Overview

Depending on your situation (e.g. if you’ve moved or no longer drive) you may be eligible to get a credit or refund for your licence plate sticker and/or driver’s licence.

Licence plate sticker

Regardless of the type of vehicle you own, depending on your circumstance, you may be able to get a refund or credit for your licence plate sticker.

  • The credit, will be stored in our system, which you can use for future vehicle licensing transactions (e.g. a vehicle purchase or sticker renewal)
  • If eligible, a refund to your debit or credit card will be offered
  • If not eligible for a debit/credit card refund, a cheque refund may be offered. The refund cheque is mailed to you within 4 to 6 weeks

If you have questions, contact us before visiting a ServiceOntario centre.

Personal/passenger vehicles, motorcycles, dealer plates, some commercial vehicles (not heavy vehicles)

  • If you don’t have the original vehicle permit (green permit), you will be required to purchase a replacement before you can receive a refund
  • If you no longer drive in Ontario, you may be eligible for a refund
  • If you continue to drive in Ontario, you may be eligible for a refund or only a credit depending on your circumstances

If you are eligible, go to a ServiceOntario centre with your licence plates and the original vehicle permit (green permit) where the customer service representative will discuss your refund/credit options.

Use your credit

You can use the credit to pay for other vehicle licensing transactions – including renewing another plate registered to you.

When you’re ready to use your credit:

  1. make sure you have the licence plate number linked to the credit
  2. visit a ServiceOntario centre
  3. tell the customer service representative that you wish to use your credit, before they start to process your transaction

Heavy vehicles

If the plate is attached to a heavy vehicle (more than 3,001 kg), you will receive a refund on any amount left on your plate stickers.

  • go to a ServiceOntario centre with your licence plates and the original vehicle permit (green permit) where the customer service representative will discuss your credit/refund options with you

Snowmobiles

You can only get a refund for a snow vehicle validation sticker if the sticker has never been used. The refund will be issued as a cheque in 4-6 weeks.

  • go to a ServiceOntario centre with your snow vehicle validation and the original vehicle permit (green permit) where the customer service representative will discuss your credit/refund options with you

Outside of Ontario

If you are outside of Ontario you may be eligible to get a refund.

  1. Gather:
    • your Ontario licence plates
    • the original vehicle permit (green permit)
    • a copy of your out-of-province vehicle permit showing the date the vehicle was registered where you now live
    • a signed letter requesting a refund which includes the licence plate number and the address where you would like your refund mailed
    • a copy of either:
      • a Replacement Declaration Form (only if your plates are lost or stolen)
      • written confirmation that you surrendered your Ontario plates when you registered the vehicle where you now live
  2. Mail everything to:

    Ontario Shared Services
    Revenue and Billing Management
    LCS Operations
    159 Cedar Street
    6th Floor, Suite 600
    Sudbury, Ontario
    P3E 6A5

Driver’s licence

If you’ve moved out of the province, or have stopped driving in Ontario, you can request a refund for each 6-month part of your driver’s licence fee (e.g. 18 months remaining before expiry). If you are within 6-month, you will not be eligible for a refund. Your refund will be calculated from the date your driver’s licence is returned and cancelled. Visit a ServiceOntario centre.

Moved to another province, territory or out of Canada

  1. Write and sign a letter to the mailing address below and include:
    • your new mailing address
    • your Ontario driver’s licence number, or your name and date of birth
    • a photocopy of either
      • your new driver’s licence, issued by the new licensing authority where you currently live and which shows the date of issue, or
      • a confirmation letter from the licensing authority where you live, which says that you are now a licensed driver in that place and includes the date that you surrendered your Ontario driver’s licence
  2. Mail your refund request to:

    Ontario Shared Services
    Revenue and Billing Management
    LCS Operations
    159 Cedar Street, 6th Floor, Suite 600
    Sudbury, Ontario
    P3E 6A5

Don’t want your driver’s licence anymore

You can choose to voluntarily surrender a valid driver’s licence, if you’re moving or because of your age or health. If you do surrender your driver’s licence, you can get a refund for each unexpired 6-month period remaining on the licence each 6-month part of your driver’s licence fee (e.g. 18 months remaining before expiry). If you are within 6-months of expiry, you will not be eligible for a refund.

In-person

Please bring your driver’s licence to a ServiceOntario centre.

Mail

  1. Write and sign a letter which includes your name and your driver’s licence number
  2. Mail the letter along with your driver’s licence (the physical card) to:

    Ontario Shared Services
    Revenue and Billing Management
    LCS Operations
    159 Cedar Street, 6th Floor, Suite 600
    Sudbury Ontario P3E 6A5

Refunds for a deceased person

Licence plate sticker

In-person

Please bring the licence plates with the original plate permit (the right portion of the green vehicle permit) to any ServiceOntario centre.

By mail

  1. Mail the deceased person’s:
    • licence plates
    • vehicle permit (green permit – we need the right portion)
  2. Write and sign a letter requesting a refund which includes the:
    • licence plate number
    • address where you would like your refund mailed
  3. Include the above noted items with your letter and mail to:

    Ontario Shared Services
    Revenue and Billing Management
    LCS Operations
    159 Cedar Street, 6th Floor, Suite 600
    Sudbury, Ontario
    P3E 6A5

If you don't have the original plate permit, you will be required to purchase a replacement before you can receive a refund.

Driver’s licence

In-person

Please bring the driver’s licence and either the death certificate or a notification of death from the police, judiciary or lawyer to any ServiceOntario centre.

By mail

  1. Gather the deceased person’s:
    • driver’s licence
    • photocopy of either
      • the death certificate, or
      • a notification of death from the police, judiciary or lawyer.
  2. Write and sign a letter requesting a refund and include
    • the address where you would like the refund to be sent
  3. Include the above-noted items with your letter and mail to:

    Ontario Shared Services
    Revenue and Billing Management
    LCS Operations
    159 Cedar Street, 6th Floor, Suite 600
    Sudbury, Ontario
    P3E 6A5

Updated: July 20, 2021
Published: November 28, 2018