What the LAT Decides
The Licence Appeal Tribunal – General Service (part of Tribunals Ontario) hears appeals of licensing orders, monetary orders and compliance orders in regulated industries. For the regimes on this site, that includes registrar proposals under the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, 2002, Trust in Real Estate Services Act, 2002, Condominium Management Services Act, 2015, New Home Construction Licensing Act, 2017, Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 and Cannabis Licence Act, 2018, as well as AGCO monetary penalties and appeals from some discipline committees.
The LAT can decide all questions of fact or law in matters before it. After a hearing it can direct the regulator to carry out a proposal, change it, or substitute its own opinion, and it can usually attach conditions.
Starting a Case
Deadline
Most statutes give you 15 days after service of a Notice of Proposal to request a hearing in writing, delivered to both the registrar and the Tribunal. How service is counted differs: registered mail is deemed served on the third day under several statutes, but on the fifth day under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014. See our Notices of Proposal hub for a comparison table.
Use the LAT–General Service forms on the Tribunals Ontario website, and keep proof of delivery to both recipients.
After the Decision
Whether you can appeal to the Divisional Court depends on the statute. The Licence Appeal Tribunal Act, 1999 lists the Acts with an appeal right (s. 11(1)). For liquor and cannabis matters, appeals are limited to questions of law (s. 11(2)–(3)). In AGCO matters, the Tribunal’s order takes effect immediately unless it provides otherwise, though the court may grant a stay (s. 5.1(5)). Several licensing statutes say the same about Tribunal orders generally, such as MVDA s. 9(9) and NHCLA s. 43(11).
Checklist: Preparing for the LAT
Documents to gather
- The Notice of Proposal or order, with proof of service
- Your hearing request and proof of delivery to both recipients
- Evidence answering each reason in the notice
Details to check
- The service date and 15-day window
- Whether an immediate suspension is in effect and when it expires
- Whether the statute allows an appeal to court, and on what grounds
Rules and resources
- The governing licensing statute
- Licence Appeal Tribunal Act, 1999, ss. 5.1, 11
- LAT–General Service rules, practice directions and forms
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the LAT part of the regulator?
No. It is an independent tribunal within Tribunals Ontario. OMVIC, for example, describes the Tribunal as completely independent of it.
Can I appeal a LAT decision on the facts?
It depends on the statute. For liquor and cannabis matters, appeals are limited to questions of law (LAT Act, s. 11(3)). For other listed statutes, check the governing Act and s. 11.
Sources
Statutory references are to the provisions listed below, as consolidated on e-Laws when this page was prepared.
- Licence Appeal Tribunal Act, 1999, ss. 5.1, 11 — Checked on e-Laws November 10, 2026.
- Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, 2002, s. 9 — Checked on e-Laws November 10, 2026.
- Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, ss. 23, 74 — Checked on e-Laws November 10, 2026.
- Tribunals Ontario, Licence Appeal Tribunal – General Service — Checked November 10, 2026.