How To Get Your License Back
If you have had your driver’s license suspended or downgraded and want to get it back, here is how:
1. Notification of Suspension – If the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has suspended your driver’s license based on medical information provided by your doctor, it will notify you in writing. The Medical Review Section will send you a letter outlining the information required to review your file followed by an official Notice of Suspension.
2. Administrative Review – Once you have received the letter, you can request an administrative review with a representative of the Driver Improvement Office. Call the Medical Review Section at the telephone number on the letter that you received to arrange a review. The Administrative Review is meant to give you an opportunity to provide additional information that might not have been available to the MTO at the time it made the decision to suspend your license. Keep in mind that the person who conducts the review is not the person who makes the decision about reinstating your license, so they will not be able to give you information on that status of your license.
3. Notification of Administrative Review Decision – The Medical Review Section will then review your file and notify you in writing of the outcome. If the MTO has told you that you cannot drive, you must immediately return your license to the MTO and stop driving.
4. File your Appeal – You can apply to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT) to appeal the decision to continue the suspension of your driver’s license. The LAT is authorized under the Highway Traffic Act to hear appeals from drivers who have had their driving privileges suspended or changed due to medical reporting from their doctor. Forms are available here. To file your appeal, you must pay a $100 fee and you need to include a copy of the Decision you are appealing and your reasons for appealing in your application. For more information on how a hearing may proceed, including how to present your case and which evidence to use, visit here.
5. Additional Steps – In addition to filing an appeal to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, you may submit new information to the MTO. The MTO requires that you submit a “satisfactory medical report” from your doctor that clearly states that you are no longer a risk to drive and that your medical condition is under control. The “report’ may detail your psychiatric history, diagnosis, treatment, medication, hospitalization(s), period of stability, current status and prognosis. Usually, the MTO requires that you have a period of one year with no symptoms before it will consider reinstating your license.
6. Judicial Review – If you believe that the decision of the Licence Appeal Tribunal was wrong, you may appeal the decision of the Tribunal to the Superior Court of Justice. However, this is an extremely rare, and costly, route.
You can contact the Tribunal at:
Licence Appeal Tribunal
1 St. Clair Ave. W., 12th Floor
Toronto, ON M4V 1K6
Phone: (416) 314-4260
Toll-free: 1-800-255-2214
Fax: (416) 314-4270
Website: www.lat.gov.on.ca
License Suspension Discussion
Have you had your driver’s license suspended because of a mental health disability or addiction?
Do you know how to appeal a suspension?
Have you experienced discrimination?
The Empowerment Council would like to learn more about the experience of service users and driver’s license suspensions. We will also talk to you about a case going before the Human Rights Tribunal. Please join us on Tuesday, October 22nd from 4 – 6 pm at 1001 Queen St. W, Training Room A. Please RSVP at ec.volunteer@camh.ca or 416-535-8501 ext. 33013, or fill in the form below.
PDALS 