WSIB Clearance Certificates: What They Are and Why You Need One Before Work Starts
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WSIB Clearance Certificates: What They Are, Why Ontario Homeowners Need One Before Work Starts, and How to Check a Contractor's Status in 2 Minutes.
If a worker is injured on your property and the contractor does not have active WSIB coverage, you — the homeowner — can be held personally liable for their medical costs and lost wages. A WSIB Clearance Certificate check takes two minutes and eliminates that liability entirely. This guide explains what it is and how to do it.
WSIB — the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board — provides mandatory workplace insurance coverage for most Ontario workers. When a contractor is covered by WSIB, their workers are protected if injured on the job. When a contractor is not covered or has lapsed coverage, that protection gap can fall to the homeowner as the "principal" under Ontario's Workplace Safety and Insurance Act. The potential liability is not theoretical — it includes medical treatment costs, long-term disability payments, and lost wages, which can be substantial for a serious injury.
A WSIB Clearance Certificate is the proof that a contractor's account is in good standing. It can be generated for free at wsib.ca in under two minutes by any homeowner. It is the single most important credential check in the contractor vetting process, and it is the one most consistently skipped. This guide explains exactly what to check and what the results mean.
The Four-Step WSIB Check — What to Do Before Any Contractor Starts Work
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1
Ask the Contractor for Their WSIB Account Number
A legitimate contractor who carries WSIB coverage knows their account number. It is on their invoices, their clearance certificates, and in their business records. A contractor who cannot provide their WSIB account number when asked directly is either not registered with WSIB, lapsed in their payments, or unfamiliar with their own insurance status — none of which is reassuring. Some contractors operate as sole proprietors with WSIB exempt status — for these, ask for their exemption confirmation.
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2
Go to wsib.ca and Navigate to "Clearance"
The WSIB clearance check tool is available at wsib.ca under the Employers section. You can search by WSIB account number or by registered business name. The business name search is useful if the contractor has not provided their account number, though searching by name can produce multiple results if the name is common.
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Confirm the Status Is "In Good Standing"
The clearance result will show one of two statuses: "In Good Standing" or "Not in Good Standing." "In Good Standing" means the contractor's WSIB account is current and their workers are covered. "Not in Good Standing" means their premiums are overdue or their account has been suspended — and their workers are not covered. A "Not in Good Standing" result is a hard stop before work begins, not a conversation to have after the fact.
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4
Print or Save the Certificate Before Work Starts
Generate and save the clearance certificate (a PDF download is available from the WSIB site). Keep it with your contractor documentation — quote, contract, and proof of insurance. If an injury occurs and a dispute arises about whether the contractor had active coverage, your saved certificate from the date of the check is documentation that you exercised due diligence as a principal before work started.
WSIB Clearance and Liability — What the Certificate Confirms and What It Does Not
WSIB covers worker injury claims. It does not cover property damage to your home during the project, damage to a neighbour's property, or third-party liability. For those risks, the contractor's Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance applies. Both checks — WSIB clearance and CGL certificate of insurance — are required for complete contractor credential verification.
"Two checks before any contractor starts work on your Ontario property: WSIB clearance at wsib.ca (worker injury liability), and a Certificate of Insurance naming you as Certificate Holder (property damage and third-party liability). Neither takes more than five minutes. Together they represent the foundation of contractor credential verification."
Run the Check on the Day Work Starts — Not Just When You Hire
WSIB status can change between when you hire a contractor and when work begins. A contractor who was in good standing when you signed the contract can fall behind on premiums by the time the project starts. Generating a fresh clearance certificate on the day work begins — not just at the quote stage — ensures that the coverage is active for the specific period when workers are on your property. For longer projects, consider checking at the midpoint as well. The check is free, takes two minutes, and the protection it provides is complete.
WSIB Check Done. Now Make Sure the Quote Is Complete.
Confirming WSIB coverage protects you from worker injury liability. Contract Link reviews the written quote to confirm scope completeness, payment structure, warranty terms, and pricing benchmarks before you commit.
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