Checking ID in Ontario

When to ask

• The law: inspect ID before serving, delivering to, or admitting (where the licence bars minors) anyone who appears to be under 19 (O. Reg. 746/21, s. 9).
• Smart Serve’s advice: ask anyone who looks younger than 25, or whose behaviour seems unusual.
• Every time you’re unsure. Even if the door checked, you’re still responsible for who you serve.

What makes ID acceptable

The regulation defines ID as a document with the person’s photo and date of birth that reasonably appears to be issued by a government or the LCBO. The AGCO adds that it must be current: expired ID is not valid. Copies and photos of ID (including on a phone) aren’t acceptable; check the physical card.

The AGCO’s list of acceptable ID

• Ontario driver’s licence with a photo
• Ontario Photo Card (issued under the Photo Card Act)
• Canadian passport
• Canadian permanent resident card
• Secure Indian status card
• Canadian Armed Forces identification card
• Canadian citizenship card with a photo
• LCBO BYID photo card
• Equivalent foreign photo ID, such as a valid passport or European Union identity card

Not acceptable

• Student cards: Smart Serve says never accept them.
• Expired ID, photocopies and pictures of ID.
• Ontario health cards: you can’t ask for one or record the number. If a guest offers it, you may accept it at your discretion.

How to spot a fake

1. 1

   Hold it yourself

   Don’t let anyone flash ID at you. Take it, in good light, and take your time.

2. 2

   Check photo, birth date and expiry

   Does the face match? Is the date of birth 19 or more years ago? Is it still valid?

3. 3

   Feel the card

   Extra thickness around the photo or lamination edges can mean a new photo was laid over the original.

4. 4

   Look at the characters

   Numbers and letters should match in thickness, weight and colour. Altered digits often look heavier or darker.

5. 5

   Use the licence number

   On an Ontario driver’s licence, the number starts with the first letter of the last name, and the 9th and 10th digits match the last two digits of the birth year.

6. 6

   Look for the AGE 19 banner

   Licences and Photo Cards issued to 16- to 18-year-olds carry an “AGE 19” banner with the date they turn 19.

7. 7

   Still unsure? Ask

   Ask their birthday, how they spell their middle name or their postal code, or ask for a second piece of ID.

How to refuse

• Decline politely and explain that the law doesn’t allow you to serve without proof they’re 19.
• Stay calm and courteous. Point to the signage if it helps.
• If the guest gets angry, hold your position and bring in a manager. Call police if needed, and note a description.
• Remember: no ID, no sale.

Minors and young staff

• Minors can be on licensed premises (for example, eating with family) unless the licence bars them, but they can’t have or drink alcohol there.
• A parent may give their child alcohol only in a residence or private place, not in a bar or restaurant.
• Staff who sell or serve alcohol must be at least 18. An 18-year-old can carry and serve liquor at work but can’t drink it.
• Using someone else’s ID to buy alcohol is an offence for the person using it.
• Serving a minor can bring a fine, and for a licensee, a licence suspension of at least seven days on conviction. The AGCO also mentions monetary penalties of up to $100,000.