In accordance with the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, the Ministry of Transportation makes all decisions about driver’s licences in Ontario. In the province, physicians are required under law to report anyone over 16 who they believe is not able to safely drive. These reports go to the MTO whether you have a driver’s licence or not.

When the report is received, the MTO will review the information and make a decision about the status of your driver’s licence. The MTO might ask for more information or suspend your licence without the need for further evidence. If this happens, your licence will be reinstated when conditions are met and when the appropriate medical information is received, reviewed, and approved.

You may drive with a seizure disorder in Ontario, if:

• medication appears to have prevented your seizures AND:
  • you have been free from seizures for 6 months and your medication does not impair your consciousness (e.g., doesn’t cause drowsiness), or cause poor coordination or muscle control.
  • your physician believes you are a conscientious patient who will take your medication responsibly and follow all the physician’s instructions carefully.
  •  you are under regular medical supervision and your physician believes you will report to him/her immediately should any further seizure(s) occur.
• you have had a single spontaneous seizure unrelated to any toxic illness and for which a full neurological examination reveals no form of epileptic activity.
• you have seizures only during sleep or immediately upon awakening (nocturnal seizures) and it has either been 6 months since your last seizure OR if you still have seizures, the pattern has been consistent for at least 1 year.
• you have simple partial seizures and it has either been 6 months since your last seizure OR if you still have seizures, the pattern has been consistent for at least 1 year; you also must have favourable assessment from a treating physician or neurologist, no impairment in your level of consciousness/cognition, and no head or eye deviation.
• you have been seizure-free for at least 6 months, but had a seizure after decreasing medication under your physician’s advice and supervision. You may drive once you have resumed taking your previous medication at the prescribed dosage.

For more detailed information, you can consult this Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administration (CCMTA) document: Determining Driver Fitness in Canada.

If your doctor has already submitted a report to the Ministry, then you will usually receive a request from the Ministry either to provide detailed medical information within a reasonable time frame or to have your license suspended. This is usually the case, which allows the Ministry to confirm whether a suspension is warranted.

Alternatively, the Ministry may choose to send a notice of suspension with a letter of explanation instead.

For more information about the medical review process and your driver’s license, you can refer to this MTO brochure. You can also refer to this page which contains answers to a list of frequently asked questions about the medical review process.

Reinstating a license after suspensionExpand Reinstating a license after suspension Section

Useful Agencies and OrganizationsExpand Useful Agencies and Organizations Section

For information relevant to commercial truck drivers, click here.

For information about electric bikes or e-bikes, including e-bike regulations, click here.