Clearance Letter (WSIB / WCB / WorkSafeBC)

A clearance letter (sometimes called a clearance certificate) is a document from a provincial workers-compensation board confirming that a specific contractor's account is registered and in good standing — meaning their premiums are paid and current. The name changes by province: WSIB in Ontario, WCB in most other provinces, WorkSafeBC in British Columbia — but the document and the reason to request one are the same everywhere.

Hiring a company doesn't automatically end your exposure. Crews get subbed out, a business can fall behind on premiums between jobs, and a homeowner rarely finds out until something goes wrong.

Why it matters to you#

In most provinces, the person who hired a contractor can be pursued for that contractor's unpaid workers-compensation premiums if the contractor wasn't properly covered — and if a worker is hurt on your property while working for an uncovered contractor, the situation gets considerably more complicated for everyone involved. A clearance letter, checked before the first day of work, closes that gap for the cost of a few minutes online.

In practice#

• Request clearance for the actual entity doing the work on site, not just the name on the quote — larger companies routinely subcontract to smaller crews, and a subcontractor can be uninsured even when the company you hired is fully covered.
• Clearance letters are typically valid only for a limited window (commonly around 90 days depending on the board), so re-check on longer jobs rather than relying on a letter from the start of the project.
• Never accept a paper copy handed over by the contractor as final proof — verify directly through the board's own online lookup, since a printed letter can be outdated or altered.
• Even a cash job or a casual arrangement with an individual can trigger workers-compensation obligations in some provinces — confirm directly with WSIB, WCB, or WorkSafeBC before assuming an informal hire doesn't count.

For the fuller picture of a homeowner's exposure when a contractor is hurt on site, see A Contractor Got Hurt at Your House and New Homeowner Liability Checklist.

Take the 2-minute Lawsuit Exposure Quiz →