Saskatchewan

At a glanceRequirements at a glance

Certificate of Safety Fitness Required

Yes

Yes, where the mover operates its own vehicles. Carriers operating a commercial vehicle registered in Class A, C, or D at 5,000 kg GVW or more (or a Class LV commercial-use vehicle at the same threshold) must hold a Certificate of Safety Fitness with an assigned National Safety Code (NSC) number before registering the vehicle. Where a mover subcontracts the transport, the carrier operating the vehicles holds the certificate for the transport it performs.

Operating Authority

Not required for property-carrying vehicles. Saskatchewan deregulated operating authority for property carriers on January 1, 1998; a Certificate of Safety Fitness and applicable insurance take the place of a separate operating authority certificate.

Out-of-Province Vehicles

Saskatchewan generally accepts a carrier’s safety certificate issued by its base (home) jurisdiction for vehicles registered elsewhere in Canada.

New Carrier Knowledge Exam

Required for new carriers that operate their own vehicles. New carrier applicants must pass a 40-question knowledge exam (90 minutes) at an SGI office demonstrating basic understanding of motor carrier safety compliance.

Insurance Required

Yes, where the mover operates its own vehicles. Minimum coverage varies by vehicle/seating class; commercial auto third-party liability insurance and proof of coverage are required for the Certificate of Safety Fitness application.

Vehicle Inspection

Required where the mover operates its own vehicles. Periodic Motor Vehicle Inspection (PMVI) every 12 months for vehicles operated solely within Saskatchewan; every 6 months for vehicles that also operate outside the province.

Safety Rating

Tracked through the Saskatchewan Carrier Profile based on a rolling one-year record of convictions, at-fault collisions, and CVSA inspection results; the rating is shown on the Certificate of Safety Fitness.

Consumer Contract Rules

Yes. Moving agreements with consumers are subject to Saskatchewan’s Consumer Protection and Business Practices Act, enforced by the Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority of Saskatchewan (FCAA).

Consumer Complaints

Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority of Saskatchewan (FCAA)

OverviewOverview & Scope

Saskatchewan does not issue a moving-industry-specific license, and it goes a step further than most provinces in how little separate authority it requires: since deregulating operating authority for property carriers in 1998, a Certificate of Safety Fitness plus the applicable insurance is sufficient to operate. There is no additional operating authority certificate layered on top. The Certificate of Safety Fitness, administered by SGI’s Carrier Safety Programs division, assigns each carrier an NSC number and tracks its safety rating through the Saskatchewan Carrier Profile. These obligations attach to whichever company operates the vehicles; where a mover subcontracts the transport, the carrier’s own certificate covers the transport it performs, and the mover should use carriers that hold it. Separately, the consumer-facing side of a move (the contract, estimate, and any unfair or misleading practices) falls under Saskatchewan’s Consumer Protection and Business Practices Act, enforced by the FCAA.

RegistrationRegistration & Compliance Essentials

Vehicles and drivers (where the mover operates its own vehicles)

1. Obtain a Certificate of Safety Fitness through SGI before registering a commercial vehicle at or above the applicable weight threshold (generally 5,000 kg GVW).
2. Complete the new carrier knowledge exam (40 questions, 90 minutes, at an SGI office) if applying for a Certificate of Safety Fitness for the first time.
3. Confirm home-jurisdiction coverage for vehicles registered elsewhere in Canada: Saskatchewan generally accepts the base jurisdiction’s safety certificate.
4. Provide proof of commercial auto third-party liability insurance at application, and submit updated proof annually to avoid suspension of the Certificate.
5. Maintain required Periodic Motor Vehicle Inspections: every 12 months for Saskatchewan-only operation, every 6 months if the vehicle also operates outside the province.
6. Maintain a satisfactory safety rating, since SGI tracks convictions, at-fault collisions, and CVSA inspection results against the carrier’s profile on a rolling one-year basis.

Subcontracted transport

7. Where transport is subcontracted, use carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they perform.

Customer practices

8. Provide contracts and estimates that comply with the Consumer Protection and Business Practices Act, avoiding unfair or misleading practices.

ChecklistCompliance checklist

Subcontracted transport

• Where transport is subcontracted, the mover uses carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they performWhere applicableVerified by AffirmationRequired

Vehicles and drivers (where the mover operates its own vehicles)

• Valid Certificate of Safety Fitness with NSC number (or home-jurisdiction equivalent)Where applicable (mover operates its own commercial vehicles at 5,000 kg GVW or more)Verified by DocumentRequired
• New carrier knowledge exam passedWhere applicable (mover is a new carrier operating its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Commercial auto third-party liability insurance current, with updated proof submitted annuallyWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• PMVI current at the applicable interval (12 months, or 6 months if the vehicle also operates outside Saskatchewan)Where applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Satisfactory Saskatchewan Carrier Profile maintainedWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired

Customer practices

• Contracts and estimates comply with the Consumer Protection and Business Practices ActVerified by AffirmationRequired