Point DutyTraffic Court Defence and Legal Services
Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act s.2(1)

No Insurance charges in Oshawa, Ontario.

Operating a motor vehicle without valid insurance is one of Ontario's most heavily-penalised driving offences — fines start at $5,000 and the long-term insurance consequences often exceed the fine itself.

Courthouse
Durham Provincial Offences Court
Court Phone
(905) 668-7711
Consultation
Free & Confidential
i.

What the charge means

Section 2(1) of the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act prohibits operating or permitting the operation of a motor vehicle on a highway unless it is insured under a motor vehicle liability policy.

ii.

Penalties

First offence: minimum $5,000 fine, maximum $25,000, plus a 25% victim fine surcharge. Subsequent offences: $10,000 to $50,000. Possible licence suspension up to one year and vehicle impoundment up to three months. After conviction, obtaining insurance often requires the Facility Association at high-risk premiums for several years.

iii.

Available defences

  • Valid insurance was in effect at the time (proof of coverage)
  • Honest but mistaken belief in coverage (e.g., a renewal lapse)
  • Identification of the driver
  • Charter — unlawful stop or detention
  • Due diligence in maintaining coverage
iv.

The process

Provincial Offences Court. Given the severity, almost always benefits from professional representation. Crown is often willing to reduce or withdraw where proof of coverage at the time can be located, even after the fact.

v.

Notes for Oshawa

Durham Region summary criminal matters (Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa) are heard at the Durham courthouse on Bond Street in Oshawa. HTA tickets and POA matters from Durham Regional Police and OPP East are routed to the Rossland Road POA office in Whitby.

Durham Provincial Offences Court

605 Rossland Road East, Whitby, ON L1N 9G3
(905) 668-7711

Charged with no insurance?

Defence starts with a conversation.

Twenty minutes, confidential, no obligation. We’ll discuss your charge, the realistic outcomes, and the cost of defence before you commit to anything.