Does a DUI show on your Ontario driver abstract?
Yes, a conviction does, with the suspension that follows and, later, the reinstatement. The grey area is a roadside suspension: it is not a conviction, but the record lists suspensions from the past three years, and the only ones Ontario says are left off are expired medical suspensions.
The record is built from Highway Traffic Act and Criminal Code entries: convictions with their dates, suspensions, reinstatements, active fine suspensions and your demerit point total. Impaired driving touches several of those at once.
What the 3-year record can list after impaired driving
- The Criminal Code conviction and its conviction date
- The licence suspension that followed
- The reinstatement, once your licence is restored
- Your licence status, for example suspended, if the suspension is still running
- Your licence conditions and endorsements
What it does not show
- A charge that has not ended in a conviction
- Demerit points for impaired driving (there are none)
- Your wider criminal record (that is a police record check)
- Your address
- Expired medical suspensions
The only way to know how a particular roadside suspension reads is to look at your own copy. Get your driving record online and read the suspension entries for yourself.
Is a roadside suspension the same as an impaired driving conviction?
No. A roadside suspension is an administrative penalty that police impose on the spot under the Highway Traffic Act. A conviction comes from a criminal court under the Criminal Code, and it brings a criminal record and a much longer suspension.
Roadside (administrative) suspension
- Imposed immediately by police at the roadside
- Warn range (0.05 to 0.079): 7, 14 or 30 days
- 0.08 or more, or refusing a test: 90 days plus a 7-day impoundment
- Penalties of $250 to $550 and a mandatory program
- Not a criminal conviction
Criminal Code conviction
- Entered only if a court convicts you
- Leaves a criminal record
- Licence suspended for at least 1 year on a first conviction
- Mandatory program and ignition interlock afterwards
One stop can produce both. A reading of 0.08 or more brings the 90-day roadside suspension straight away, and that suspension runs separately from any criminal charge laid over the same incident.
What are Ontario’s roadside penalties for alcohol and drugs?
A blood alcohol concentration of 0.05 to 0.079, known as the warn range, means an immediate 7-day suspension the first time. At 0.08 or more, or if you refuse a test, it is an immediate 90-day suspension and your vehicle is impounded for 7 days.
| What happened | Licence suspension | Other penalties |
|---|---|---|
| Warn range (0.05 to 0.079), first time | 7 days, immediate | 8-hour education course and a $250 penalty |
| Warn range, second time | 14 days, immediate | 16-hour treatment program and a $350 penalty |
| Warn range, third time | 30 days, immediate | 16-hour treatment program, a six-month ignition interlock condition and a $450 penalty |
| 0.08 or more, failing or refusing a breath, blood or oral fluid test demand, or a poor Drug Recognition Expert evaluation | 90 days, immediate (the Administrative Driver’s Licence Suspension) | 7-day vehicle impoundment, a $550 penalty, and an education program the first time or a treatment program after that; a third time adds a six-month interlock condition |
Warn range suspensions are now 7, 14 and 30 days. Older sources still quote 3 and 7 days; the longer lengths took effect on January 1, 2026.
What does zero tolerance mean for young and novice drivers?
Zero tolerance means no alcohol and no drugs in your system at all. It applies to every driver 21 and under, to G1, G2, M1 and M2 drivers of any age, and to anyone driving a vehicle that needs an A to F licence or a CVOR.
| Driver | First time | Second time | Third time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 21 and under, or a G1, G2, M1 or M2 licence at any age | 7-day suspension and a $250 penalty | 14-day suspension and a $350 penalty | 30-day suspension, a six-month ignition interlock condition and a $450 penalty |
| Driving a vehicle that needs an A to F licence or a CVOR | 3-day suspension and a $250 penalty | 3-day suspension and a $350 penalty | 3-day suspension and a $450 penalty |
A conviction for breaking the zero alcohol condition goes further. Depending on your age and licence class, the licence can be suspended for an additional 30 or 90 days, or cancelled outright.
A zero tolerance suspension is still a suspension, and the standard insurance application asks about those. Read your Ontario drivers abstract before you apply for a policy or a first driving job. If you hold a G1 or G2, the drivers abstract guide for G1 and G2 drivers explains what yours will show.
What happens to your licence after an impaired driving conviction?
A first Criminal Code conviction suspends your Ontario licence for at least a year, followed by an ignition interlock condition and, for offences since July 1, 2026, a no-alcohol, no-drugs condition. Each further conviction within 10 years is much harsher.
| Conviction | Licence suspension | What comes with it |
|---|---|---|
| First | At least 1 year | Education or treatment program, ignition interlock for at least 1 year, then a minimum 6-month "P" condition (no alcohol, no drugs) |
| Second within 10 years | At least 3 years | Program, ignition interlock for at least 3 years, then a minimum 6-month "P" condition |
| Third within 10 years | Lifetime, which may be reduced after 10 years if criteria are met | Program, ignition interlock for at least 6 years, a mandatory medical evaluation, then a minimum 6-month "P" condition |
| Fourth within 10 years | Lifetime | No possibility of reduction |
| Impaired driving causing death | Lifetime, which may be reduced after 25 years if criteria are met | Ignition interlock for at least 6 years |
Court fines and jail time come on top of the licence penalties, and a lawyer can explain the range for your case. Some first and second-time alcohol-impaired offenders can also shorten the suspension through Ontario’s Reduced Suspension with Ignition Interlock Conduct Review Program.
To see the conviction date and suspension exactly as they are recorded, order your drivers abstract in Ontario. It arrives instantly by email.
How long does impaired driving stay on your Ontario record?
It shows on your 3-year driver record while the conviction is within the past three years. Behind that window, the Ministry of Transportation keeps Criminal Code convictions on your driver file for at least 10 years.
- 3 yearsof Criminal Code convictions, suspensions and reinstatements on the 3-year record
- 5 yearsof Criminal Code convictions on Ontario’s separate 5-year driver recordMailed only, and only the driver and a few others, such as lawyers, can order it
- 10+ yearsminimum time MTO keeps a Criminal Code conviction on your driver file
- 10 yearslook-back Ontario uses to count a second or third offence
So “off my abstract” and “gone” are different things. A conviction that has aged off your abstract can still appear on a longer-term record, still counts toward repeat-offence penalties for 10 years, and is part of your criminal record, which is a separate system entirely. The guide to how long convictions stay on your record explains the window in more detail. To see which entries are still inside it, check your 3-year driver record.
Will insurers and employers see an impaired driving conviction?
Yes. Insurers ask about it directly, and the 3-year record, the type commonly used for employment, lists it. Ontario lets anyone with your licence number order that record.
Insurance
The standard Ontario auto insurance application asks for every conviction from the last 3 years, the same window your 3-year record covers. It also asks whether any licence in the household has been suspended or cancelled in the last 6 years.
Insurers class Criminal Code convictions as serious, a step above major and minor convictions, and the insurance history they share can reach back further than three years. Ontario’s insurance regulator, FSRA, describes high-risk drivers as those with many convictions or at-fault accidents, and says they pay higher rates and may end up with the Facility Association, the insurer of last resort. See drivers abstracts for insurance for how insurers use the record.
Employment
If a job involves driving, expect the employer to read your record. While an ignition interlock condition is on your licence, Ontario’s online licence check shows “Valid with Ignition Interlock” rather than plain “Valid”. The guide to checking your licence status explains every result.
Impaired driving is also a criminal offence, so it can appear on a police record check, which is a different document from your driving record. The drivers abstract vs police record check guide sets out which one each employer is asking for. Commercial drivers also have a separate five-year record, the CVOR Driver Abstract, which covers their commercial driving in Ontario: convictions, inspections and collisions linked to a safety-related conviction.
How do you get your licence back after an impaired driving suspension?
Serve the suspension, finish the required program, pay what is owed and meet any interlock condition. After a Criminal Code conviction, the licence stays suspended until the remedial requirements are done, even if the suspension period has ended.
Serve the full suspension
Roadside suspensions range from 3 days (commercial drivers under zero tolerance) to 90 days (0.08 or more, or a refused test). A Criminal Code suspension runs at least a year on a first conviction.
Finish the required program
Roadside suspensions come with an 8-hour education course or a 16-hour treatment program. After a conviction, the licence stays suspended until the remedial program, such as Back on Track, is complete.
Pay the penalty and the reinstatement fee
A reinstatement fee applies every time a licence is suspended. Leaving it, or an administrative penalty, unpaid can get the licence cancelled.
Pass any tests the suspension length triggers
A full licence suspended for 1 to 3 years needs an eye test. 3 to 10 years needs the written test, an eye test and both road tests. More than 10 years means reapplying as a new driver.
Drive with the interlock, then the P condition
Install the device and stay compliant. For offences since July 1, 2026, prompt installation can shorten the condition, as the conviction table explains. A minimum 6-month "P" condition follows: no alcohol and no drugs while driving.
Check that your record shows the reinstatement
Your record lists reinstatements as well as suspensions. A fresh copy shows your current licence status alongside the reinstatement, ready for an insurer or employer who asks.
Before you send anything to an insurer or a hiring manager, order your driving abstract online and read it line by line, so an entry you thought had already gone does not catch you out.
Frequently asked questions
Is a DUI the same thing as impaired driving in Canada?
Yes, in everyday terms. DUI is the American label. In Canada the Criminal Code offences are impaired driving, driving over the legal blood alcohol limit (often called "over 80") and refusing a test, and all of them bring the same Ontario licence suspensions.
Will a warn range suspension show on my record or give me a criminal record?
A warn range suspension is not a criminal conviction, so it does not give you a criminal record. It is still a licence suspension, and Ontario describes the 3-year record as listing suspensions from the past three years, so your own copy is the way to confirm what it shows.
Do I get demerit points for impaired driving?
No. Ontario deals with impaired driving through licence suspensions, programs and ignition interlock rather than demerit points. On your record, the conviction and the suspension are the entries an insurer or employer notices.
Is driving high on cannabis or other drugs treated differently from alcohol?
No. Drivers impaired by drugs face the same consequences as drivers impaired by alcohol. Performing poorly on a Drug Recognition Expert evaluation brings the same immediate 90-day suspension as a reading of 0.08 or more.
I have a G2 and had one drink. Will my licence be suspended?
Yes, if police find any alcohol in your system. G1, G2, M1 and M2 drivers of any age, and every driver 21 and under, must have no alcohol and no drugs in their system. The first time means an immediate 7-day suspension and a $250 penalty, plus a mandatory program.
Will an impaired driving conviction in another province affect my Ontario licence?
Yes. Ontario lists impaired driving among the criminal driving offences committed outside Ontario that lead to a suspension of your Ontario licence. Your 3-year record shows your current licence status, so it tells you where you stand.
Can roadside suspensions alone lead to an ignition interlock condition?
Yes. Three or more administrative impaired driving suspensions within 10 years make ignition interlock mandatory, so a third warn range or 90-day suspension adds a six-month interlock condition. While it is on your licence, the online licence check shows "Valid with Ignition Interlock" rather than "Valid".
How do I see exactly what my record shows right now?
Order your 3-year Ontario driver record. It is $39.99, paid once, and the PDF arrives in your inbox instantly after payment. Occasional delays can occur.
Sources: Criminal Code of Canada (impaired driving offences and section 320.19); Highway Traffic Act, sections 41, 41.0.1, 44.1, 48, 48.1, 48.2.1, 48.3 and 48.4 (licence suspensions, warn range, zero tolerance and the Administrative Driver’s Licence Suspension); Ontario Regulation 339/94 (Demerit Point System); Ontario’s Ignition Interlock Program; the Ministry of Transportation’s description of the 3-year driver record; the MTO Driver’s Handbook; the MTO Driver’s Licence Check; FSRA guidance on high-risk drivers; and the Ontario Application for Automobile Insurance (OAF 1). This guide is general information, not legal advice.