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11 minute read Published on Jan 7, 2026 by BrokerLink Communications
If you drive in Canada, you've likely heard of the term pink slip. But what exactly is it, and why is having one so important? Pink slips, also known as liability slips, are documents that outline motor vehicle insurance information for your vehicle. In other words, it provides proof that your vehicle is protected by the minimum insurance requirements in your province. Whether you’re pulled over by police, involved in a collision, or registering your vehicle, you’ll be asked to show proof.
Regardless, many Canadians aren’t sure what the pink slip looks like, where they can find it, or what to do if they lose their copy. In this guide, we'll go over how to access your pink slip, provincial rules, digital options, common myths, and what happens if you don’t have one. Stick around for more information.
A pink slip, also known as proof of insurance or a liability card, is a document that states the minimum requirements of third-party liability coverage to protect your vehicle. With over 27 million registered vehicles on Canadian roads, all motorists in Canada need a pink slip, as auto insurance is legally required in the country.
However, because car insurance is provincially regulated, the appearance of pink slips can vary (some aren't even pink!). Auto insurance cards are provided to you when you purchase or renew your car insurance. They often feature the following insurance information:
Name and contact details of your insurance company.
Auto insurance policy number proof
Vehicle details, including vehicle registration number, make, model.
The name of the vehicle's registered owner.
In the United States, a pink slip often refers to a vehicle's title, which states the ownership of said vehicle. But in Canada, we're solely talking about proof of insurance. Typically, pink slips can either be a paper version or a digital version. Paper copies are often kept in the glove compartment of your car along with your other insurance documents. At the same time, digital pink slips can be stored in your digital wallet app or your insurance provider's app for quick access.
All Canadian provinces require drivers to carry proof of insurance that meets the minimum requirements regulated in that province. For example, in Ontario, it is illegal not to have liability insurance and not to carry proof of insurance on you at all times when behind the wheel. Insurance companies and law enforcement have the authority to request your proof of insurance during:
Routine traffic stops with police officers.
After a car accident.
When you're renewing your auto insurance coverage.
So, what happens when you aren't able to produce proof of a pink slip in these scenarios? Failing to provide proof can lead to fines, demerit points, or even license suspension. Take Ontario, for example, if you're travelling within the province and are unable to show a valid pink slip, it can lead to a minimum fine of $5,000 for your first offence, and up to $50,000 for any subsequent offences.
As we briefly mentioned, your proof of insurance is given to you by your insurance provider at the time you purchase or renew your car insurance. There are two formats of pink slips in Canada:
Traditionally, in the car insurance industry, pink slips were given in the form of a paper copy. The paper version of your pink slip is small enough to fit in your wallet and contains information about your car insurance policy, like the date your policy is effective, your policy number, your full name, vehicle information, and the name of your car insurance company.
Digital versions of pink slips are relatively newer. For example, digital pink cards were only recently introduced to motorists in Ontario back in 2020. Digital pink slips contain all the information listed on paper versions. However, instead of a physical copy, motorists are able to provide electronic proof right on their mobile device. Digital pink slips often come with security features that restrict access to prevent tampering. For example, if stored in your smartphone's digital wallet, you can program your phone to only offer face recognition access or a PIN code.
Your personal data is also protected when using digital copies. For example, the provincial government of Ontario assures policyholders that digital pink slips are encrypted. Plus, parties can't use them to track a driver’s location or collect their data without their consent. Note that it's a driver's responsibility to keep their phone charged at all times to properly display their digital copy to law enforcement. If your phone dies or you have a broken phone screen that distorts your electronic proof of insurance, you could be fined.
All provinces in Canada require valid proof of insurance. However, whether or not electronic pink cards or paper versions are accepted will vary. Let's take a closer look at the provincial differences below:
The provinces that accept digital pink cards are listed below:
Ontario
Alberta
Quebec
Nova Scotia
Newfoundland and Labrador
Prince Edward Island
Manitoba
Northwest Territories
The provinces below do not currently allow digital proof of insurance:
British Columbia
Saskatchewan
Even if you live in a province that accepts electronic proof of insurance, we recommend keeping a paper version in your glove compartment. Being unable to surrender proof of insurance to a police officer because your phone is dead is still illegal and can lead to consequences.
Losing your insurance pink slip can be stressful, especially if you're pulled over or involved in a car accident. Luckily, getting a new insurance card is relatively easy. Here's what you need to do:
As soon as you notice you do not have proof of insurance, immediately contact your insurance company. If your province accepts digital pink cards, you can log in to your provider's online insurance portal.
If contacting your provider over the phone, let them know you've misplaced your auto insurance card. They will then send you new proof of insurance in the mail, which can take anywhere between 5 to 10 business days.
For those living in provinces that accept electronic proof, you can download your digital pink card directly onto your phone or computer from your provider's online portal.
If you live in a province that accepts both pink paper slips and digital proof, you may be debating which version to use. Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of both down below:
Digital insurance cards offer these advantages:
Digital pink slips eliminate the need for paper slips.
Digital pink slips are easier to obtain for many people and can be downloaded from home. Plus, you don’t have to worry about misplacing it or having it stolen from your vehicle if you can access a digital copy online.
Digital pink slips help combat insurance fraud.
The reality is that physical pink slips can be easily duplicated or edited, whereas digital pink slips cannot. Therefore, digital pink slips help fight common issues, like fraud.
Reasons to not choose digital auto insurance cards:
If your phone battery dies or you're in an area with poor reception, you may be unable to provide proof of insurance to law enforcement if they ask, leading to fines and other consequences.
Pros of paper insurance cards (pink slips):
Accepted in all Canadian provinces.
No need for Apple Wallet or other apps to access your insurance pink slip.
Access the pink slip directly from your glove box for convenience.
What’s not ideal about paper versions:
Proof of insurance can be edited, making tampering easy.
A physical insurance pink slip can be lost easily.
When it comes to auto insurance cards, there seems to be a lot of confusion. Let's clear up some of these misunderstandings below:
This is false. Law enforcement will not just accept your car insurance policy number. You need to either provide a digital pink slip or a physical copy of your proof of insurance. Without the actual card, you can be fined.
This is also false. Your insurance card can't be a screen pinning (screenshot) of your proof of insurance, as they can be altered. Only an actual document, whether it be paper or digital, is accepted.
Not true. If you are driving someone else's vehicle, you'll need to carry a copy of the vehicle's pink card, as it confirms the car has proof of insurance.
This is false and risky. Showing proof at a later time can lead to fines.
Yes, pink slips do expire. Your proof of insurance is valid for the length of your policy term, which is usually 12 months. At the end of the 12 months, you'll need to renew your auto insurance. When doing so, your insurance company will provide a new auto insurance card to replace your outdated one.
This depends on the province. Many provinces and territories in Canada accept digital pink slips as proof of insurance, but not all of them. So, if you are planning to drive outside of your province, you will need to do your due diligence by researching which parts of Canada accept digital pink slips as proof of insurance and which don’t. Generally, if you are travelling out of the province, it's a good idea to retain a physical copy of your pink slip just in case.
Anytime you renew or update your car insurance policy, the changes will automatically appear by the next day. If, for some reason, the most up-to-date version of your policy is not appearing digitally, contact your insurance provider or try uninstalling and reinstalling the app. Please note that once the app is installed, your digital proof of insurance can be accessed, even when you are offline or in an area without service.
To ensure you're always able to provide proof of insurance, carry both a physical and digital copy. Showing proof of coverage is mandatory across Canada, regardless of which province you're in. If you want to learn more about how pink slips work, why they are required, whether you need proof of car insurance before or after buying a vehicle, or want to use our self-service insurance portal, our team of licensed insurance brokers is here to help. They can also help you find a car insurance policy, renew existing coverage, or even download a digital copy of your pink slip. Policies we can help you purchase include:
Third-party liability
Accident benefits coverage
Uninsured motorist insurance
Collision coverage
Comprehensive coverage
Accident forgiveness
Get an auto insurance quote
If multiple drivers are named on your auto insurance policy, they will not all appear on your digital pink slip. Instead, only the name of the driver who is connected to the mobile application will appear on the digital pink slip. However, in this instance, it is a smart idea to keep the physical copy of your pink slip nearby, as this will list all insured drivers.
It depends on the province. Many provinces and territories in Canada now accept digital pink slips as proof of insurance, including Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, and Yukon. If you are driving in a province that does not accept a digital pink slip, make sure to have a physical copy with you at all times.
Yes, if drivers would like a physical copy of their digital pink slip, they can download a PDF version from the app or from their account with their insurance company and print it. This is a great solution if you lost the physical copy of your pink slip. Note that insurance companies in Canada are still required to provide physical pink slips, so you will always be given a physical copy when purchasing a policy. However, nowadays, you will also be emailed a digital copy that can be downloaded onto your smartphone.
Your phone being dead is not a valid excuse for failing to show proof of insurance. It is your responsibility to ensure your phone has enough battery to display your digital pink slip at all times or carry a physical copy in your car. To avoid your phone dying and you being unable to present proof of insurance if asked, we recommend keeping a phone charger in your vehicle.
Yes, digital pink slips can only be displayed on smartphones. Other types of cell phones, such as flip phones, are not capable of displaying pink slips. Therefore, if you do not have a smartphone, you will need to rely on your physical pink slip and keep it with you at all times.
It is your responsibility to have your pink slip in hand at all times while driving, whether physically or electronically. If you lose your physical pink slip, contact your insurance provider and request a new one or visit your insurance company's website, where you should be able to print another copy. Replacing a digital pink card is simple, as if you lost your phone and needed to buy a new phone, you could still access your digital pink card online and simply load it onto your new phone. Digital pink slips are often sent by email, so as long as you still have the email in your inbox, you can re-download the digital pink slip onto your new smartphone.
Yes, digital pink slips can be shared between drivers. If you have added your pink slip to the digital wallet on your smartphone, you should be able to share it with any other drivers using the “share pass” functionality on your phone, so long as they also have smartphones.
If you have any questions, contact one of our local branches.
