Toronto Police Record Check: Fees, How to Apply, What to Bring

Short answer: if your postal code starts with "M", you apply to Toronto Police Service (TPS), and the fastest route is its online application. TPS lists a Criminal Record Check (CRC) or Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC) for employment at $26.72, and a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) for employment at $71.72. Volunteer CRCs and CRJMCs are free with a signed letter from the organization. All TPS fees are non-refundable, and there is no rush service.

Here is what to expect, step by step.

Who can apply to Toronto Police

TPS only processes record checks for current Toronto residents, which it defines as people with a postal code beginning with "M". If you live in Mississauga, Markham or anywhere else outside the city, apply to the police service where you live, even if your job is in Toronto. People living outside Canada are referred to the RCMP.

Applicants under 18 are only processed when the job or volunteer role is with a federal, provincial or municipal government.

Which check do you need?

TPS offers the three standard Ontario levels online, plus one special check:

Criminal Record Check (CRC, Level 1): unsuspended criminal convictions. Many employers ask for this.
Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC, Level 2): the CRC plus outstanding charges, warrants and certain court orders. Licensing bodies often request it (see our CRJMC explainer).
Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC, Level 3): for work or volunteering with children, seniors or other vulnerable people. At TPS you can only apply for a VSC through a registered agency, using the agency code that the organization gives you.
Broad Record Check: only for people caring for or serving a child or youth under Ontario's child and family services law or the Intercountry Adoption Act.

Ask the organization which level it wants before you pay. Fees are not refunded if you order the wrong one.

Fees (as listed by Toronto Police Service)

CRC or CRJMC, employment or other: $26.72
CRC or CRJMC, volunteer: no charge, with a signed letter on the organization's letterhead
VSC, employment or paid student placement, professional licensing or practicum: $71.72
VSC, volunteer or unpaid student placement: $26.72
Fingerprinting at TPS headquarters, if required for a VSC: $25.00, by appointment
Extra printed copies: $4.67 each
Local Police Record Check for a record suspension (pardon): $45.00, in person or by mail only

TPS also lists lower fees for government employment and volunteer roles. Fees can change, so check the current fee on the TPS website before you apply. Online, TPS takes Visa, Visa Debit, Mastercard and American Express.

How to apply

Online (fastest): start from the TPS "Police Record Checks" page. The online system is run for TPS by a third-party vendor and is open 24/7. You upload your ID, pay, and receive results through your online account, where you can also choose to send them electronically to an organization.

In person: the Information Access counter at TPS Headquarters, 40 College Street, is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is closed on Wednesdays and statutory holidays.

By mail: send a signed application form, clear copies of two IDs and payment (certified cheque, business cheque or money order payable to Toronto Police Service) to 40 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 2J3, Attention: Police Reference Check Program.

What ID to bring

You need two pieces of government-issued ID:

one with your photo and signature, such as a driver's licence, passport, permanent resident card or Ontario Photo Card
one with your full name and date of birth, such as a birth certificate

TPS does not accept the Ontario Health Card as ID.

How long it takes, and fingerprints

TPS does not give a fixed processing time. Instead, its page shows the receipt date of the applications it is currently working on, for each check type. Look at those dates to estimate your wait, and remember there is no rush service.

Fingerprints can add weeks. TPS asks for them if you have a criminal record with any police agency, or for a VSC when RCMP policy requires it because your sex and date of birth match a record in the pardoned sex offender database. That is a routine identity step, not an accusation. You can book fingerprinting at TPS headquarters or use an RCMP-accredited private fingerprinting company. If TPS writes to you about a VSC, reply within 90 days or the application may be treated as abandoned.

When an online check can be faster

If your deadline is close and the organization only needs a Level 1 criminal record check or a CRJMC, an online third-party check can save time. Through MyBackgroundCheck.ca, a Level 1 criminal record check is $44.99 and a CRJMC is $49.99, ordered online and usually emailed within about 15 minutes. Toronto Police is cheaper, so this only makes sense when speed matters more than price. See our guide to Ontario background check timelines and the Ontario background check page.

An online third-party check is not the right choice when:

you need a Vulnerable Sector Check, which must come from Toronto Police through a registered agency (see our vulnerable sector check guide)
you need a Local Police Record Check for a record suspension application
the employer, school or licensing body asks for a document issued by Toronto Police Service

Always confirm with the requesting organization which document it accepts before you order anything.

Common questions

I work in Toronto but live in Peel. Where do I apply? Where you live. Peel residents apply to Peel Regional Police; see our Mississauga and Brampton guide.

Can I get my fee back if I picked the wrong check? No. TPS states that all fees are non-refundable.

Will a speeding ticket show up? No. Highway Traffic Act offences are not criminal and do not appear on a police record check. They appear on your Ontario driver abstract.

Sources

Checked against the official pages above on November 10, 2026.