Stop Sign Tickets in Ontario
A stop sign ticket can affect your licence and car insurance. An ordinary ticket has a $110 total payable. A conviction normally adds three demerit pointsDemerit Points in OntarioExplore point values, licence thresholds and new-driver rules.. However, the exact charge and any special zone can change the fine.
The court schedule distinguishes failing to stop from stopping in the wrong place. This page explains those charges, their listed fines and the possible effects of a conviction.
What Does Ontario’s Stop Sign Law Require?
Where must you stop?
The law identifies the required stopping place:
- At the marked stop line, where there is one.
- Just before the nearest crosswalk, where there is no line.
- Just before entering the intersection, where neither exists.
The road layout determines the location, not just the position of the sign.
The location of a stop sign can differ from the position of a marked line. The law identifies the required stopping place. Stopping and yielding are separate duties under section 136.
Is a rolling stop enough?
No. Your vehicle must come to a full stop. Slowing down and looking both ways does not meet that duty. An empty road does not remove the need to stop. The question is whether you stopped where the law required.
Section 136(1)(a) does not set a general three-second stopping period. It requires a stop at the place described by the law. This description is general information about the duty, not an assessment of an individual charge.
What if you stopped after the line?
A stop after the required position differs from a stop at that position. The court schedule lists stopping in the wrong place separately from failing to stop. Both ordinary charges use section 136(1)(a).
The ordinary set fine is the same for those two charges. Their community safety zone entries have different set fines. The description and zone therefore matter to the listed amount.
Highway Traffic Act, section 136 — read the legal wording
Reference copy · Source currency: October 26, 2026 · Retrieved 2026-10-29. This copy does not update automatically. Grey paragraphs identify source notes about changes not yet in force.
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One section, different listed versions
The directory shows one main result for disobeying a stop sign under section 136(1)(a). The court schedule lists failing to stop and stopping in the wrong place. It also lists community safety zone versions of each charge.
The zone affects the applicable fine. The stop-sign section remains 136(1)(a). Section 214.1 explains community safety zones. The fine table below keeps the different amounts visible.
Source entries: HTA-S43-I347 · HTA-S43-I347.1 · HTA-S43-I348 · HTA-S43-I348.1
Stop Sign Fines and Total Payable
The ordinary set fine is $85 for either stopping in the wrong place or failing to stop. A $20 victim fine surcharge and $5 in costs bring the standard total to $110. The table below compares the ordinary and community safety zone amounts.
Community safety zone amounts differ by charge. Match your ticket with the right row. These are standard offence-notice amounts, not a promise about a court sentence. A summons, added costs or other facts may require a separate review.
| Charge | Set fine | Surcharge | Costs | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disobey stop sign — stop wrong place | $85 | $20 | $5 | $110 |
| Disobey stop sign — fail to stop | $85 | $20 | $5 | $110 |
| Disobey stop sign — stop wrong place — community safety zone | $120 | $25 | $5 | $150 |
| Disobey stop sign — fail to stop — community safety zone | $150 | $25 | $5 | $180 |
Reference: Court set fines ↗
Highway Traffic Act, section 136 — read the legal wording
Reference copy · Source currency: October 26, 2026 · Retrieved 2026-10-29. This copy does not update automatically. Grey paragraphs identify source notes about changes not yet in force.
Open this panel to load the section.
How Many Demerit Points Does a Stop Sign Ticket Carry?
A stop-sign conviction normally carries three demerit points.
- Receiving a ticket alone does not add points.
- Points follow a conviction, including after payment or a finding of guilt.
- They generally count for two years from the offence date.
Existing points can affect the licence consequences of another conviction. One three-point stop-sign conviction does not, by itself, reach the four-point level for these extra new-driver penalties. Separate accumulated-point rules still apply to novice and fully licensed drivers.
Reference: Demerit Point System ↗
Can a Stop Sign Ticket Affect Your Insurance?
Why can one conviction matter?
A conviction may affect your insurance even after you pay the fine. Insurers consider driving convictions as part of your record. Three points do not set a fixed premium increase. The result depends on your insurer, policy and driving history.
The fine amount does not determine the insurance result. Insurers use their own approved rating rules and the driver’s history. A reduced fine does not erase a driving conviction.
What about other tickets or a family policy?
Another conviction may matter more when you already have tickets or at-fault claims. The combined record can change the insurer’s view of risk. This is why the cost of a ticket may extend beyond the amount on the notice.
A young driver may be listed on a parent’s policy. That driver’s record can matter when the insurer reviews the policy. The effect depends on the drivers, vehicles, coverage and insurer.
Reference: FSRA: auto insurance rates ↗
Early resolution and your driving record
A lower fine can still mean a conviction
Early resolution may still leave a conviction on your driving record. A lower fine or fewer points does not erase that conviction. Your insurance rates may still be affected.
A conviction means the court has found the person guilty or accepted a guilty plea. Early resolution is a meeting with a prosecutor to discuss the case. It does not guarantee that a charge will be dropped. If the driver pleads guilty to a reduced charge, that charge can still appear on the driving record.
Points follow the charge of conviction
The prosecutor cannot simply remove points while keeping the same conviction. A different charge may carry a different number of points. Separate licence rules may also apply.
A licensed paralegal or lawyer can explain the offer, the evidence and the possible consequences before the driver decides. A charge being withdrawn is different from pleading guilty. Read about early resolution →
How can a licensed paralegal help?
Review the evidence and represent you
A licensed paralegal can review the charge and explain the possible consequences. They can request disclosure: the police notes and other relevant information held by the prosecutor. The prosecutor is the person presenting the case against the driver.
- Review the police notes, documents and any available video.
- Discuss the evidence with the prosecutor.
- Attend a pre-trial meeting or court appearance where permitted.
- Represent the driver at trial and make legal arguments.
A court may still require the driver to attend. The work and the order of the steps depend on the case. Not every traffic case has a formal pre-trial meeting with a judge.
What matters for this charge?
For a stop-sign charge, a paralegal can assess the exact charge and the evidence held by the prosecutor. Failing to stop differs from stopping in the wrong place. A representative can review how the charge relates to the stopping location and the account in the police notes.
Their work may also address the point value and any community safety zone charge. These issues can affect the consequences of the charge. This describes a professional’s role; it is not a checklist for a driver to use in court.
Explain the available choices
The paralegal can assess a trial, a possible withdrawal or any proposed resolution. A withdrawal means the prosecutor drops the charge. An acquittal means the court finds the driver not guilty. Neither outcome can be promised.
A guilty plea to a reduced charge still creates a conviction. The driver should understand the possible record, licence and insurance effects before deciding. Seek advice from a licensed paralegal or lawyer about the particular charge. Read about professional representation →
Sources and Review
Highway Traffic Act, section 136 — read the legal wording
Reference copy · Source currency: October 26, 2026 · Retrieved 2026-10-29. This copy does not update automatically. Grey paragraphs identify source notes about changes not yet in force.
Open this panel to load the section.
- Court set fines ↗
- Demerit Point System ↗
- FSRA: auto insurance rates ↗
- Court guide for defendants ↗
- Provincial Offences Act ↗
- Victim Fine Surcharges ↗
- Court costs regulation ↗
- MTO: keeping your licence ↗
Plain-language information, not legal advice. Fine amounts are for standard Part I notices and need to match the exact charge. Article and database legal review remains pending. Check the law in force on the offence date.