Safety Corner

New Rules for Pickup Trucks and Trailers in Ontario!

Pickup truck towing a car.

What Regulations are Impacted by these Changes?

  1. Regulation 611 (Safety Inspections)
  2. Ontario Regulation 424/97 (Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Information)
  3. Ontario Regulation 199/07 (Commercial Motor Vehicle Inspections)
  4. Ontario Regulation 555/06 (Hours of Service)
  5. Ontario Regulation 340/94 (Driver’s Licenses)

Regulation 611: Annual Inspections: Personal-Use Pickup Trucks and Trailers

Effective July 1, 2019, pickup trucks and trailers for personal use are exempt from the requirement for an annual inspection (both the inspection and displaying the yellow decal/sticker).

A pickup truck, and any trailer drawn by the pickup truck, qualify for the exemption, provided the following criteria is met:
• The pickup truck and trailer are being used for personal use without compensation; AND

• The pickup truck and trailer are NOT carrying commercial tools or cargo, or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes.

For the exemption to apply, the pickup truck must:

• Have a manufacturer’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 6,500 kg or less AND

• Be fitted with either the original, unmodified box that was installed by the manufacturer or an unmodified replacement box that duplicates the one originally installed by the manufacturer.

 

For consistency and clarity, effective July 1, 2019, the weight threshold for other exemptions already granted to personal-use pickup trucks under the Highway Traffic Act related to Commercial Vehicle Operation Registration (CVOR), daily inspections, hours of service and class of driver’s licence for towed house trailers will be changed from 6,000 kg GVWR to 6,500 kg GVWR.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: Does my pickup truck and trailer require annual inspections/ yellow stickers?

Answer: Annual inspections/yellow stickers are required if:

• Registered gross weight (indicated on the vehicle registration) of the pickup truck exceeds 4,500 kg; or

• Gross (actual) combined weight of the pickup truck and trailer (either empty or when loaded) exceeds 4,500 kg; or

• Combined manufacturer’s GVWR of the pickup truck and trailer exceeds 4,500 kg.

NOTE: GVWR is the maximum operating weight as specified by the manufacturer (e.g.: indicated on the compliance label inside the driver’s door).

GVWR – Compliance Label

GVWR.

Registered Gross Weight – Vehicle Ownership

Ontario CMV license.

There are, however, personal-use exemptions if the following conditions are met:

• Pickup truck has a GVWR of 6,500 kg or less; AND

• Pickup truck is fitted with the original, unmodified box that was installed by the manufacturer or an unmodified replacement box that duplicates the one originally installed by the manufacturer; AND

• The pickup truck and trailer are being used for personal use without compensation; AND

• Neither the pickup truck nor the trailer is carrying commercial tools or cargo, or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes.

If all these conditions are met, neither the pickup truck nor the trailer require annual inspections/yellow stickers.

Question 2: My pickup truck has a manufacturer’s GVWR greater than 6,500 kg – can I still claim the personal-use exemption?

Answer: No.

The personal-use exemption ONLY applies for pickup trucks with a GVWR of 6,500 kg or LESS.

Question 3: I have modified my pickup truck and removed the original box provided by the manufacturer (e.g. replaced the box with a flat deck) – can I still claim the personal-use exemption?

Answer: No.

Only pickup trucks with a GVWR of 6,500 kg or less AND fitted with the original unmodified box that was installed by the manufacturer or an unmodified replacement box that duplicates the one originally installed by the manufacturer, (provided it is not carrying commercial tools or cargo or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes) qualify for the exemption.

Question 4. Is equipment mounted inside the bed of the pickup truck (e.g. fifth-wheel, goose neck hitch; auxiliary fuel tanks, sliding deck etc.) considered a modification preventing me from being able to claim the personal-use exemption?

Answer: No.

Equipment mounted inside the original box that was installed by the manufacturer or a replacement box that duplicates the one originally installed by the manufacturer is not considered a modification that would prevent you from claiming the personal-use exemption – provided all other conditions are met (i.e.: personal use, GVWR 6,500 kg or less, not carrying commercial tools or cargo or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes in either the truck or the trailer).

Question 5: I use my pickup truck for commercial purposes sometimes (e.g. during the week) and then I use it for personal use on the weekends to tow my trailer (e.g. boat, 4-wheeler etc.) – does it require an annual inspection/ yellow sticker?

Answer: While the pickup truck is being used for commercial purposes, if it meets any of the following criteria, it requires an annual inspection/ yellow sticker:

• Registered gross weight of the pickup truck exceeds 4,500 kg.

• Gross (actual) weight of the pickup truck or truck/trailer combination empty or loaded exceeds 4,500 kg.

• GVWR of the pickup truck or combined GVWR of truck and trailer exceeds 4,500 kg.

If a motor carrier uses that same pickup truck to tow your personal-use trailer on the weekend, the pickup truck will display the annual inspection sticker – but the trailer will be exempt – provided neither the pickup truck nor the trailer is carrying commercial tools or cargo or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes and the other exemption criteria is met (i.e. pickup truck original or replacement box, GVWR of the pickup truck is 6,500 kg or less).

Question 6: In what circumstance, if any, is a pick-up truck is exempt from the requirements to have a valid CVOR certificate?

Answer: A pick-up truck is exempt from the requirements to have a valid CVOR certificate if it is:

a) Being used for personal purposes without compensation; and

b) Not carrying, or towing a trailer that is carrying, commercial cargo or tools or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes.

Only pickup trucks with a GVWR of 6,500 kg or less AND fitted with the original unmodified box that was installed by the manufacturer or an unmodified replacement box that duplicates the one originally installed by the manufacturer, (provided it is not carrying commercial tools or cargo or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes) qualify for the CVOR exemption.

Question 7: In what circumstance, if any, is a pick-up truck driver exempt from the requirements to complete a vehicle inspection?

Answer: A driver of a pick-up truck is exempt from the requirements to complete a vehicle inspection if it is:

a) Being used for personal purposes without compensation; and

b) Not carrying, or towing a trailer that is carrying, commercial cargo or tools or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes.

Only pickup trucks with a GVWR of 6,500 kg or less AND fitted with the original unmodified box that was installed by the manufacturer or an unmodified replacement box that duplicates the one originally installed by the manufacturer, (provided it is not carrying commercial tools or cargo or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes) qualify for the CVOR exemption.

Question 8: In what circumstance, if any, is a pick-up truck driver exempt from the requirements to complete a daily log?

Answer: A driver of a pickup truck is exempt from the requirements to complete a daily log if it is:

a) Being used for personal purposes without compensation; and

b) Not carrying, or towing a trailer that is carrying, commercial cargo or tools or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes.

Only pickup trucks with a GVWR of 6,500 kg or less AND fitted with the original unmodified box that was installed by the manufacturer or an unmodified replacement box that duplicates the one originally installed by the manufacturer, (provided it is not carrying commercial tools or cargo or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes) qualify for the CVOR exemption.

Question 9: What are the Drivers’ License requirements for the driver of a pick-up truck in specific instances?

Answer:
The driver of the pickup truck that has a GVWR of 6,500 kg or less AND fitted with the original unmodified box that was installed by the manufacturer or an unmodified replacement box that duplicates the one originally installed by the manufacturer, (provided it is not carrying commercial tools or cargo or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes) would continue to legally operate under a Class G license if:

a) The total gross weight of the house trailer does not exceed 4,600 kilograms.

b) The combination of pick-up truck and house trailer is being driven and used for personal purposes without compensation.

c) The combination of the pick-up truck and the house trailer,

i. has a fifth wheel assembly that attaches the house trailer to the pick-up truck, and

ii. complies with the applicable load, dimensional and weight limits under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act Part VIII of the Act and the regulations made under those parts.

d) The pickup truck has no more than two axles.

e) Neither the pickup truck nor the house trailer is equipped with air brakes.

f) The house trailer must bear

i. a compliance label as required under the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (Canada) and, either on the compliance label or on a label applied to the vehicle beside the compliance label, the national safety mark required under those regulations,

ii. a compliance label containing a statement that complies with subsection 6 (2) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (Canada), confirming that the vehicle conformed to all applicable standards under those regulations that were in effect when the vehicle was manufactured,

iii. a Canadian Statement of Compliance (SOC) label issued by the Canadian Registrar of Imported Vehicles, or

iv. a vehicle licence plate issued by a state in the United States and a label indicating that the house trailer was manufactured in compliance with federal vehicle safety standards applicable at that time in the United States.
g) The house trailer bears a label indicating that it was manufactured to Canadian Standards Association Standard Z240 RV or to United States Recreation Vehicle Industry Association standard NFPA 1192 or ANSI A119.2.

h) The house trailer

i. is not owned or leased by an employer to house the employer’s employee, and

ii. is not carrying commercial cargo or tools or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes.

i) Less than one-half of the floor space of the house trailer is occupied by animals, non-commercial tools, non-commercial equipment, vehicles or a combination of them.

 

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