Provisional Certificate of Qualification

What will I receive?

1. Within 30 days of completing your apprenticeship program, you will receive a package by mail that includes:
• A Certificate of Apprenticeship Issuance Notification letter
• Your official Certificate of Apprenticeship, and
• A Provisional Certificate of Qualification Issuance Notification letter.
2. You will also receive an Authorization to Test Letter by email (or by mail if you don’t have email access), which you will need to schedule your exam.

What to know before scheduling your exam

You don’t have to pay for your first exam attempt

As a completed Ontario apprentice, you are eligible for a fee waiver for your first attempt at the written exam. The waiver will be automatically applied to your account – no need to contact Skilled Trades Ontario to pay for your first exam.

About the fee waiver:

• The waiver applies only to your first written certifying exam attempt.
• It does not cover practical exams or costs like study materials or prep courses.
• If you don’t pass on the first attempt, you will need to pay the standard fee of $150 + HST for each additional try.
• Apprentices in multiple trades may qualify for a fee waiver in each trade, if apprenticeship completion happens on or after January 1, 2025.
• The waiver is non-transferable between trades or individuals.
• Apprentices who completed their program before January 1, 2025 are not eligible, even if they take the exam after that date.

There’s no official deadline to use the waiver, but you’re encouraged to take your exam as soon as possible after completing your program to boost your success rate.

Schedule your exam

Use our new online booking system to schedule your exam at your convenience.

Receive your exam results

Skilled Trades Ontario will provide your results and outline your next steps once your exam is completed.

Please note: There is a 30-day mandatory waiting period between exam attempts. If you need to attempt the exam again, please visit the exam scheduling page.

Eligibility for a 6-month certificate extension

If extenuating circumstances beyond your control prevent you from scheduling or writing the certifying exam, you may apply for a 6-month extension of your Provisional Certificate of Qualification.

Extenuating circumstances may include:

• Barriers under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 or
• Situations where certifying exams cannot be administered for technical or operational reasons.

Key items to note:

• Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST on the expiry date of your Provisional Certificate of Qualification. Late applications will not be considered.
• Extensions may be denied if you do not write your certifying exam prior to the expiry date of your Provisional Certificate of Qualification. Schedule your certifying exam.
• Applications will not be accepted if submitted more than 2 months before the expiry date of your Provisional Certificate of Qualification.

Even if your Provisional Certificate of Qualification expires, you are still eligible to write the certifying exam.

How to apply for an extension

To apply for a 6-month extension, you can:

• Complete the online form, or
• Mail a completed copy of the PDF form to:
  Skilled Trades Ontario
  PO Box 2354 RPO SQ1 Shoppers
  Mississauga, ON L5B 3C8

Contact Us

Phone: 647-847-3000
Toll-Free (Ontario only): 1-855-299-0028
Hours of Operation: Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. EST