All-in pricing in Ontario and what an advertised price has to include

In Ontario, the price a registered car dealer advertises has to be very close to the price you actually pay. The rule is called all-in price advertising, and it's enforced by OMVIC, the regulator for motor vehicle sales in the province. Here's what it covers, what it doesn't, and the other protections you get when you buy from a registered dealer.

Short answer: An OMVIC-registered dealer's advertised price must include every fee and charge the dealer intends to collect. Only HST and licensing can be added on top, and the ad must say so clearly. If a dealer tries to add freight, admin or "prep" fees to an advertised price, that's a violation: walk away and report it to OMVIC.

What the all-in rule actually says

Under Ontario's Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, a registered dealer's advertised price must include all fees and charges the dealer intends to collect, with two exceptions: HST and licensing. When those two are excluded, the ad has to say so clearly and prominently, which is why you'll see "plus HST & licensing" next to most dealer prices in Ontario.

Licensing means the actual cost of registering the vehicle and getting plates. It isn't a catch-all line where a dealer can tuck in its own charges.

The rule applies to OMVIC-registered dealers. It does not apply to private sellers, and it doesn't cover manufacturer ads, because OMVIC doesn't regulate manufacturers. Every fee that makes up the price also has to be itemized on your bill of sale, so you can see exactly what you're paying for. OMVIC's own page on all-in price advertising lays out the details.

Fees that must already be in the price

According to OMVIC, these cannot be added on top of an advertised price:

• Freight
• PDI or PDE (pre-delivery inspection or expense)
• Administration ("admin") fees
• The OMVIC transaction fee
• Government levies, such as the federal air-conditioning tax
• Safety certification, unless the vehicle is advertised with a proper "unfit" or "as is" disclosure
• Products or services already installed on the car, such as nitrogen-filled tires, anti-theft etching, a warranty that comes with the car, or fuel

If something is already on the vehicle and you can't decline it, its cost belongs in the advertised price.

What can legitimately be extra

• HST. 13% in Ontario, charged on the selling price.
• Licensing. The real cost of registration and plates.
• Optional products you choose. An extended warranty, rustproofing or protection package you decide to add is not part of the advertised price. The key word is optional: you should be able to say no and still buy the car at the advertised price.
• Safety certification on an unfit or as-is vehicle. If a car is advertised as not driveable and not certified, the dealer can leave certification out of the price. If they offer to certify it, the ad has to state that cost, and it can't be mandatory. "As is" ads must carry a long, specific warning about the vehicle's condition, and all other fees still have to be included.

A quick example

A used SUV is advertised at $15,995 plus HST & licensing. HST at 13% is $2,079.35, so you're at $18,074.35 plus the actual registration and plate cost. If the bill of sale shows $15,995 plus a $699 "admin fee" plus a $499 "certification fee," the dealer is charging more than it advertised. Unless the ad clearly said the car was sold unfit or as is, those fees should have been in the $15,995.

Red flags at the desk

• New fees appear when you sit down to sign. Admin, prep, documentation, "dealer services": if they weren't in the advertised price, they don't belong on the bill.
• The cash price hides in fine print. If the big number only works with financing and the cash price sits in fine print or on another page, OMVIC says the ad violates all-in pricing rules.
• Pre-installed add-ons you "can't remove." If they're on the car and mandatory, they were supposed to be in the price.
• Verbal answers to history questions. Required disclosures must be written on the contract.
• Pressure to sign today. There's no cooling-off period in Ontario once you sign, so a dealer who rushes you is shifting all the risk onto you.

What to do: take a screenshot of the ad (with the date) and bring it with you. If you're charged more than the advertised price, don't sign. OMVIC's advice is to walk away and report the dealer through its Complaints & Inquiries Department at 416-226-4500 or 1-800-943-6002.

Other protections when you buy from a registered dealer

All-in pricing is one of several rights you get only by buying from an OMVIC-registered dealer.

Mandatory written disclosures

A dealer must disclose in writing on the contract anything from a long list that applies to the car. For used vehicles that includes, among others:

• The total distance driven, or a statement that it's unknown and may be higher than the odometer shows
• Past use as a daily rental or lease, police or emergency vehicle, taxi or limousine
• Fire damage, or flood damage that reached at least the interior floorboards
• Structural damage or repairs
• Incident repairs totalling more than $3,000, plus the cost if known
• A total-loss declaration by an insurer, or a salvage, rebuilt or irreparable brand
• Registration outside Ontario (unless registered here for the past seven consecutive years)
• Recovery after being reported stolen
• Missing or non-working airbags, or a non-working anti-lock braking system
• Any other fact that could reasonably affect your decision to buy

A dealer is not required to hand you a copy of a vehicle history report, but the disclosures themselves must be in writing. Our CARFAX Canada guide explains how to check a car's history independently.

Cancelling within 90 days for specific non-disclosures

There's no general right to change your mind. But under the Act, you can cancel the contract within 90 days of delivery if the dealer failed to disclose any of these:

• Past use as a taxi or limousine
• Past use as a police or emergency vehicle
• Past use as a daily rental (unless someone other than a dealer owned it afterwards)
• The correct make, model and model year
• A salvage, rebuilt or irreparable brand
• The actual distance travelled (for used vehicles, a figure within the lesser of 5% or 1,000 km counts as accurate)

You cancel by sending the dealer a letter stating your intent, using a delivery method that gives you proof it arrived. OMVIC can't order a dealer to cancel a deal or refund a deposit; only a court can. Courts may also let a dealer charge for the use you got out of the car.

The Compensation Fund

If a registered dealer goes out of business or refuses to resolve a valid claim, you may be able to apply to the Motor Vehicle Dealers Compensation Fund. It can pay up to $45,000 per vehicle transaction. Buyers in private sales don't have this backstop.

How to check a dealer's registration on omvic.ca

1. Go to omvic.ca and open the Dealer and Salesperson Search.
2. Search for the business and confirm it shows as registered.
3. Make sure the legal or business name matches what will appear on your bill of sale.
4. Look up the salesperson too. Salespeople must be registered as well, and the search lets you review a dealer's or salesperson's history.

If a "private seller" has several cars for sale, or their name doesn't match the ownership permit, you may be dealing with a curbsider: an unregistered dealer posing as a private seller. You'd get none of the protections above.

How this looks in practice

When you're comparing listings across the GTA, read each price the same way: advertised price, plus 13% HST, plus licensing. That's your number. Flat 6ix Club, for instance, lists its prices plus HST and licensing, so the math is the same one you'd do anywhere. Financing? See how the payment schedule changes the real cost in our bi-weekly vs monthly payments guide, or start on the financing page.

Your next step

Save this checklist, screenshot any ad you're serious about, and check the dealer on omvic.ca before you visit. If you'd like to see how a straight price looks on the floor, Flat 6ix Club's indoor showroom at 190 Millway Ave, Vaughan, near Vaughan Metropolitan Centre subway, is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm. Directions and hours are on the visit page, or call (416) 999-5939.

Common questions