Every Ontario law is available online for free. e-Laws is the official provincial database where you can read any statute or regulation currently in force, look up historical versions, and find out what rules apply to your situation. No login, no fees, no subscription.
e-Laws contains the complete text of every Ontario provincial law. It does not contain federal laws (those are on the Justice Laws website at laws-lois.justice.gc.ca) or municipal bylaws (those are on your city's website).
Consolidated statutes (Acts): The current, up-to-date text of every Ontario Act incorporating all amendments. Examples: the Highway Traffic Act, the Residential Tenancies Act, the Employment Standards Act, the Family Law Act.
Consolidated regulations: The current text of every Ontario regulation. These are the detailed rules that implement statutes. Each statute has a "Regulations under this Act" tab linking to all of its regulations.
Source law (annual statutes and regulations): The original text of new statutes and regulations as they were first enacted, before being consolidated. Available from 2000 onwards.
Period in Time versions: What any law looked like on a specific date in the past. Useful for legal research and court proceedings.
Repealed statutes and revoked regulations: Laws that are no longer in force but may be relevant for historical research or ongoing legal cases.
Legislative tables: Detailed histories showing every amendment to every statute, proclamation dates, and the status of new legislation.
How to Search e-Laws
1. Search by name (if you know the name of the law):
Go to ontario.ca/laws and type the name of the Act or regulation in the search bar. For example, type "Residential Tenancies Act" to find the law governing landlord-tenant relationships. Results show the full consolidated text with a clickable table of contents.
2. Search by keyword (if you do not know the name):
Type keywords related to your question. For example, searching "rent increase notice" will return results from the Residential Tenancies Act and its regulations. Keyword search works but is imprecise. You may get results from many different statutes. If possible, identify the relevant Act name first (through a Google search or by asking a legal clinic) and then search for it directly on e-Laws.
3. Browse alphabetically:
Click "Browse" on the e-Laws homepage to see a complete alphabetical list of all Ontario statutes. Click any statute to read it. Each statute page has a "Regulations under this Act" tab that lists every regulation made under that statute.
Use Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F on Mac) after opening a statute. Ontario statutes can be hundreds of pages long. Once you open the Act, use your browser's find-in-page to jump to the section you need. For example, search "rent increase" within the Residential Tenancies Act to go directly to the relevant sections.
Understanding What You Are Reading
📜 Statute (Act)
Passed by the Ontario Legislature (elected MPPs). Sets the broad framework for an area of law. Changes require a bill to pass through the Legislature. Example: the Employment Standards Act, 2000 establishes the right to minimum wage, overtime pay, vacation time, and termination notice.
📋 Regulation
Created by government officials under the authority of a statute. Fills in the specific details. Can be changed more quickly than a statute. Example: O. Reg. 285/01 under the Employment Standards Act sets the specific minimum wage amounts, which are updated periodically without needing a new bill.
When researching a topic, you usually need both the statute and its regulations. The statute tells you what the rules are in general terms. The regulations tell you the specific numbers, thresholds, forms, and procedures.
Commonly Searched Laws
Here are some of the laws Ontario residents search for most often, with direct links to the full text on e-Laws.
Laws change over time. If you need to know what a law said on a specific date (for a court case, an insurance claim, a historical question, or a retroactive assessment), e-Laws lets you view any statute or regulation as it read on that date.
2In the search options, select "Period in Time" instead of the default "Consolidated law"
3Enter the date you are interested in
4Search for the statute or regulation by name
5The result shows the text of the law as it existed on that exact date, with all amendments up to that point incorporated
Period in Time is available for dates from December 31, 2000 onwards. For legislation before that date, you would need to consult the historical printed statute volumes at a law library.
What e-Laws Does NOT Contain
Federal laws: Acts of Parliament and federal regulations are on the Justice Laws website at laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
Municipal bylaws: City and town bylaws are on your municipality's website (Toronto, Ottawa, etc.)
Court decisions (case law): Judicial decisions interpreting the law are on CanLII.org (free) or paid legal databases like Westlaw and LexisNexis
Legal advice: e-Laws shows you what the law says. It does not tell you what it means for your specific situation. For legal advice, contact a lawyer or a community legal clinic
Pre-2000 historical versions: Period in Time only goes back to December 31, 2000. For earlier versions, visit the Law Society of Ontario's Great Library or use the Osgoode Digital Commons
Who Uses e-Laws
•Tenants checking whether a landlord's actions are legal under the Residential Tenancies Act
•Employees verifying overtime rules, vacation entitlements, or termination notice requirements under the Employment Standards Act
•Drivers looking up the exact rules about licence suspensions, demerit points, or vehicle safety requirements under the Highway Traffic Act
•Small business owners checking compliance requirements, licencing regulations, and consumer protection rules
•Parents and families researching custody, child support, or adoption rules under family legislation
•Students completing assignments, writing papers, or preparing for law school
•Lawyers, paralegals, and legal workers preparing cases, filing motions, and advising clients
•Anyone preparing for an LTB hearing who needs to cite specific sections of the Residential Tenancies Act
Tips for Non-Lawyers
Start with the "Definitions" section. Most Acts begin with a section defining key terms. If a word means something specific in the law (like "landlord" or "tenant" or "employer"), the definition tells you the exact legal meaning.
Use the table of contents. Every Act on e-Laws has a clickable table of contents on the left side. This is much faster than scrolling through the entire document.
Check the "Regulations under this Act" tab. The statute gives the general rules. The regulations give the specific numbers, amounts, and procedures. Many answers are in the regulations, not the statute itself.
Check the currency date. At the top of every e-Laws page, there is a note saying "This is the current version" or showing the date the document was last updated. Make sure you are reading the current version.
Reading the law does not replace legal advice. e-Laws shows you the text of the law. How that text applies to your specific situation may depend on court decisions, exemptions, and facts that are not in the statute itself. If something important is at stake, talk to a lawyer or a free community legal clinic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the e-Laws version of a law the "official" version? +
Yes. As of January 1, 2014, the electronic versions of Ontario statutes and regulations on e-Laws are the official versions under the Legislation Act, 2006. They carry the same legal authority as printed statute volumes. You can cite e-Laws in court.
How quickly is e-Laws updated when a new law passes? +
There can be a short delay between when a new Act receives Royal Assent or a new regulation is filed and when it appears on e-Laws. For most legislation, the delay is a few days to a few weeks. The currency date on each page tells you how up to date the text is.
Can I print or download laws from e-Laws? +
Yes. You can print any page directly from your browser or save it as a PDF. The content is public domain (Crown copyright with an open government licence) and you can freely copy, share, and reference it. You do not need permission.
Where do I find federal laws like the Criminal Code or Income Tax Act? +
Federal legislation is on the Department of Justice website at laws-lois.justice.gc.ca. It works similarly to e-Laws but covers only federal (Parliament of Canada) statutes and regulations. CanLII.org also has both federal and provincial legislation in a searchable format.
I need free legal help understanding a law. Where do I go? +
Ontario has a network of community legal clinics that provide free legal advice to low-income residents. Find yours at legalaid.on.ca or call Legal Aid Ontario at 1-800-668-8258. Many clinics specialize in specific areas like tenant rights, employment standards, immigration, or family law. University law school clinics also offer free legal help.
Ontario resident and the person behind serviceontario.online. Every guide on this site is independently researched by reading the full official sources at ontario.ca and canada.ca, then rewritten in plain language. Adel is not a lawyer, financial advisor, or government employee. For legal, medical, or financial advice specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional.
Independent ResearcherOntario ResidentNot Government Affiliated
