DRIVING WITHOUT LICENSE ONTARIO

DRIVING WITHOUT LICENSE ONTARIO

Driver’s license is the only means you can identify a certified driver, which means it is a thing every driver cannot afford to do without whenever they are driving. Every driver is expected to take their driver’s license along anytime they are driving, and they must be ready to show it to the police officer if requested for. The Ontario Highway Traffic Act makes it clear that nobody is permitted to drive without holding a valid driver’s license.

Traffic tickets for driving without a license in Ontario is not limited to drivers who have never registered for a driver’s license but also covers every traffic offense that is related to driving without a valid driver’s license. Drivers who are found driving with an expired driver’s license are also convicts of driving without license tickets and other penalties.

Issuance Of Driver’s License In Ontario

In Canada, issuing driver’s license is the duty of the government of the province or territory where the driver lives. This means every driver who resides in Ontario province must apply for their driver’s license in Ontario. Just like every other province, Ontario permits non-residents to use licenses issued by their respective provinces and territories on Ontario roads. 

Stages Involved In Issuing Driver’s License In Ontario

1. Learner’s Permit

Leaner’s permit, also known as G1license is available once you clock 16 years old. Driver at this stage will need to pass a multiple choice road theory exam and an eye vision test. The G1 license gives the inexperienced driver permission to drive on Ontario roads while being accompanied by a full G licensed driver with over four years of driving experience. Also, the accompanied driver must not have a blood alcohol content above 0.05. Police can quickly identify this with four dots which are indicated on the driver’s license.

Drivers with G1 licenses are not allowed to drive on 400-series highways and other high-speed expressways, except if he is being accompanied by a certified instructor. Please note that G1 license drivers are permitted to drive alone between 12:00 am and 5:00 am, and he must ensure his blood alcohol content remains at zero.

2. Probationary License (G2)

A probationary license is available at the age of 17 after you must have held the learner’s permit (G1) for one year, or eight months in cases whereby the driver has successfully passed a ministry-approved driver education course. Drivers with a probationary license are expected to have successfully finished road test and can now drive on all Ontario roads and highways without any accompanying driver and no time restriction. 

3. Full License (G)

Full permit, also known as G license is available at the age of 18 after you must have taken additional road tests which include driving on a highway. Drivers who have successfully held the probationary license will be given a full license which does not have any restriction and does not need any other road test until you are up to 80 years old provided you renew your license every five years. Drivers within the age of 21 and below must still maintain a zero blood alcohol level, even if with the full G license.

21 years old and above drivers are permitted to have a blood alcohol level of 0.05. Driving at any blood alcohol level above that might result in the suspension of your driver’s license or impaired driving ticket.  People who would like to continue driving at the age of 80 and above are enforced to do a complete vision and knowledge tests. They must also participate in a 90-minute group education session before they can be able to renew their driver’s license and the license must be renewed every two years. 

The learner’s permit (G1) for is one year or eight months in cases whereby the driver has successfully passed a ministry-approved driver education course. Drivers with a probationary license are expected to have successfully finished road test and can now drive on all Ontario roads and highways without any accompanying driver and no time restriction.

Additional Licensing Types In Ontario

Class F: For regular busses with a maximum of 24 passenger capacity can operate a vehicle in full G license. This also applies to ambulances.

Class E: Busses for school purposes, like a school bus with a maximum of 24 passengers can operate vehicles in Class F and full license G.

Class D: Trucks or any other type of motor vehicle that weighs more than 11,000 kg provided the towed vehicle is not over 4,600 kg.  He can also operate fully license G vehicles.

Class C: Any vehicle designed with over 24 passenger’s seat can as well operate full license G, D and F license.

Class B: Busses for school purposes – like a big school bus with more than 24 passenger’s sitting capacity.

Class A: For tractor-trailers or combining motor vehicle and towed vehicles whereby the towed vehicles weigh a total gross weight of 4,600 kilograms or more. This license can also operate vehicles in Class A with special condition R. D and G.

Driver’s License Constraints And Endorsements In Ontario

All driver’s licenses in Ontario can have any of the following restrictions or approval apart from the vehicles which are restricted to a particular class. Some are related to the health aspect, and some are as a result of law enforcement penalty.

•   Condition A: Requires special hand controls
•   Condition B: Requires special foot control 
•   Condition C: Requires special controls for and foot.
•   Condition D: Requires hearing device
•   Condition E: Requires visual device
•   Condition F: Based on driver’s training conditions
•   Condition G: For the restricted Class#
•   Condition H
•   Condition I: Requires ignition interlock
•   Condition J: Requires special name or address
•   Condition K: Requires special control
•   Condition L: Cannot driver anything different to motorcycles and motor-assisted bicycle.
•   Condition M: Might be restricted to motor-tricycle motorcycles.
•   Condition N: Requires hearing device when driving at Class A or D vehicles in the United States.
•   Condition R: Restriction of class A automobile (not permitted to tow two multiple trailers or a trailer equipped with air brakes).
•   Condition S: Can only be used for the test.
•   Condition V: Valid for just rehab evaluation day
•   Condition W: Corrective lenses are compulsory.
•   Condition Z: Compulsory for driving all vehicles equipped with air brakes.
•   Condition 2 (HC): Hand controls.’
•   Condition +: use to indicate more constraints and endorsement of lesser priority. It requires a system check.

Driver’s License System In Ontario

Ontario has been using a graduated licensing system since 1994. A driver can get a full G license within just 20 months (minimum) so far he meets up with all the requirement. However, a driver must obtain a full G license within five years of receiving the G1 license (learner’s permit). The Ontario ministry of transportation passed the legislation that allows the court to suspend drivers who drop out of high school until they attain 18 years. This law was passed in 2006 and was however approved in December 2009.

Traffic Violation And Its Effect On Ontario License

Almost all traffic violations in Ontario attract penalties which vary to the severity of the offense. Some come with demerit points which are always against your driver’s license but no official impacts on your insurance rates. Meanwhile, most insurance companies will increase your rate if you are charged for a traffic offense.

The demerit points are however used by the Ontario ministry of transportation to monitor your driving activities which can lead to suspension of your driver’s license if you are fond of repeated traffic violations. The maximum demerit point a driver can accumulate is 15, anything more will leads to automatic suspension of your driver’s license.

Also, some traffic offenses can lead to automatic suspension or restriction of your driver’s license. Part of these are cases whereby your vehicle is under impoundment, and your license is under seven days suspension, as it is often the case.

Introduction Of Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDLs)

From June 2009, the Ontario ministry of transportation started issuing Enhanced drivers licenses (EDLs) which serve as an alternative license for residents upon request. The EDLs is more or less like the current licenses – though they have two additional features which include machine readable code print which is printed on the back of the card (just like the code on the Canadian Passport). The second feature is an embedded RFID microchip. This feature was added as a result of the heightened security precautions at the US land border crossing. The features make room for quicker procedures at border cross and also a cheaper alternative to the Canadian Passport ($40 vs. $100).

Categ0ries Of Driver License Violations In Ontario

There are many possible means for a driver to violate the driver’s license litigation, even when it seems not to be deliberately. Perhaps you forget your driver’s license at home, or you proof stubborn by driving even when you are aware your driver’s license has expired. Whichever the case might be, you still fall in the categories of people who break the Ontario Highway Traffic Act as regards the use of driver’s license by every driver on the highway.

Here is a list of the common driver’s license violation in Ontario

Dereliction To Apply For Province Issued Driver’s License Within The Required Time Frame

It is compulsory for anyone who wants to drive in Canada to have a valid driver’s license. As in the case of Ontario drivers, issuance of driver’s license is the work of the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, and you must ensure you get your own driver’s license before you can drive in any Province in Canada.

Driving With An Expired Driver’s License

The essence of issuing drivers with license is not limited to show proof that you know how to drive, it goes as far as telling everyone that you have been certified to drive on the Ontario highway or any other provinces in Canada. This means you must always update your driver’s license. Driving with an expired driver’s license is punishable under the Ontario Traffic Act.

Driving With A License That Is Under Prohibition

Driving in cases where your driver’s license is already under suspension. For example, a driver driving within the seven days of his vehicle impoundment or license suspension.

Driving With A Permanent Suspended Driver’s License

There are cases whereby your driver’s license is permanently discontinued. This is more common in cases of drivers who have been convicted of dangerous driving. And in a bid to keep the road safe, hazardous drivers are banned from driving.  It is however forbidden for such driver to be still operating on the Ontario road with a banned driver’s license.

When Failure To Present Proof Of  Valid Driver’s License When Driving A Vehicle

This might sound funny – but I have seen cases whereby some drivers will refuse to show their driver’s license to the police. The Highway Traffic Act makes it compulsory for all drivers to present their driver’s license to the traffic enforcement agents once requested for.

Penalties For Driving Without A License

Inability to present your driver’s license upon request can lead to one or more penalties, depending on the severity of the offense and the circumstances. Driving without a license can be categorised into two categories:

Correctable Offenses

Correctable offenses are applicable when a driver forgets or left his driver’s license at home while driving on the highway. This can also be called a fix-it ticket. This will issue a citation on your driver’s abstract and the only way to clear this is to present your driver’s license to rectify or erase the citation. Failure to do this will attract more fines and other penalties.

Wilful Violation 

Driving on the highway when you know that you don’t have a driver’s license or your driver’s license has been suspended or prohibited will attract several penalties. This is not limited to fines or suspension, you might also be charged to jail for up to six months.

Ontario Driver’s License For Foreigners 

The Ontario Ministry of transportation uses a one license policy which means no driver – including foreigners is allowed to hold more than a driver’s license. It is advisable for foreigners who want to drive on Ontario roads to have an Ontario driver’s license. Driving with your original country ID card might not attract any penalties, but there is always a charge attached. But if you have been living in Ontario for more than 90 days (three months), you must hold an Ontario license to be permitted to drive on the Ontario road. Failure to comply with this might attract penalties and fines.

Stages For Penalties For Driving Without Ticket

Driving without license Ontario

First time: Any driver found of driving without his driver’s license will be issued a violation ticket for driving without a license. This attracts a fine of $260 for private vehicles and $310 for commercial vehicles.  The driver will not be permitted to drive the vehicle anywhere. However, the driver has two options – either to leave there (legally parked) or to call another driver with a valid driver’s license to drive the vehicle. There is nothing like a vehicle impoundment for a driver who is convicting this act for the first time.

Second time: There is always a notice on your driving abstract which will notify the police that you have once been a culprit of driving without a valid driver license before. If a police officer or any other law enforcement agent sees you driving without a valid driver’s license (for the second time) – your vehicle will be impounded for seven days, irrespective of the vehicle you are driving or the owner of the vehicle. The police officer will also issue you a summons to court. You might also be restricted from driving for a

definite period. The restriction lasts until you were able to get a B.C driver’s license over you must have met all the requirement as stated in the Ontario Highway.

Subsequent action: If you continue to drive without a valid driver’s license even after prohibited or restricted from driving, you will be charged for “Driving while prohibited”. This also attracts another $500 fine with a jail term up to six months.

Driver’s License For Military Personnel

The department of National Defence issues a special driving licence which is known as DND 404 to Canadian Forces military personnel driving Canadian Force vehicles or any other vehicles rented by the Department of National Defence. These licenses are only issue on contingent on possession of a provincial driving license and passing of a defensive driving course. The DND404 permits were replaced with new photo ID cards in 2012. Holders of these ID cards are still under the enforcement of the Ontario traffic laws enforcement agencies, and DND 404 permits can also be suspended just like other driver’s license.

How Long Does Driving Without License Stays On Your Driver’s Report

Driving without license ticket stay on your driver’s license for 3 years counting from the day of conviction.

Driver’s License And Insurance In Ontario

Driving without insurance does not attract any demerit point in Ontario and it is not a criminal offense. The offense is however register under the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act of Ontario, which means every driver who is caught driving without an insurance is punishable under the Ontario Ministry of Transportation Acts. 

Driving without insurance is something you shouldn’t risk in Ontario. Apart from the risk involved in cases of accident, there are some penalties and fines attached if found culprit of driving without insurance. Part of the penalties you will face is a fine of $5000 – $25,000 fines during the first offense and a fine starting from $10,000 to $50,000 during the second offense. Apart from this outrageous fine is also a tendency of driver’s license suspension for up to one year and motor vehicle impoundment for up to a month.

The Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act CAIC section 3 states : 

1. contravenes subsection (1) of this section or subsection 13 (11); or
2. surrenders an insurance card for inspection to a police officer, when requested to do so, purporting to show that the motor vehicle is insured under a contract of automobile insurance when the motor vehicle is not so insured, is guilty of an offense and is liable on a first conviction to a fine of not less than $5,000 and not more than $25,000 and on a subsequent conviction to a fine of not less than $10,000 and not more than $50,000 and, in addition, his or her driver’s license may be suspended for a period of not more than one year.

How To Handle Your Driving Without License Tickets In Ontario

Though fighting a seat belt ticket is not an easy thing, especially if one considers the chances of winning the charges. However, that does not mean one should fold his hand especially when one considers the penalties involved. Drivers who are culprit of driving without ticket for the first time do not need to bother themselves, as there is not court charges against them. However, drivers with a recurrence offence need to be worried and should consult a traffic ticket consultants like traffictickseperts.ca to fight their charges for them.

You also have the right to appear in court yourself to defend your Driving without license charges. You can get in touch with us to guide you on the procedure to take to fight your traffic ticket and ensure everything goes on smoothly with you. You can also contact us for any other traffic violation ticket, and we assure you our best support and guidance. 

Always get in touch with us through our website traffictickseperts.com. Our services are not limited to Ontario; our paralegal services also cover Toronto, Alberta, Edmonton, Calgary, Manitoba, Winnipeg, British Columbia and other provinces in Canada. Our paralegals team are very competent and reliable with a high success rate of fighting traffic tickets. We help you handle your charges, starting from filling the tickets, requesting disclosure document, and preparing relevant litigation support. With traffictickseperts.com, your traffic tickets are covered.