Fast facts
| Trade code | 310E |
|---|---|
| Sector | Motive power |
| Classification | Compulsory trade (O. Reg. 876/21, s. 2) |
| Certifying exam | Required (O. Reg. 876/21, s. 3) |
| Apprentice to journeyperson ratio | Not subject to a ratio |
| Red Seal trade | No |
| Active apprentices in Ontario | 48 (reported in Ontario's apprenticeship dataset) |
| Approved sponsors | 25 |
| Certifying body | Skilled Trades Ontario |
Last verified August 20, 2026 against the sources listed below.
What does an alignment and brakes technician do?
An Alignment and Brakes Technician inspects, diagnoses and repairs electrical and electronic controls, suspension systems and frames, braking systems, tires, wheels, rims, hubs and axles, and alignment.
Skilled Trades Ontario describes the work of this trade as follows:
- suspension systems and frames
- braking systems
- tires, wheels, rims, hubs and axles
- alignment
How long is the alignment and brakes technician apprenticeship?
The in-school portion of this apprenticeship runs to 2 levels. Skilled Trades Ontario does not publish a total hour requirement for this trade on its trade page; confirm the current requirement in the trade's apprenticeship training standard before signing an agreement.
What do you study in school for the 310E?
The in-school portion covers, but is not limited to:
- workplace health and safety to protect self and others
- general shop practices
- suspension systems
- brake systems
- steering systems
- tires, wheels, hubs
- alignment
Is alignment and brakes technician a compulsory trade in Ontario?
Yes. Alignment and Brakes Technician is one of the 23 trades classified as compulsory by section 2 of O. Reg. 876/21 under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021. To practice a compulsory trade legally in Ontario, a person must hold a Certificate of Qualification, a Provisional Certificate of Qualification, or a Registered Training Agreement, and their information appears on the Skilled Trades Ontario Public Register, where anyone can check whether a specific person is certified.
Working in this trade without one of those three documents is an offence, subject to limited exemptions such as approved pre-apprenticeship program participants. See the full list of compulsory trades in Ontario for how this trade compares to the other 22.
How do you become an alignment and brakes technician in Ontario?
The apprenticeship pathway for this trade is administered by Skilled Trades Ontario under section 14 of the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021:
- Find a sponsor and register a training agreement. An employer or union sponsor takes you on and the training agreement is registered with the ministry. For this trade the Registered Training Agreement is also your legal authorization to work while you train.
- Complete the on the job and in school training. The skills are set out in the trade's Apprenticeship Training Standard, signed off by your sponsor as you demonstrate them, alongside levels of in school theory at a training delivery agent.
- Receive your Certificate of Apprenticeship. Skilled Trades Ontario issues it when the program is complete.
- Pass the certifying exam. This trade has a certifying exam under O. Reg. 876/21, s. 3. Passing it earns the Certificate of Qualification, which compulsory trade workers must then hold and renew to keep practicing.
The exact training standard, current curriculum and program details are on the Skilled Trades Ontario page for Alignment and Brakes Technician. On the job hour requirements vary by trade and are not published on this page yet; confirm them in the training standard before signing an agreement.
Is the 310E a Red Seal trade?
No. Alignment and Brakes Technician is an Ontario prescribed trade but is not part of the Interprovincial Red Seal Program, so an Ontario credential in this trade does not carry automatic recognition in other provinces. Workers moving to another province should check that province's own trade classification.
How often does the certificate need to be renewed?
Journeypersons in compulsory trades must renew their Certificate of Qualification every year, per Skilled Trades Ontario. A lapsed certificate in a compulsory trade means the holder is no longer legally entitled to practice the trade until it is restored, so the renewal date is worth tracking ahead of time. The current renewal fee is not published on this page yet; confirm it with Skilled Trades Ontario.
Already experienced? The Trade Equivalency Assessment
Workers with experience from outside Ontario's apprenticeship system, or from another country, can apply for a Trade Equivalency Assessment instead of starting an apprenticeship. Approval requires verifiable evidence of competency in the trade's Training Standard and experience at least equal to the trade's total training time; if approved, you challenge the certifying exam directly. The assessment costs $235 plus HST, and a reassessment with new evidence costs $100 plus HST, per Skilled Trades Ontario's Trade Equivalency Assessment page.
Certification is not the only paperwork
A Certificate of Qualification covers the person. Running a business in the trade carries its own obligations: many Ontario municipalities require a contractor licence on top of personal certification, and construction employers must complete WSIB registration before work begins. Both are indexed on our sister site: municipal contractor licensing requirements by city and WSIB Form 1000, registration of constructors and employers, on Ontario Trade Registry.
Where can you train as an alignment and brakes technician in Ontario?
| Public training providers | 1 colleges deliver the in-school portion |
|---|---|
| Approved sponsors | 25 employers registered to train apprentices |
| Apprentices in training | 48 |
Counts are from Ontario's published apprenticeships dataset. A sponsor is the employer or union that registers and trains the apprentice; you need one before an apprenticeship can start.
Related Ontario trades
Other motive power sector trades with certification records on this registry:
Official verification sources
- RegulationO. Reg. 876/21, Prescribed Trades and Related Matters (e-Laws)
- Certifying bodySkilled Trades Ontario: Alignment and Brakes Technician
- ActBuilding Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021 (e-Laws)
- Participation dataOntario open data: Apprenticeships dataset
Classification, exam requirement and ratio status on this page are read directly from O. Reg. 876/21 as consolidated on e-Laws, not from secondary summaries. Facts not yet verified against a primary source are marked as not published rather than estimated.