What an Ontario driver's license number looks like

An Ontario driver's license number is a six-character code printed on the front of your license. It consists of the first five letters of your last name, followed by a single digit. If your last name has fewer than five letters, the province pads it with zeros to reach five characters.

For example, if your last name is Smith, your license number would begin with SMITH followed by a digit. If your last name is Lee, it would be LEE00 followed by a digit. The final digit is a check digit — a number calculated from the other characters to help catch errors when the license is scanned or entered into a system.

This format has been in place since Ontario's current license design was introduced and remains the standard for all Ontario driver's licenses issued today.

Key Takeaways

  • An Ontario driver's license number is always six characters: five letters (your last name or padded with zeros) plus one check digit.
  • The first five positions use the first five letters of your surname, or fewer letters padded with zeros if your name is short.
  • The sixth character is a check digit used by computer systems to verify the license number is valid.
  • This format applies to all current Ontario licenses and does not change if you renew your license.

How the letter portion is built

The letter portion always draws from your last name as it appears on your birth certificate or legal documents. Ontario takes the first five letters in order. If your last name is longer than five letters — say, Richardson — only the first five letters (RICHA) appear on your license.

If your last name is shorter than five letters, the province fills the remaining spaces with zeros. A person with the last name Kim would see KIM00. A person with the last name O would see O0000. This padding ensures every license number is exactly five letters long before the check digit is added.

Hyphens, apostrophes, and spaces in your last name are ignored. If your legal name is O'Brien, the license uses OBRIE (the first five letters without the apostrophe). If your name is Mary-Jane, only the letters are counted, not the hyphen.

What the check digit does

The sixth and final character is a check digit — a number from 0 to 9 that is mathematically derived from the five letters before it. When a police officer, insurance company, or government office scans your license or types the number into a computer, the system recalculates this digit to confirm the number is real and hasn't been altered or mistyped.

You don't need to calculate or memorize the check digit yourself. It is printed on your license and is part of your permanent license number. If you renew your license, the letter portion stays the same, but the check digit may change if the renewal process recalculates it.

Where to find your license number on the physical card

Your six-character license number appears in the upper right corner of the front of your Ontario driver's license. It is printed in large, straightforward-to-read characters. The number also appears on the back of the card in smaller print as part of the machine-readable zone — a series of lines at the bottom that can be scanned by police and other officials.

If you need to provide your license number over the phone or online, use the six-character code from the front of the card. Do not include any other numbers or codes that appear elsewhere on the license.

Why Ontario uses this format

The letter-based format ties your license number directly to your identity rather than assigning a random number. This makes it easier for officials to spot obvious errors — if someone claims their name is John Smith but their license number starts with JONES, something is wrong. The check digit adds a layer of fraud detection by making it harder to guess or forge a valid license number.

The format also keeps license numbers relatively short and human-readable, which matters when police or insurance staff need to verify a number quickly without a scanner. Other provinces use different formats, so an Ontario license number will always look different from a British Columbia or Quebec license number.

What happens if your name changes

If you legally change your last name — through marriage, court order, or other means — your license number will change when you renew. The new number will be based on your new last name. You will need to update your name with ServiceOntario before renewing, and you should also notify your insurance company and any other organizations that have your old license number on file.

You do not need to renew your license when ready after a name change. You can continue using your current license until its expiration date, but you should carry proof of your name change (such as a marriage certificate) in case you are asked to explain the mismatch between your name and your license number.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I request a specific license number?

No. Your license number is generated automatically based on your last name and the check digit formula. ServiceOntario does not allow you to choose or customize your license number. The number is assigned when your license is issued and remains the same throughout the life of that license.

What if my last name has special characters or accents?

Special characters, accents, and punctuation are removed when your license number is created. Only the letters A through Z are used. If your name is José, the license number uses JOSE. If your name is François, it uses FRANC. The accent marks do not appear in the license number itself.

Does my license number change when I renew?

The letter portion stays the same if your name hasn't changed. However, the check digit may be recalculated during renewal, which could result in a different final digit. Your full six-character license number should be treated as your permanent identifier for that license cycle.

Is my license number the same as my driver's license number used for insurance?

Yes. The six-character code on the front of your license is the number you provide to insurance companies, police, and government offices. It is your official Ontario driver's license number and is used across all systems that reference your license.