Who needs a Safety Fitness Certificate in Manitoba?
Safety fitness certificates are issued to motor carriers, also known as operators, of regulated vehicles. Unless the regulated vehicle is exempt from the requirement to operate under a valid safety fitness certificate, the operator of the vehicle must obtain a safety fitness certificate prior to registering their vehicle(s). Section 6 of the Highway Traffic Act (General) Regulation defines an operator as:
- the vehicle owner
- person or company using the vehicle as part of an enterprise or activity
- person or company who has control over when, how and by whom the vehicle is used in an enterprise or activity
The operators of the following regulated vehicles are exempt from holding a safety fitness certificate under the Highway Traffic (General) Regulation:
- Farm trucks registered in the farm trucks registration category of the Vehicle Registration Regulation
- Regulated vehicles used exclusively for personal use
About drivers and owners:
- The driver of the regulated vehicle does not need a safety fitness certificate unless the driver is also the operator as defined in the Highway Traffic Act (General) Regulation.
- Even if the driver of the regulated vehicle is the vehicle owner, the driver does not need their own safety fitness certificate if their vehicle is registered under another company’s name and operated exclusively under that company’s control.
