Frequently Asked Questions

Permits will be available starting October 1st, 2024

Permit fees for the 2025 Ontario Snowmobile Season are as follows:

*$7.50 processing fee applies for each permit purchased.
**Classic Permit for snowmobiles with a model year of 1999 and earlier (based on registration and ownership). $7.50 processing fee applies for each permit purchased.
***Minimum two consecutive days.

As always, Mother Nature ultimately answers this question, and that’s why trail openings normally vary from winter to winter as well as region by region. But the OFSC addresses what it can control by making sure trails typically are made available once the volunteers have ensured that all land‐use permissions are in place, any trail work has been completed, and trails have been inspected during the fall. Once winter starts, we make sure that the ground is sufficiently frozen and snow‐covered for safe operation of groomers. Riders should always check the online Interactive Trail Guide (ITG) at https://www.ofsc.on.ca/ for latest trail availability information.

No. Ontario Snowmobile Trail Permits are non-refundable.

No. Ontario Snowmobile Trail Permits are for the current season they are bought and cannot be transferred to a future season.

There are two ways to update your email address:

1. If you remember your password:
   • Log in at https://permits.ofsc.on.ca/
   • Click ‘Edit’ next to your account profile information
   • Once the necessary changes have been made, scroll to the bottom of the page and click ‘Save’
2. If you do not remember your password:
   • Go to https://permits.ofsc.on.ca/ and click on ‘Change My Email Address’
   • Provide your old email address and, when prompted, the VIN and permit type associated with your last purchase

To reset your password:

• Go to https://permits.ofsc.on.ca/ and click on “Forgot your password?”
• Enter the email address associated with your OFSC account
• Click the ‘I’m not a robot’ box
• Click the ‘Reset Password’ button

An email will be sent to your account. Please click the link within the email to, which will take you to a page to provide a new password.

Helpful Resource: Password Reset Guide

• A device (computer, laptop, tablet, cell phone) with access to the internet
• A valid email address (one email address per account)
• Permits can only be purchased by the registered owner of the snowmobile and in order to do so, registered owners are required to set up their own account by visiting https://permits.ofsc.on.ca/
• Valid VIN and vehicle registration numbers are required to complete the permit transaction.

Helpful Resource: How to purchase a Permit

To take advantage of early season permit fees, you can purchase a gift card to lock in the permit fee at the time of purchase.  You only require a permit account (https://permits.ofsc.on.ca/), last name and postal code to purchase the gift card.  Once you have the required details for your snowmobile, you can redeem the gift card for Ontario Snowmobile Trail Permit.

• Visa
• Visa Debit
• Prepaid Visa (must be equal to or more value to the amount of your total transaction as only one payment type per transaction will be accepted)
• Mastercard
• Discover Card

Your online transaction is secure and safe and we do not store credit card information once the transaction is complete.

Buying your permit online offers you improved flexibility on when and where you buy. Additionally, buying online reduces the workload for our volunteers and ensures snowmobile clubs have access to the monies they require to provide exceptional riding and club experiences all season long!

‘Buy Where You Ride’ means that as a snowmobiler, you should purchase your trail permit from the club whose trails you ride most often. When buying online, you can easily select your local club by accessing the Club Locator.

The membership at AGM 2014 made the recommendation that eligibility for a Classic Permit be fixed on the 1999 model year and not any particular number of years (i.e. 15, 20, 25) as per previous practice. The motion was passed and the recommendation was accepted by MTO and implemented accordingly. If the membership wish to revise their decision, they must do so as part of the MTO Permit Fee Recommendation process for future seasons with corresponding approval provided by MTO.

As a side note, when the Classic was originally introduced for the 2010 snowmobile season, 15 year old snowmobiles were extremely unreliable and rarely traveled very far or got much use. As we approached the far more reliable 4-stroke and 2-stroke machines of the 2000s, it was apparent to the membership that if they didn’t address the eligibility issue, we would have modern, reliable and frequently used snowmobiles using the Classic Permit. Such use defies the original intent of the permit which was a discount for machines which would only be used infrequently. This permit was designed similar in nature to Historical license plates on a car, something you would operate on a very limited basis and not your daily driver

We process and ship permit orders as promptly as possible however delivery times can vary greatly depending on demand at the time of purchase. Peak order times are between the middle of October and the end of November when delivery times can be as much as 30 days. We will endeavor to keep you informed of likely delays at the time of purchase and of course we will do very our best to get your permit to you before the snow arrives.

Seasonal and Classic permit orders from December 2 onwards are processed and delivered within one to two weeks but you will receive a temporary permit via email which is valid for the two weeks or until your permit arrives in the mail, whichever takes place first.

Your permit will be sent to the address you provided and contained in your order confirmation email. If you have not received your permit within the period specified in your order confirmation please contact please contact us at: [email protected].

Multi-Day permits are delivered directly to your inbox once your order is processed and must be printed and displayed on your sled in compliance with the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act.

If you selected the standard shipping option and the permit fails to arrive at the shipping address within 4 weeks, you can request a replacement permit starting December 2nd. There is a $15 administrative fee. The OFSC can only issue a replacement permit after you file a report for the lost permit to police – this is required by the Ministry of Transportation Ontario. The OFSC will require the police report number, the name of the officer who took the report and the name of the officer’s police service.

If your permit is sufficiently damaged in-transit to render it unusable, the OFSC can provide a replacement permit once a photo of the damaged permit (which must include the permit ID) is emailed to [email protected]. There is a $15 administrative fee.

Permit transfers are only permitted in the following situations:

1. You are selling (or have otherwise transferred the ownership of) your snowmobile to another person along with the unexpired current season permit (Seasonal or Classic only) or you have purchased a snowmobile with an unexpired current season permit (Seasonal or Classic only).
2. You are replacing your snowmobile and would like to transfer the unexpired current season permit (Seasonal or Classic only) to your new snowmobile.

There is a $15 administrative fee for each transfer.

Permits can be transferred starting December 2^nd.

To initiate the permit transfer to another sled you own:

• Log in at https://permits.ofsc.on.ca
• Proceed to the Snowmobiles and Permits section and add the new vehicle to your account, which requires the make, model, year, license # and VIN
• Click the “Transfer” button next to the original snowmobile that had the permit and follow the instructions to complete the process

To initiate the permit transfer to a new owner:

• Log in at https://permits.ofsc.on.ca
• Proceed to the Snowmobiles  and Permits section and click the “Transfer” button next to the snowmobile you sold and follow the instructions

Please note: You will need to enter the email address of the new owner to initiate the process.  The new owner must also have an OFSC account to complete the transfer.

Permits can be transferred starting December 2^nd.

The previous owner must initiate the transfer process as described in “How do I transfer my permit?” above. You will receive an email with a transfer code.

To continue the permit transfer initiated by the previous owner:

1. Log in at https://permits.ofsc.on.ca/
2. Proceed to the Snowmobiles and Permits section and click the “Transfer Permit and Vehicle Details from Another Owner” button at the bottom of the page
3. Enter the transfer code provided in the email initiated by the previous owner. For best results, copy and paste the code directly from the email.
4. Follow the instructions to complete the process

The short answer is no, in accordance with the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act of Ontario (MSVA), only vehicles designed, manufactured and registered with the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) as “motorized snow vehicles” are eligible to apply for an Ontario Snowmobile Trail Permit.

The MSVA states that a  “motorized snow vehicle” means a self-propelled vehicle designed to be driven primarily on snow; (“motoneige”).

Section 21. (1) of the MSVA includes a requirement for new vehicles sold as MSV’s to display a National Safety Mark, that the Transport Canada and/or Snowmobile Safety Certification Committee (SSCC) sticker display on all vehicles sold as motorized snow vehicles in Canada.

Vehicle shall bear National Safety Mark

21. (1) No person who deals in motorized snow vehicles or cutters designed to be drawn by motorized snow vehicles shall sell or offer to sell a new motorized snow vehicle or cutter manufactured after the date this section comes into force that does not conform to the standards required under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Canada), or that does not bear the National Safety Mark referred to therein. R.S.O. 1990, c. M.44, s. 21 (1).

Section 1201 of the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Act (federal legislation) requires each snowmobile sold in Canada to comply with the requirements developed by the Snowmobile Safety and Certification Committee, Inc. (SSCC) a North American non-profit association that has developed safety standards for the manufacture and certification of snowmobiles.

1201. (1) Every snowmobile shall be constructed so that it con-forms to the requirements set out in the following standards:

(a) the Safety Standards for Snowmobile Product Certification, SSCC/11, published by the Snowmobile Safety and Certification Committee,

To determine if a vehicle is eligible to be classified as a snowmobile, it must meet the Safety Standards for Snowmobile Product Certification, SSCC/11 as referenced in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety legislation, These certification standards include a variety of snowmobile-related safety equipment which must be installed on a new vehicle ranging from emergency kill switches to vehicle weight and minimum stopping distances. A vehicle certified as a Motorized Snow Vehicle for the purpose of registration with the Ministry of Transportation in Ontario must display the certification mark displayed on page 27 of the SSCC/11 certification document.

To purchase a gift card:

1. Log in at https://permits.ofsc.on.ca/
2. Once you confirm your profile information, click on Gift Cards in the top menu

Helpful Resource: Purchasing a Gift Card

To redeem your gift card:

1. Log in at https://permits.ofsc.on.ca/
2. Follow the process to ‘Purchase a Permit’, making sure your current sled information is on/added to the ‘Snowmobile and Permits’ page
3. Select the permit type for your sled, add it to your cart, then ‘Proceed with Purchase’
4. On the checkout page, enter your redemption code in the ‘Redeem Gift Card’ box and click ‘Validate’. IMPORTANT: Once your redemption code is successfully entered, the permit fee will revert to $0.00
5. Follow prompts to completion.

Gift cards can be purchased for Seasonal and Classic permits.

To purchase a gift card, you will require:

1. A valid email address
2. A registered permit account (https://permits.ofsc.on.ca/)
3. The LAST NAME ONLY & postal code of the intended recipient (This information must exactly match the last name and postal on the recipient’s OFSC account)
4. A valid credit card

The great news is anybody can purchase a gift card as a gift or for themselves, the registered owner of the machine. You will require an account on the permit system to purchase.

Only the person who purchased the gift card can edit the name or postal code.

1. Log in at https://permits.ofsc.on.ca/
2. Go to the Gift Card section
3. Click ‘Edit’ next to the respective gift card and update the details and click ‘Save Changes’

The fee for the gift card will be the same as the cost of the permit at the date of purchase. You can redeem the gift card at any point before May 31st, 2025 for a permit.

Gift cards purchased for a 2025 Ontario Snowmobile Trail permit can only be redeemed when 2025 permits are available for purchase.

No. Your gift card will be included in your confirmation email once the payment has been accepted. You will then be able to forward or print the gift card to/for its intended recipient.

Yes, the gift card IS NOT an Ontario Snowmobile Trail Permit and must be redeemed for a permit to legally access recreational OFSC Prescribed Trails.