Service Ontario Nightmare Advice
So in November 2025 it was time for my boyfriend to renew his license plates. He had received a plate denial letter due to owing money for 407 tolls and a parking ticket. He paid the 407 bill 3 weeks before his renewal date. He went into Service Ontario a week before his birthday so he could pay the parking ticket and renew his plates at the same time. Easy enough, right? WRONG!
When he went to renew his plates and pay the parking ticket they told him he still owed $481 for the 407. He told them he paid it and showed them proof that his account was at zero and the receipt from 407 showing it's been paid. They told him he should've paid through the Service Ontario website to make it easier. He let them know he didn't realize it was an option until he had already paid the 407 directly. They then told him he could not renew his plates until the 407 let them know it was paid. It had been 3 weeks since he paid it so he was obviously frustrated but accepted his faith.
About a week later he went back to try again, this time they told him that he still owed on their end and that there was nothing they could do. They gave him a print out of what he owed and told him to go to the courts on Markham Road in Scarborough where we live. He reluctantly went, waited around for over an hour and when someone finally saw him, they asked why he was there. He told them the story and they said they only deal with moving violations, there's nothing they can do.
Fast forward a few more months I decide to try and get this dealt with because I really don't want him getting a ticket for this bullshit. I called the 407 and they confirmed he has a balance of $0. I told them the scenario and asked if they could send us a letter stating he was cleared so we could take it to Service Ontario they said they don't do that but opened a ticket and gave me the ticket number. They told me to take that to Service Ontario and give them the number, told me the Service Ontario employee could call them with the ticket number and they would clear it on the phone and the Service Ontario employee would then be able to override the block. Cool, simple enough, right? WRONG!!!
I send my boyfriend back to Service Ontario so proud that I made everything all better. He goes, he tells them the problem and gives them the ticket number. They say AGAIN, you owe money to the 407. He tells them to call the 407 with that number and they looked at him like he had 3 heads. He asked for a manager. Manager says the same thing, you have to pay your 407. Again, he tells them HE DID, 7 MONTHS AGO (and shows proof)!!! They basically say they won't call 407 and that they can't fix his issue and tell him AGAIN to go to the courts. Frustrated as hell, he leaves. He said there was a TTC driver next to him dealing with the exact same issue!
I emailed my local MPP about 2 weeks ago regarding this because we don't know what to do at this point. I've heard absolutely nothing back.
Has anyone dealt with something like this? If so, how the hell did you get the situation rectified?
TL;DR: Service Ontario refuses to renew plates even with proof that all fines have been paid. Not sure what to do next.
Edit: Added that proof of payment was presented to Service Ontario employee.