Ignoring Your Tickets and Letters from MTO leads to bigger fines and suspensions

By Sgt. Mark Gatien
June 2018

Let’s start on that day that you got a ticket. You’re upset and you ignore it, and don’t take any action to pay it or go to court to challenge it. 

You have 15 days to do either. If you don’t, between 15 and 30 days after the infraction was issued, your information gets sent to the Ministry of Transportation (MTO).  (French link: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/french/)

Upon them receiving it, they start the process of suspending your licence for not paying the fine(s).  You will get a letter in the mail to your last address on file with the Ministry.  If you have moved and have not notified them, it’s not their problem. 

Once the letter of suspension is in the mail for seven days, you are “deemed served”, and you are suspended from driving until your fine and reinstatement fees have been settled.  The reinstatement fee is $198.

If you continue to drive thereafter and are stopped by police, you will be given a summons to appear in court for ‘driving under suspension” and your car may be towed. 

If you are convicted in court of “Driving While Under Suspension” you could see a “first offence” fine of between $1,000 and $5,000 and your licence could be suspended for a further six months.

If you fail to appear for your court date, you will be tried “in absentia” on the officer’s information sworn to the courts and upon conviction you will face the fines and suspensions outlined above.

If you are issued a ticket for any reason, it is in your best interest to look after it within the first 15 days.  If you choose to go to court to contest it, you’re not going to hurt our feelings, it’s your right.  The courts will listen to your reasons and if you are still found guilty, you can make arrangements with the courts to pay your ticket over a period of (reasonable) time.

For more information, visit the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General