Fast facts
| Trade code | 310S |
|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Active apprentices in Ontario | 10,917 (reported in Ontario's apprenticeship dataset) |
| Approved sponsors | 5,603 |
| Certifying body | Skilled Trades Ontario |
Last verified August 20, 2026 against the sources listed below.
What does an automotive service technician do?
An Automotive Service Technician performs preventative maintenance, diagnoses problems and repairs vehicle systems in cars and light trucks.
Skilled Trades Ontario describes the work of this trade as follows:
- engines, transmissions, clutches, rear ends, differentials, brakes, drive shafts, axles and other assemblies
- alignment of wheels, axles, frames and steering mechanisms
- suspension systems, including shock absorbers and spring assemblies
- ignition, charging and starting systems, panel instruments, wiring and other electrical/electronic systems and equipment
- fuel and engine management and emission control systems
- air-conditioning, refrigeration and heating systems
How long is the automotive service technician apprenticeship?
The in-school portion of this apprenticeship runs to 3 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 310S?
The in-school portion covers, but is not limited to:
- work practices
- engine systems
- electrical/electronic and emissions systems
- drive train systems
- suspension, steering and brake systems
- air-conditioning systems
Is automotive service technician a compulsory trade in Ontario?
Yes. Automotive Service 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 automotive service 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 Automotive Service 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 310S a Red Seal trade?
Yes. Automotive Service Technician participates in the Interprovincial Red Seal Program, the national standard for the trade across Canada, stewarded by the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship. A Red Seal endorsement on an Ontario Certificate of Qualification means the qualification is recognized in other provinces and territories without re examination, which matters for workers moving between provinces and for employers hiring from outside Ontario.
The Red Seal exam for this trade, written under the national title Automotive Service Technician, has 125 multiple-choice questions, each with four possible answers and exactly one correct answer.
How the 125 questions are distributed
| Major Work Activity | Questions |
|---|---|
| A. Performs Common Occupational Skills | 9 |
| B. Diagnoses and repairs engine and engine support systems | 22 |
| C. Diagnoses and repairs vehicle module communications systems | 12 |
| D. Diagnoses and repairs driveline systems | 17 |
| E. Diagnoses and repairs electrical and comfort control systems | 23 |
| F. Diagnoses and repairs steering and suspension, braking, control systems, tires, hubs and wheel bearings | 23 |
| G. Diagnoses and repairs restraint systems, body components, accessories and trim | 10 |
| H. Diagnoses and repairs hybrid and electric vehicles (EV) systems | 9 |
By question type, this trade's exam runs 5 to 15% knowledge and recall, 40 to 50% procedural and application, and 40 to 50% critical thinking.
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 automotive service technician in Ontario?
| Public training providers | 16 colleges deliver the in-school portion |
|---|---|
| Approved sponsors | 5,603 employers registered to train apprentices |
| Apprentices in training | 10,917 |
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: Automotive Service 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.