Buying a Car From an Ontario Dealer: Your OMVIC Protections

In Ontario, car dealers and salespeople must be registered with OMVIC, the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council. Buying from a registered dealer gives you protections under the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act.

Your key protections

• All-in pricing: the advertised price must include fees and charges except HST and licensing.
• Disclosure: dealers must tell you about important facts, such as past damage or if the vehicle was a rental or taxi.
• A compensation fund: if a registered dealer doesn't meet its legal obligations, you may be able to claim from the Motor Vehicle Dealers Compensation Fund.

Before you sign

1. Check the dealer is registered with OMVIC.
2. Get a vehicle history report and an independent inspection for a used car.
3. Read the bill of sale: the price, fees, warranties and disclosures.
4. Don't sign anything you haven't read, or with blanks.

If something goes wrong

• Raise it with the dealer in writing first.
• Contact OMVIC, which handles complaints about dealers.
• A paralegal can help with a claim in Small Claims Court for losses up to $50,000.

Sources

• OMVIC
• Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, 2002

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General Ontario legal information, not legal advice for your matter, and reading it does not create a retainer. Sources checked 15 October 2026: check the current law, forms and dates before you act.

Photos from Pexels: A car dealership seen from above · A car dashboard on an open road.

This article is general information for people in Ontario, not legal advice. Rules, forms and deadlines change, and every situation is different. Check the current rule or speak to a licensed legal professional before you act.