Articles & Information

Identification Requirements in Real Estate Transactions

Title fraud has been on the rise in Ontario over the past few years (which makes for a good reason to buy title insurance). In order to combat this fraud growth, mortgage lenders, title insurers, lawyers, and the Law Society of Upper Canada have established mandatory identification requirements for parties involved in real estate transactions.

While these identification requirements vary somewhat from lender to lender and among the other policy establishing entities, it is generally acceptable for a party to a real estate transaction to produce a MINIMUM of two pieces of specified identification (see below). For MOST transactions, we are in a position to accept from our clients identification from the following lists, but only in these combinations – one piece from List A and one piece from List B, or two pieces from List A. It is not sufficient to produce two pieces from List B. Each party to a transaction must comply with the identification requirements and failure to comply will prevent us from completing the transaction.

Identity documents must be original and current (not expired), and the names must match the names (and pictures, if applicable) of the parties to the real estate transaction. If a name has changed since the date of the identification document, then originals of the document establishing the name change must also be produced – for example, a marriage certificate.

Originals of the identification documentation must be produced to us, and we must retain a photocopy of the identity documents for our records and possible inspection by the mortgage lender or other parties.

LIST A*
Permanent Driver’s License Issued in Canada
Canadian Passport
Canadian Citizenship Certificate or Certificate of Naturalization (NOT a commemorative issue) with client picture
Permanent Resident Card with client picture
Certificate of Indian Status issued by the Government of Canada with client picture

LIST B*
CNIB client card with picture and signature
Foreign Passport
Canadian Firearms License / FAC
SIN card issued by the Government of Canada
Major credit card with signature
Old Age Security Card issued by the Government of Canada

* Clients must produce 2 pieces of identification — 2 from List A OR 1 from List A and 1 from List B — it is NOT acceptable to produce 2 pieces from List B. Ontario Health Insurance cards are NOT acceptable.

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