Free check
ELD in Quebec: do you need one?
Yes, for most heavy vehicles: since April 30, 2023, the driver of a heavy vehicle operating in Quebec must record hours of service in a record of duty status produced by a certified ELD (in French, DCE). The check below applies the SAAQ's exemptions to your situation.
Do you need an ELD?
An indicative result based on the SAAQ's own pages, not legal advice. The details of your operation can change the answer.
The dates that matter
- June 12, 2019: Transport Canada publishes the federal amendments that bring in ELDs (SOR/2019-165).
- January 1, 2023: according to the SAAQ, the federal regulation has been in force since this date.
- April 30, 2023: the ELD becomes mandatory in Quebec for every covered heavy vehicle operating there, whether it comes from Quebec or elsewhere.
No ELD does not mean no log
A vehicle exempt from the ELD requirement does not exempt its driver from the record of duty status: the driver fills it in on paper or with another device, as long as that device produces a valid record and can transmit it. The driver keeps the records for the last 14 days and the current day on board, sends the originals to the operator within 20 days, and the company keeps them for at least 6 months. In Quebec, ELDs currently transfer records to peace officers by email.
Which ELD to choose in Quebec?
An ELD is a device connected to the vehicle's engine that records driving time automatically. In Quebec it must be certified to the Canadian technical standard. Check these points before you choose one.
It is on Transport Canada's list. Search for the exact ELD identifier and make sure its status is certified, not revoked. The same app has separate entries for Android and iOS.
It transfers records by email, the method the SAAQ says is currently used for ELDs in Quebec.
The interface and the support are in French. Ask whether the driver app, the screen shown to an officer and the phone support are available in French, and during which hours.
It is installed properly. The device connects at the OBD-II or 9-pin port through a T-harness with no wires cut, or with a 3-wire kit where there is no port. A fleet can install it itself, but we always recommend a professional installer.
The ELD High Point GPS installs
High Point GPS, based in Montreal since 2013, works with Geotab and installs its certified ELD in Quebec and across North America, with professional installers and support in English and French. On Transport Canada's list, Geotab's entries GOELD1 and GOELD2 (Android and iOS) and GOELD3 and GOELD4 (GO10 device, Android and iOS) show the status certified. Always check the current list.
Questions about ELDs in Quebec
- Is an ELD mandatory in Quebec?
- Yes, since April 30, 2023, for heavy vehicles covered by Quebec's hours of service regulation, whether they are based in Quebec or elsewhere. The exceptions include vehicles with a model year earlier than 2000, rentals of 30 days or less, and driving within 160 km of the home terminal with a return there every day.
- Which vehicles need an ELD in Quebec?
- Heavy vehicles whose driver must keep a record of duty status: trucks and road tractors with a GVWR of 4,500 kg or more, combinations where one vehicle reaches that weight, tow trucks, buses and minibuses outside urban transit, and vehicles carrying dangerous substances that require safety marks. The SAAQ exemptions then apply on top of that.
- Is a US-registered ELD accepted in Quebec?
- Only if it is also certified to the Canadian technical standard. The SAAQ requires a device certified under that standard, and Transport Canada's list shows the devices certified for Canada. A device registered with the FMCSA but missing from the Canadian list does not meet the Quebec requirement, however well it works south of the border.
- How long are records of duty status kept?
- The driver keeps the records for the last 14 days and the current day on board, with the supporting documents for the trip. The driver sends the originals to the operator within 20 days, and the company keeps them in the driver's file for at least 6 months. The periods are the same on paper and with an ELD.
- Can an exempt driver use an ELD anyway?
- Yes. According to the SAAQ, an operator may install a certified ELD even when not required to, and the driver may use it. Only an incompatibility with certain engines might prevent it. An exempt driver can also use another device or paper, as long as the record produced is valid and can be transmitted as the regulation requires.