If you’ve had a vehicle certified recently and wondered where the paper certificate went — nothing’s gone wrong. Ontario changed how safety inspections work, and the certificate now arrives in your inbox.

Here’s what happened and what it means for you.

The old system is gone

Ontario used to run safety inspections through a paper-based program called Motor Vehicle Inspection Stations, or MVIS. Shops were licensed as inspection stations, and a pass produced a paper certificate you carried to ServiceOntario.

That program ended on 31 March 2025. It’s been replaced by DriveON, a digital platform run by the Ministry of Transportation.

You’ll still hear “MVIS” around town, and plenty of shop websites still use the term. It’s just out of date now. The current designation is a DriveON Vehicle Inspection Centre.

What’s different at the shop

The inspection itself hasn’t changed much — same standard, same items, same pass or fail. What changed is how it’s recorded.

A registered technician works through the inspection on a tablet, entering results as they go rather than filling in a form afterwards. When the vehicle passes, the certificate is generated in the province’s system and emailed to you.

So there are two practical differences on the day: the shop will ask for your email address, and you won’t leave with a piece of paper.

What it means for you

You can’t lose it. A misplaced paper certificate used to mean sorting out a replacement. Now it’s in your email, and it’s in the province’s records.

The inspection is on the record. Results go into a provincial system rather than a filing cabinet. That’s a meaningful shift — an inspection that was done poorly, or barely done at all, is harder to make disappear.

You can look up a vehicle’s inspection history. This is the one most people don’t know about. A vehicle’s safety inspection history can be searched by VIN through the public DriveON portal.

If you’re considering a used vehicle, that’s worth doing before you buy. You can see whether it’s been inspected, and when. It’s free, and it takes a minute.

You can check the shop. The same portal lists every licensed Vehicle Inspection Centre in the province. If you want to confirm a shop is actually licensed to issue certificates, you can look it up rather than take their word for it.

What hasn’t changed

A fair bit, actually:

• A safety is still valid for 36 calendar days from the inspection date.
• It still confirms only that the vehicle met the minimum standards that day. It’s still not a warranty or guarantee of condition.
• Pricing is still not regulated and varies by shop.
• You still need one to put plates on a used vehicle when ownership transfers.
• You’re still not obligated to have any resulting repairs done where the inspection happened.

The rules are the same. The paperwork is digital.

Common questions

What if I don’t have an email address?

Talk to the shop when you book. The certificate is issued electronically either way, but they can help you sort out how you’ll get a copy.

Does ServiceOntario still need paper?

The certificate exists in the province’s system. If you’re unsure what to bring to a registration appointment, call ahead — it saves a wasted trip.

Is my old paper certificate still good?

Only if it’s within 36 days of the inspection date. Given the program ended in March 2025, any paper certificate you’re holding is long expired.

Is a DriveON centre different from an old MVIS station?

Same job, different licence. Shops had to apply to join DriveON — they weren’t carried over automatically — so a shop that inspects today went through that process.

We’re a DriveON centre

Rick’s Automotive is a licensed DriveON Vehicle Inspection Centre in Woodstock, certifying passenger and light-duty vehicles and motorcycles. You’ll find us in the province’s public directory of inspection centres.

Read our full guide to how safeties work in Ontario, see our inspection service, or book an appointment.