Clearances FAQs

A clearance is a number issued by the WSIB that shows that a business is registered and up-to-date with us, including keeping current with premium payment and reporting.

Watch our video about clearances.

To be in good standing, you must have:

• an open account with the WSIB and provided all registration information and required documents
• the appropriate classification
• reported  to the WSIB all required premium  amounts  and completed reconciliation, if applicable
• paid all premiums and other amounts owing

A principal is any business that hires another business to do work for them.

A contractor is any business that is hired by another business to do work for them.

The following video explains the relationship between principals and contractors:

Contractors marked ‘ineligible’ cannot be issued a clearance number because their account is not up to date with us. See details in the question: What does it mean to be in ‘good standing’?

You can use our online services to get or find a clearance for yourself, or contractors you work with immediately.

Quick access clearances

• No log in required
• Find, view and download your clearances

Log in to our online service for clearances to:

• Create a list of contractors that you need clearances for
• View your clearance history
• Search for current clearances
• Receive reminder emails

You can also get a clearance by email within three to five business days.

Yes, any active clearance application user can subscribe to the automatic clearances notification service to have their clearance certificate emailed directly to them each time a new certificate is generated. A user can subscribe to this service by selecting “My Email Notifications” in the clearance application and selecting:

“Yes, I would like to receive an email with my clearance certificate once it is created and once I am subscribed to this service”.

If you are not an active clearances application user, you can sign up through our online services.

Yes, you can select the option to apply this setting to all of your accounts, or you can customize which accounts you require to have clearances emailed directly to you. Each account can be subscribed/unsubscribed under the “My Email Notifications” menu.

No, the automatic email notification will only send clearance certificates for the account number associated with the email address/login profile. If an email address is associated with multiple accounts, the email address will receive one clearance email per account (if subscribed).

Please ensure that your account is up to date with both premium reporting and payment. Accounts that have outstanding information or balances may not be eligible for clearances. Please contact us to discuss your account should you have any questions about eligibility. You can also update your premiums using our online services.

Clearances are valid for up to 90 days from the date of issue. You need to make sure that there is a valid clearance in place for the full length of a job. If the work being done lasts longer than the period the clearance is valid for, you can get a new one.

Most clearances expire on the 20th of February, May, August and November each year.

We will automatically issue a new clearance if your account is still in good standing.

We provide clearances at no charge. Most newly registered businesses requiring a clearance at the time of registration will need to make an initial advance payment of $250. This payment is applied to your WSIB account as a credit and will be applied towards your future premiums.

The WSIB issues clearances when an account is in good standing. You can verify clearance certificate numbers through our online services. Clearances are only available up to the end of the current validity period.  They will not be available for the next period until after the renewal date.

We no longer include the principal information on clearances.

Principals will have the same assurance that the WSIB will not hold them liable for unpaid premiums and other amounts the subcontractor might owe the WSIB for the validity period of the clearance. Subcontractors will still need to pass the same compliance criteria with the WSIB to be eligible for a generic clearance.

Your contractor lists will still include all of your previously added contractors. Clearances will automatically be created and you can retrieve them directly from your lists as long as the business’ account is in good standing. Using the new Tools sidebar menu, you can get a clearance, manage your contractors, view clearance history and search by certificate number all in one place.

Principals and contractors can view their clearances in their histories and see any previously created lists under “Manage contractor’s list”. There is no longer a need to switch between principal and contractor lists.

Your history will show a copy of the same clearance certificate for every principle list you are on.

You can choose which individual services you’d like to sign up for including, our online service for clearances. Once you sign up, you’ll receive an email and can begin using the service right away. 

Yes, you can use our quick access clearances service to find, view and download your clearances. 

You can use our quick access clearances service to view your clearance on your mobile.

Once you have found a clearance, select Email this clearance (located at the bottom of the page)

• Your default email account will open and an email with the subject line “WSIB Clearance” will appear
• Type the email address(s) to which you want to send the clearance, and send the email

Any active clearance application user can also subscribe to the automatic clearances notification service to have their clearance certificate emailed directly to them each time a new certificate is generated. Users are able to receive and share their clearance certificate days before the existing certificate expires, anywhere, anytime.

A user can subscribe to the automatic clearances notification service by selecting “My Email Notifications” in the clearance application and selecting:
“Yes, I would like to receive an email with my clearance certificate once it is created and once I am subscribed to this service”.

If you are not an active clearances application user, you can sign up through our online services at wsib.ca/onlineservices.

Using our online service for clearances, you can search for a business that is registered with us by business name, telephone, CRA business name, address, city, and/or postal code.

Yes, clearances must be in place before any construction work begins and for the duration of the work. Both the principal and contractor have legal obligations regarding clearances.

If a clearance is requested for a contractor, but they are marked ineligible, they must bring their account up to date before a clearance is issued.

Yes. If a contractor or subcontractor is hired to do home repairs or renovations by a home’s resident, occupant or a member of their family, then a clearance certificate is not required.

If construction work goes ahead without a valid clearance number, both the contractor and the person/company who hired them (regardless of what industry they work in) are committing an offence. These offences are enforceable, and a maximum fine for a conviction of an offence under the WSIA is $100,000.

If a contractor hires a subcontractor to do construction work, then the contractor becomes the principal to the sub-contractor for that work. The principal must obtain a clearance certificate from the sub-contractor before the work begins and for the duration of the work.

No. A clearance is not needed for anyone who is not a contractor working for a principal. This means delivery drivers, people making drop-offs or pick-ups, technicians servicing or repairing equipment, utility employees, or similar visitors to a building do not need a clearance.