An Administrative Driver’s Licence Suspension (ADLS) occurs, when a driver’s licence is suspended or revoked for administrative or medical reasons not related to a conviction to a driving offence.

This can happen due to reasons like, failure to renew the licence, medical conditions, unpaid fines, or missing payments to relevant authorities such as family support payments etc.

Essentially, ADLS suspensions serves as a measure to manage non-offence related factors that impact a driver’s eligibility to hold a licence.

The goal of the Administrative Driver’s Licence Suspension (ADLS) program in Ontario is to enhance road safety and enforce financial responsibility:

• The program targets individuals displaying high-risk behaviors or those medically unfit to drive due to alcohol, drug impairments, or other medical conditions, ensuring their immediate removal from the roads.

• It also mandates licence suspensions for drivers failing to fulfill financial obligations, such as unpaid traffic violation fines or court-ordered family support payments, reinforcing the importance of financial responsibility.

By implementing these strategies, the ADLS program not only promotes safer driving conditions but also upholds the integrity of legal and financial commitments, significantly contributing to the overall reduction of road-related incidents and enhancing public safety.

The scope of ADLS extends across various categories, each reflecting the nature of offences or conditions leading to suspension:

Alcohol-Related Offences

In Canada drivers found with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) exceeding .08mgs per 100mgs of blood in their bloodstream, are immediately suspended for 90 days.

Where this happens, the police officer gives the driver notice of the suspension and removes the vehicle from the roadway.  This roadside suspension is immediate and without appeal or legal review.

Drivers who are 21 and under, regardless of licence class, must have a zero blood alcohol level (BAC) level at all times when operating a motor vehicle.

Young drivers found to have a BAC level over zero receive a 24-hour roadside driver-licence suspension. Where the driver is charged under the Highway Traffic Act and are  convicted of the offence, they face a 30-day licence suspension, a fine including insurance implications.

Drug Impairment

Where a driver is found to be drug-impaired, the province enforces a 90-day suspension for drivers impaired by drugs or a combination of drugs and/or alcohol, as determined by police evaluation.

Or where a police officer, medical professional or similar notifies the Ministry of Transport that a driver has a alcohol, or drug condition that can affect their ability to safely operate a motor vehicle they have an obligation to report the concern to the Ministry.  Where the Ministry receives such a report they will suspend the licence until the driver can prove that they do not present a risk while driving.

Medical or Physical Unfitness

Drivers deemed medically or physically unfit for safe driving can have their licence suspended, a decision often based on medical evaluations or testing performance.

Medical suspensions are a result of a medical professional report a patient who they believe is unfit to operate a motor vehicle on a roadway.  Medical professionals are required by law to report such individuals by law.  Where the driver can subsequently prove to the Ministry that they are fit to drive the Ministry will reinstate the drivers licence.  Read more about medical suspensions >>>

Failure to Pay Fines

Licences may also be suspended for the non-payment of fines related to driving offences, ensuring adherence to financial penalties. Where the licence is suspended for unpaid fines the licence will be reinstated upon payment.  Read more about unpaid fine suspension >>>

High-Risk Driving Behaviours

Engaging in high-risk behaviours like street racing or stunt driving triggers an ADLS, reflecting the serious potential for harm these actions pose.

Novice Driver Violations

Where a learner licence such as a G1, G2, M1, or M2 Driver violates any of the conditions of the novice driver rules the Ministry of Transportation will suspend the drivers licence for 30 days for a first offence.

To reinstate a licence after an administrative suspension in Ontario, a driver must fulfill specific requirements set by the Ministry of Transport.

Initially, the driver must serve the full duration of the suspension period without driving privileges. Following this, the individual may need to complete a remedial driving course, especially if the suspension was due to drinking and driving offence.

In cases related to non-compliance with financial obligations, such as unpaid fines or family support payments, these must be fully settled. For suspensions tied to medical reasons, the driver is required to provide proof of medical fitness to drive, verified by a healthcare professional.

Under the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, insurance companies must comply with these rules for drivers licence suspensions.  These rules apply to situations that do not involve a driver offence e.g. drinking and driving offences, stunt driving and racing.

• Less than one year: An administrative lapse or suspension of a driver’s licence for less than one year must not affect an individual’s driving record or the number of years licensed for the purposes of rating.

• 12 to 36 months: When the length of an administrative lapse or suspension of a driver’s licence is between 12 and 36 months, an insurer is permitted to use the lapse or suspension as part of its risk classification system. However, the insurer must submit a rate filing with actuarial evidence to FSCO justifying the proposed rating rules. The rate filing will be subject to the normal review and approval process. Otherwise, use of an administrative lapse or suspension of a driver’s licence between 12 and 36 months will not be permitted for the purposes of rating.

• More than 36 months: If the length of an administrative lapse or a suspension of a driver’s licence is more than 36 months, an insurer is permitted to file rules to use the lapse or suspension of a driver’s licence as part of its risk classification system without additional actuarial evidence although the rules must meet the statutory criteria for approval. For example, an insurer may consider the period of time during which the licence has lapsed or been suspended for the purposes of rating.

Reasons can include non-renewal or expiry of a driver’s licence due to a consumer’s oversight, temporary medical conditions, unpaid tickets, outstanding support payments to the Family Responsibility Office or outstanding payment to the Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Fund.