Canada's electronic logging device (ELD) mandate has been in force since June 12, 2021, and fully enforced since January 1, 2023. If your trucks or buses cross provincial or international borders, you need a third-party certified ELD — not just any electronic log. This guide covers who the mandate applies to, the exemptions, how certification works, and what to watch for in 2026.

What is the Canadian ELD mandate?

In June 2019, Transport Canada amended the Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations (SOR/2005-313) to require ELDs for federally regulated carriers and drivers who must keep a daily log. The ELD replaces the paper daily log: it connects to the vehicle's engine and automatically records driving time, engine power-up and odometer readings. Drivers still enter some statuses themselves, such as on-duty time for fuelling, loading or unloading.

The mandate doesn't change Canada's hours-of-service limits — it changes how they're recorded. For the limits themselves, see our Canadian hours-of-service quick guide.

Key dates

• June 12, 2019 — ELD amendments published in the Canada Gazette, Part II.
• June 12, 2021 — ELDs become mandatory. Provinces and territories begin a period of progressive enforcement focused on education, without penalties.
• January 1, 2023 — Progressive enforcement ends and penalties apply.
• September 29, 2025 — CCMTA publishes ELD Technical Standard version 1.3.
• July 2026 — Version 1.3.1 (dated July 22, 2026) replaces version 1.3. Transport Canada will set a transition period for ELD providers and certification bodies.

Who needs a certified ELD in Canada?

You need an ELD if you are a federally regulated commercial driver — meaning you travel between provinces or territories, or across the Canadian border — and you are required to complete a record of duty status (RODS), even occasionally. U.S. drivers operating in Canada must also use a device from Transport Canada's certified list.

The federal rules cover commercial vehicles operated by a motor carrier, including trucks, tractors and trailers (or combinations of them) with a registered gross vehicle weight over 4,500 kg, and buses designed to carry more than 10 people including the driver.

What about carriers that stay in one province?

Provinces and territories enforce the federal regulations, and each one sets its own rules for carriers that operate only within its borders. Many have extended ELD requirements to intra-provincial carriers, but timelines and exemptions differ — check with the jurisdiction where your vehicles are plated. Switchboard has province-by-province pages for British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Who is exempt?

According to Transport Canada, you don't need an ELD if:

• You stay within 160 km of your home terminal and return to it each day. You aren't required to complete a RODS, so you don't need an ELD. If you drive beyond 160 km at any time, you do. See section 77 of the Regulations for the full conditions.
• The vehicle was manufactured before model year 2000. A model year 2000 or newer vehicle with a pre-2000 engine is not exempt in Canada.
• The vehicle is rented for 30 days or less under an agreement that isn't extended for the same vehicle.
• The carrier operates under a federal permit issued by a provincial director.
• The carrier operates under an exemption granted under section 16 of the Motor Vehicle Transport Act.

Exempt drivers still have to follow hours-of-service limits. For a side-by-side look at Canadian and U.S. exemptions, see ELD exemptions in Canada and the US.

Third-party certification: the biggest difference from the U.S.

In the U.S., ELD providers self-certify their devices. In Canada, every device must be tested and certified by a certification body accredited by Transport Canada, against the CCMTA Technical Standard for ELDs. Only certified devices are permitted — and a device registered with FMCSA isn't automatically certified for Canada.

Transport Canada publishes the list of certified electronic logging devices, including devices that are no longer certified. Check it before you buy, and periodically after. If you're unsure how to check, see how to check if your ELD is still compliant.

What's changing in 2026: Technical Standard 1.3.1

The Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) updated the ELD Technical Standard to version 1.3 in September 2025, and to version 1.3.1 in July 2026. Transport Canada will lead the implementation and has said ELD providers and certification bodies will get a transition period before the new version fully applies.

For carriers, the practical step is simple: ask your ELD provider how and when they plan to certify under version 1.3.1, and how they'll tell you if anything changes.

What happens if your ELD malfunctions?

In Canada, drivers can fall back on paper daily logs for up to 14 days after a malfunction, or until they return to their home terminal if the trip runs longer. The U.S. allows 8 days, so cross-border drivers should plan around the shorter limit.

Canada ELD compliance checklist

• Confirm whether each driver and vehicle is federally regulated, provincially regulated or exempt.
• Choose a device from Transport Canada's certified list.
• If you cross into the U.S., confirm the same device is also on FMCSA's registered list.
• Train drivers on roadside data transfer, unidentified driving, yard moves and personal conveyance.
• Keep blank paper daily logs on hand in case of a malfunction.
• Recheck your device's certification status regularly, especially during the Technical Standard 1.3.1 transition.

Stay compliant with a certified ELD

Switchboard is a Transport Canada–certified ELD built for carriers running in Canada and across the border. It tracks Canadian and U.S. hours of service and switches rule sets automatically when your drivers cross the border. Book a demo to see it in action.

Official sources

• Transport Canada: Electronic logging devices
• Transport Canada: ELD handout for motor carriers and drivers
• Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations (SOR/2005-313)
• CCMTA ELD Technical Standard

This guide is for general information and isn't legal advice. Check with Transport Canada and your provincial or territorial regulator for requirements that apply to your operation.