What are insurance pink slips?

What is an insurance pink slip?

An insurance pink slip is official proof that someone has insured their vehicle. It’s officially called the “motor vehicle liability insurance card,” but you’ll also commonly hear terms like “financial responsibility card,” “insurance card,” “liability card,” or “pink card.”

Traditionally, proofs of insurance were printed on “pink” paper. Even today, many regulators still require them in this form. But proofs of insurance can come in white, yellow, or various other colours.

Now, what do proofs of insurance actually prove?

It’s one thing to be caught without proof of insurance; it’s another matter entirely to be caught with no car insurance. Never drive a vehicle without valid insurance, or proof of it, for that matter.

Pink slips typically contain the following information:

• The named insured on the policy
• The insured’s address
• The policy number
• The insured vehicle, including its make, model, year, and vehicle identification number (VIN)
• The insurance company
• The effective and expiry dates (the policy period during which coverage applies)

Like the policies themselves, proof of insurance is issued per vehicle. Even if you insure your multiple vehicles under one policy, you’ll get a separate pink card for each vehicle.

The pink slip is standard in the provinces with private car insurance. Where car insurance is public (BC, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan), drivers don’t receive separate pink slips; rather, their insurance information is combined with the vehicle’s registration document.

Anytime you start a new coverage term (be it a new policy or at renewal), you’ll get a permanent pink card for that term. For new policies, your insurer may give you a temporary pink card first while they finish reviewing your application.

When do you need to present a pink slip?

A valid insurance card must accompany the vehicle any time it’s being driven. If a police officer pulls you over and you’re unable to produce the insurance document, you can be fined — even if your car’s fully insured. If you’re borrowing a vehicle, you’ll need the owner’s insurance card.

You’ll also need your insurance information when you register a vehicle, renew your licence plates, or exchange information with another driver after an accident.

What is a digital pink slip?

A digital pink slip is basically your motor vehicle liability insurance card in digital form. It’s commonly also called electronic proof of auto insurance (EPAI) or eSlip.

Like virtually anything you store on a device, EPAI offers a more convenient, modern, and secure way to carry and display your car insurance information. Nova Scotia was the first province to approve EPAI in 2018, with many other jurisdictions having followed since.¹

That said, paper insurance slips aren’t going anywhere, at least for the foreseeable future. Drivers whose insurers offer both digital and paper options can pick whichever format they prefer, or simply carry both.

What’s the difference between a paper and digital pink slip?

While they serve the same purpose, paper and digital pink slips differ in four key areas: format, convenience, reliability, and legal acceptance.

	Paper version	Digital version
Format	Typically a wallet-sized, pink piece of paper. Lives inside the vehicle’s glovebox.	Lives inside your insurer’s app, and can usually be added to a mobile wallet. Often accessible from the lock screen, which provides added privacy. Screenshots and other unofficial copies generally aren’t accepted.
Convenience	Typically delivered by mail and kept in the vehicle, where it’s accessible to any authorized driver. The card must be replaced at each policy renewal; an expired card in the glovebox is not valid proof of insurance.	Issued instantly with your policy, and often updates automatically at renewal. Anyone who drives the vehicle needs their own access, which is the owner’s responsibility.
Reliability	It can tear, fade, get soaked, go missing, or be destroyed in some catastrophic event (like a fire). There’s virtually no backup other than requesting a new official copy from your insurer.	Won’t wear out or go missing, and you can re-download it in seconds. However, it depends on a functioning device; diminished service, a dead battery, or a damaged screen can leave you unable to show it.
Legal acceptance	Accepted in all provinces.	Accepted in most provinces, but not all.

Related articles

• What is car insurance?
• Car insurance for newcomers to Canada
• Car insurance for new drivers

Which provinces and territories accept digital pink slips?

So far, only the following provinces have approved the use of EPAI:

• Alberta
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Nova Scotia
• Ontario
• Prince Edward Island
• Quebec
• Yukon

Drivers in these provinces can opt for digital pink slips if their insurer offers the option. Some providers also make it the default option. For example, Square One delivers pink slips electronically to all customers in Ontario and Quebec, unless they’ve specifically requested paper format.

Manitoba and Saskatchewan have not yet approved the use of EPAI, but drivers there can still present digital copies of their registration document (which also serves as proof of insurance) for most purposes.

BC is the only province to prohibit showing proof of auto insurance on a device. ICBC requires drivers to keep a printed copy in the vehicle at all times.²

If you’re driving from province to province, it’s best to have a paper version tucked in the glovebox anyway. It’s widely accepted as proof in all provinces and territories, unlike the digital variant. It’s generally recognized in the US too, but check the laws of any state you’re visiting first.

Commonly asked questions

How long does it take to receive a pink slip?

If you’ve opted for a digital pink slip, you’ll receive it almost instantly. Paper pink slips, which are typically sent by mail, can take up to a week or so to arrive.

Do pink slips expire?

Yes. Insurance pink slips are generally valid for one year, or one coverage term. Once that term ends, it’s expired, and you’ll need to renew your policy to get a new one.

What are the penalties for driving without proof of insurance?

Driving without proof of insurance can mean one of two things: you’re insured but don’t have proof of insurance, or you’re not insured and thus have no proof of insurance. They’re not the same offence; the penalties for uninsured driving are much harsher.

In addition to fines, police may also suspend licenses and impound vehicles of those who drive without proof of insurance. Most provinces won’t impose jail time for first offenders, but it’s possible (especially if you can’t pay the fine).

Province-specific fines for each offence vary significantly, but here are some examples from the four largest provinces:

Province	No proof of insurance	Driving an uninsured vehicle
Alberta	$2033	$2,500–$10,000 (first offence); $5,000–$20,000 (subsequent offence within five years)4
BC	$56–$815	$573–$5985
Ontario	$50 set fine, up to a statutory maximum of $4006 7	$5,000–$25,000 (first offence); $10,000–$50,000 (subsequent offences)7
Quebec	$30–$608	$325–$2,8009

Not only that, but a conviction for driving without insurance can massively impact your car insurance premiums, including potentially your eligibility for insurance.

Sources:

1. Spiar, Michael. “Superintendent of Insurance of Nova Scotia Approves Electronic Proof of Automobile Insurance (EPAI).” Canadian Underwriter, 25 January 2018, canadianunderwriter.ca/partner-content/announcements/inspress/superintendent-of-insurance-of-nova-scotia-approves-electronic-proof-of-automobile-insurance-epai.
2. ICBC. “Renew your insurance online.” icbc.com, icbc.com/insurance/buy-renew-cancel/renew-your-insurance-online. Accessed on 28 September 2026.
3. Government of Alberta. “Procedures Regulation, Alta Reg 63/2017.” kings-printer.alberta.ca, kings-printer.alberta.ca/1266.cfm?page=2017_063.cfm&leg_type=Regs&isbncln=9780779861590. Accessed on 28 September 2026.
4. Government of Alberta. “Traffic Safety Act, RSA 2000, c T-6.” kings-printer.alberta.ca, kings-printer.alberta.ca/1266.cfm?page=t06.cfm&leg_type=Acts&isbncln=9780779862900&display=html. Accessed on 28 September 2026.
5. Government of British Columbia. “Violation Ticket Administration and Fines Regulation, B.C. Reg. 89/97.” bclaws.gov.bc.ca, bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/loo69/loo69/89_97_04. Accessed on 28 September 2026.
6. Ontario Court of Justice. “Schedule 1: Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act.” ontariocourts.ca, ontariocourts.ca/ocj/provincial-offences/set-fines/set-fines-i/schedule-1. Accessed on 29 September 2026.
7. Government of Ontario. “Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.25.” ontario.ca, ontario.ca/laws/statute/90c25. Accessed on 29 September 2026.
8. Gouvernement du Québec. “Highway Safety Code, CQLR c C-24.2.” legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca, legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/pdf/cs/C-24.2.pdf. Accessed on 29 September 2026.
9. SAAQ. “Passenger Vehicle Between Individuals.” saaq.gouv.qc.ca, saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/vehicle-registration/registering-vehicle/automobile-motor-home/passenger-vehicle-between-individuals. Accessed on 29 September 2026.

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