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Order your driver abstract →When ordering an Ontario driving record, you may see the terms certified and uncertified. The information you need and the reason you need the record can determine which version is appropriate.
What is an uncertified driving record?
Ontario says uncertified records meet most people’s needs. For the common 3-year driver record, an uncertified version ordered through the government’s online service can be delivered as a PDF by email.
What is a certified driving record?
A certified record includes a Ministry of Transportation seal. Ontario indicates that certified records are typically required for legal reasons.
Which should you choose?
If an employer or another organization requested your abstract, ask whether an uncertified copy is acceptable. Do not assume that you need a certified copy simply because it sounds more official. Likewise, if the record is being requested for a legal proceeding, confirm whether certification is required.
Check the type of record too
Certification is only one part of choosing the correct document. Ontario has multiple driving-record products, including the common 3-year record, driver’s licence history, longer-term records, and CVOR records. Confirm both the record type and whether it must be certified or uncertified.
Before submitting an order
Double-check the requirements given to you by the employer, insurer, lawyer, government body, or other organization. Ordering the correct record the first time can help avoid unnecessary delays.
Certified or uncertified for a job?
For employment, the record employers usually mean is the common uncertified 3-year driver record. Ontario identifies it as its most popular record and one commonly used for employment. Certification adds a Ministry of Transportation seal, which is typically needed for legal purposes rather than routine hiring.
Ordering a certified copy just to be safe is not always better. Ontario’s online service delivers an uncertified 3-year record as a PDF by email, while a certified 3-year record is processed and sent by mail, which takes longer. Before ordering, ask the employer three questions: which record type it needs, whether it must be certified, and how recently it must have been issued.
GetMyAbstract.ca is a private service and is not affiliated with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.