Delivery Driver Onboarding Requirements: ID, Status, Work Permit

This article is for information only and is not legal advice. Regulatory references are accurate at the date of publication (November 2026). Consult a qualified professional for any decision on an individual file.

Delivery driver onboarding requirements in Canada come down to three questions: is this the person on the documents, is the declared work status consistent with them, and is the person authorized to work here? Each answer comes from comparing a field on one document with a field on another document or an official record. A courier file can hold every item on your checklist and still fail because the name on the insurance slip is not the name on the driver's licence, or because the work permit does not allow the work being done. This guide lists the comparisons, what a mismatch looks like and what the reviewer does next. These are consistency and record checks. They do not prove that a document is genuine.

Which comparisons does a courier file need?

A courier file needs six comparisons: photo ID against a live selfie, legal name across all documents, provincial licence against the vehicle, work authorization against the type of work, business or tax number against the declared status, and payout account holder against the person.

A single mismatch is not proof of fraud. It is a reason to ask a question before the account goes live.

How does the work-permit check work?

For a non-citizen, the check starts with the document that shows the permission to work: a work permit issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), or a permanent resident card. The reviewer compares the holder's name and date of birth with the photo ID, the expiry date with the planned start, and the conditions printed on the permit with the type of work. Information on work permits and their conditions is published by IRCC. Some permits limit the holder to a named employer or restrict self-employment, so the conditions field is the one to read.

The Social Insurance Number adds a second comparison. A SIN beginning with 9 is issued to temporary residents and is tied to the permit's validity, so a SIN with a 9 and an expired permit is a mismatch that needs an answer (Service Canada, Social Insurance Number). Collect the SIN only where you need it (for example for payroll); the Office of the Privacy Commissioner advises that it should not be requested as general identification.

What this proves: that the documents indicate permission for this person at this date. It does not prove the document is authentic or that the person using the account is the holder.

Which record is compared with the declared status?

A self-employed courier is expected to provide a business number or a registration consistent with their activity. If they charge GST/HST, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) offers an online GST/HST registry validation that confirms whether a registered number is valid for a named business. The reviewer compares the name, the number and the status with the ID.

This proves a registration exists in that name. It does not settle whether the courier is genuinely independent. Classification depends on the working relationship and is regulated provincially; several provinces have added platform-specific rules (for example, Ontario's Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act, 2022 and British Columbia's platform worker regulations), so confirm the current rules for the provinces you operate in with counsel. See our article on freelancer verification for the parallel comparison.

What do the licence and driving record checks compare?

The licence check compares the licence details with the issuing province's record and the class with the vehicle. Each province issues licences and driver abstracts; the applicant can usually order their own abstract, and the reviewer compares name, date of birth, class, conditions and suspensions with the ID. A photograph of the card shows what the card says, not whether the licence has since been suspended.

Points to compare: name and birth date against the ID, class against the vehicle, conditions and restrictions, expiry.

What are the common mismatches in rented-account fraud?

The common pattern is genuine documents belonging to an eligible person, used by someone else. Each document passes alone; the mismatch shows only in comparison: a selfie that no longer matches the ID photo at re-verification, a payout account changed to a third party, a sudden change of city or vehicle.

Three controls reduce the risk without claiming certainty:

1. Repeat the selfie-to-ID match at first activation, at each bank account change and after long inactivity.
2. Compare the payout account holder name with the verified name at each change.
3. Trigger a review when the vehicle type changes.

For the fraud side, see our article on fake driver documents on delivery platforms.

What do drivers ask in forums?

Drivers mostly ask why a licence photo was rejected and why their permit "does not allow" delivery work when they have a valid permit.

Why was my licence photo rejected? Common causes are a name that differs from the ID, an expired card, glare on the image or a class that does not cover the vehicle. A linking document or a clean photo usually solves it.

Why does my work permit not work for delivery? A permit may be employer-specific or may restrict self-employment. The platform reads the conditions on the permit, not just the expiry date.

Which onboarding order reduces rework?

Run the cheap, decisive checks first: identity and live match, work authorization, licence, business number, insurance and the payout account.

A tool that reads all documents together gives the reviewer a list of discrepancies in one pass instead of seven separate images. Our transport and logistics solution describes the comparison, the industry verification guide places the courier file among other sector files, and pricing covers volumes.

What about privacy and record-keeping?

Record the date of each check, the source, the result and the reviewer. Applicant data collected by a private-sector organization in the course of commercial activity is generally governed by the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), unless a substantially similar provincial law applies (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada). Collect only what you compare and state the retention period.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main delivery driver onboarding requirements in Canada?

Photo ID with a live match, a valid provincial licence for the vehicle class, proof of authorization to work for non-citizens, a business or GST/HST registration where the courier is self-employed, insurance covering delivery use and a payout account in the applicant's name. Rules vary by platform and province.

Does a SIN prove someone can work?

No. A SIN beginning with 9 indicates a temporary resident, but permission to work comes from the permit and its conditions. Compare the SIN with the permit and the ID.

Does a GST/HST number prove the courier is independent?

No. It shows a registration exists for that name. Classification depends on the working relationship and provincial rules.

What should I do when names differ across documents?

Do not approve. Ask for a document linking the two forms of the name and record the explanation. Name variants are the most common cause of false rejections and of missed fraud.

How often should documents be re-checked?

At each expiry date, at a bank account change and after long inactivity. A permit with an end date needs a diary entry for that date.

To compare the fields on a courier file in one pass and give your reviewers a list of discrepancies, see the transport and logistics solution.