requests information about the carrier such as the type of operation, corporate officers, directors and partners, fleet size, kilometres travelled, and authorized signature. Additional documentation may be required for new applicants (e.g. corporate papers).
After the Ministry receives the completed application and processes it, the CVOR certificate will be mailed to the carrier. The carrier must put a photocopy of the certificate in each of the trucks and buses operating under that CVOR certificate.
CVOR Checklist
- Trucks and/or buses plated in Ontario, the USA, or Mexico
- Trucks more than 4,500 kg gross weight or RGW (9,920 lb)
- Buses more than 10 passenger seats
- $250 is required for the application and issuance of an original CVOR certificate.
Remember: If you operate vehicles plated in other Canadian jurisdictions, you do not need a CVOR certificate. Instead, you must have a valid Safety Fitness Certificate issued by your home jurisdiction.
Renewal of Your CVOR Certificate
Effective December 1, 2008 all CVOR certificates are assigned an expiry date. Existing (non-expiring) certificates are being assigned an expiry date over a two-year transition period. New applicants for CVOR certificates will be assigned an expiry date at time of issuance.
Renewal will be required annually after the transition period. Carriers converted in the first year of the transition period will receive an expiry date of two years. Carriers converted in year two will have a one year expiry assigned. After transition, annual renewal will be required for all operators except those operators with carrier safety ratings of “satisfactory” or “excellent”. These operators will only be required to renew their certificate every two years.
Operators will be sent a notice of expiry 60 days prior to expiry (90 days during the transition period). A carrier that does not renew prior to the expiry date is liable to a fine and possibly to imprisonment, under section 21(2) of the Highway Traffic Act, if one or more of its commercial motor vehicles is found operating on an Ontario highway. In addition, subsection 20(2) authorises a police officer to detain the vehicle and seize the permits and number plates of the vehicle until it can be moved in compliance with the Act.
FEE SCHEDULE
EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 1, 2008
$250
1) Application for and Issuance of an original CVOR certificate
2) Re-instate a CVOR certificate after it has been invalid for more that 12 months
3) Re-instate a terminated CVOR certificate after its expiry date.
$100
A one-time fee to convert a non-expiring certificate to an expiring certificate, during the two-year transition period.
$50
Annual Renewal fee after the two-year conversion period.
