Guides
Do you need a CVOR to operate a tow truck in Ontario?
CVOR requirements tow truck Ontario: a hired tow truck is a commercial motor vehicle, needing a CVOR plus a TSSEA operator licence and certificate.
What to take away
- A CVOR is required for most commercial tow truck operations in Ontario because a hired tow truck is a commercial motor vehicle.
- The CVOR is separate from the tow operator licence and driver certificate required under the Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act, 2021.
- Municipal and private lot rules are extra layers; neither replaces the provincial CVOR.
- Operating without a valid CVOR can put a tow truck out of service and lead to a Conditional or Unsatisfactory safety rating.
Ontario splits tow truck compliance into two systems. The Commercial Vehicle Operator's Registration, or CVOR, records a carrier's safety history. The Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act, 2021 licences tow operators, drivers and storage providers. A valid CVOR does not remove the need for a TSSEA certificate.
Who has jurisdiction over a tow truck
The Ministry of Transportation administers CVOR under the Highway Traffic Act and the TSSEA operator licence. Municipalities add a separate layer. Toronto may require a municipal tow licence or a city collision contract. Private lot owners set their own consent rules for removals, but those private rules cannot waive a provincial CVOR.
The CVOR follows the operator, not the vehicle. Three tow trucks under one company number share one CVOR, but each truck needs a TSSEA certificate.
Municipal licenses attach to a vehicle or business location; private property authorizations attach to a specific lot and written permission form. Separate network approvals, such as CAA towing contractor in Ontario, add another layer above municipal and private rules.
What triggers a CVOR for a tow truck
In Ontario, a tow truck operated for compensation is a commercial motor vehicle. That fact is the main trigger. Registered gross weight can matter, but a tow truck used in a business that moves other vehicles on a highway still triggers a CVOR even if it is below the weight threshold.
CVOR Trigger by Operation
Operation
- For-hire tow truck
- Yes
- Company service truck
- Yes
- Private motorhome
- No
- Private-property staging
- Usually no
CVOR required
- For-hire tow truck
- Commercial, for compensation
- Company service truck
- Commercial motor vehicle
- Private motorhome
- Not commercial
- Private-property staging
- TSSEA still applies
Reason
- For-hire tow truck
- Company service truck
- Private motorhome
- Private-property staging
| Operation | CVOR required | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| For-hire tow truck on a public highway | Yes | Commercial motor vehicle used for compensation |
| Company service truck towing its own disabled vehicle | Yes | Still a commercial motor vehicle |
| Private motorhome towing a car with a tow bar | No | Not a commercial operation |
| Tow truck staged only on private property | Usually no, but TSSEA still applies | No highway operation triggers CVOR |
Under Ontario Regulation 381/19, a tow operator also needs a licence, and each tow truck driver needs a certificate. That certificate is not the same as a driver's licence.
What to submit for a CVOR
A CVOR application needs the operator's legal business name, Ontario corporation number or business number, a list of commercial motor vehicles, and the safety fitness certificate where required. The CVOR number stays with the operator as trucks are added or removed.
For TSSEA, the registrar may require proof of insurance, a business address for service, and driver certificates. A city tow license application and a private property authorization add their own forms.
Keep the three paper trails separate, because an inspector may ask for the CVOR and the TSSEA certificate together. Even a CVOR does not remove driver hours tracking; see Tow truck driver hours of service.
How long approval takes
The ministry does not publish one fixed CVOR timeline. A complete application is often processed in a few business days. The TSSEA operator licence can take longer, usually a matter of weeks, because the registrar reviews conduct and past compliance.
Approval Sequence
- CVORoften a few business days
- TSSEA licenceusually weeks
- Then municipal authorizations
- Then private lot permissions
Use that gap for other layers. Start the CVOR first, then add municipal and private authorizations.
Enforcement officers can place a tow truck out of service on the spot if the operator cannot produce a valid CVOR.
Put the CVOR status in the written service agreement; see Towing company contract terms.
What happens if you skip the CVOR
The main consequence is an out-of-service order. Ministry enforcement officers can stop the tow truck from operating until the operator produces a valid CVOR. Repeat non-compliance can lead to a Conditional or Unsatisfactory safety rating, which triggers a fleet audit and can suspend commercial vehicle operations. That consequence is immediate, not a paperwork warning.
That rating follows the company into contracts. Insurers and municipal tow lists often ask for a CVOR abstract. Ontario winter calls add separate planning; see Winter towing operations in Canada.
Example
A two-truck operator in Hamilton runs a flatbed and a wheel-lift. One CVOR covers the company, and two TSSEA certificates cover the trucks. The city issues a separate tow plate. A private mall requires written authorization for lot removals. At a roadside check, the officer asks for the CVOR first, then the TSSEA certificate.
