The short answer
A safety standards certificate says the vehicle met Ontario's minimum safety standards on the day it was inspected. It is valid for 36 calendar days and, in the province's own words, it is not a warranty or guarantee of the vehicle's condition.
When you need one
Ontario requires a safety standards certificate when you transfer a used vehicle to a new owner other than your spouse, register a rebuilt vehicle, register a vehicle from another province or country, or change a vehicle's status from unfit to fit.
What the inspection looks at
The inspection covers the systems that make the vehicle safe to be on the road, such as brakes, steering, suspension, tires and wheels, lights, glass, wipers, seat belts, the exhaust and the body and frame.
What it leaves out
A certificate does not tell you how long the engine or transmission will last, whether the car burns oil, whether the air conditioning works or what repairs are coming in the next year. A car can pass with brake pads that are legal today and worn out in a few months.
What to do before you buy
- Ask who did the safety inspection and when. The certificate is good for 36 calendar days.
- Have the car looked over by a mechanic you choose, not one the seller chooses.
- Ask for the service records. A stack of invoices tells you more than a clean interior.
- Scan it for stored fault codes. A warning light can be cleared the morning of a sale, and the car's self-tests take a while to run again.
- Drive it cold. Problems hide once an engine is warm.
Want us to look at it?
Call or text GTS Auto Repair and tell us what the car is doing. We are at 133 Manville Rd, Unit 32, Scarborough, ON M1L 4J7.
