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Do I need a WSIB clearance certificate from my contractor?

Researched by the LokalMatch editorial team1 answer

Somebody told me I could be on the hook for a contractor’s unpaid WSIB premiums.

Answers (1)

  1. LokalMatch EditorialLokalMatch editorial

    Not for work on the home you live in. The WSIB’s rule is that when a contractor or subcontractor is hired to do home repairs or renovations by a home’s resident, occupant or a member of their family, a clearance certificate is not required.

    Ask anyway. A clearance confirms the contractor is registered with the WSIB and in good standing, which tells you something cheap and useful about how the business is run. For the people who genuinely do need one — a principal awarding a construction contract — the clearance relieves them of liability for what the contractor owes the WSIB, up to the value of the labour portion of the contract. Without one, that liability is theirs.

    Clearances cost nothing, stay valid for up to 90 days, and you can pull one yourself from the WSIB’s quick access service without an account. Ask for the contractor’s WSIB account number and look it up, rather than accepting a PDF they email you.

Answers come from pros and are reviewed by LokalMatch before they’re published. They’re general information — for regulated or safety-critical work, have a licensed professional assess your situation.

Sources

Where the facts on this page come from.

  1. Questions and answers: clearances — Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (accessed September 21, 2026)

  2. Clearance certificate in construction — Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (accessed September 21, 2026)