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A vehicle inspection is required if you are interested in buying a used car, relocating to a new province, or even preparing for the winter. The problem is that there are actually three kinds of inspections, which makes it hard to tell them apart and schedule the correct one. This is how you can recognize them, their prices, and where to get one in your town.
Last updated: October 2026
When buying a second-hand car, this is what you need. A mechanic lifts it up, tests its engine, transmission, brakes, suspension, body rust, and frame, performs diagnostics and gives it a road test. This is the right one for you if you don’t want to buy someone else’s trouble.
In some provinces you need a certificate for registering or transferring your vehicle (Safety Standards Certificate of Ontario is probably the most well-known one). It must be obtained from a licensed station and varies depending on the province.
A quicker preventative look before winter or a long road trip: battery, tires, fluids, brakes, wipers, lights, suspension. Not a certificate, just a way to catch small things early.
These are typical ranges, not quotes. Price depends on province, city, shop and vehicle type.
Pad and rotor wear, calipers, brake lines, fluid condition.
Ball joints, tie rods, bushings, shocks and struts.
Subframe, rocker panels and floors. This matters a lot on vehicles that spent years on salted roads.
Leaks, fluid condition, belts, exhaust, and any stored diagnostic codes.
Tread depth, uneven wear, tire age, bent rims.
Headlights, signals, horn, seatbelts, dashboard warning lights.
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A pre-purchase inspection typically runs about $120 to $260, and a provincial safety inspection about $100 to $220, depending on the province, the shop and the vehicle. A basic multi-point check is often $40 to $90, and some shops include it with other service.
Most take 60 to 90 minutes, including a lift inspection, a diagnostic scan and a short road test. Ask the shop if you can be there for the final walk-through. Seeing the problem is much clearer than reading about it.
No. It only confirms that the vehicle met minimum safety standards on the day it was inspected. It says nothing about engine or transmission health, or how long parts will last. For a used car, a pre-purchase inspection is a better guide.
No. In provinces that require one, only licensed or designated inspection stations can issue the official certificate. Any qualified shop can do a pre-purchase inspection.