Idling By-law

The City of Vaughan’s Idling By-law 170-2004, as amended, addresses the operation of vehicle engines while the vehicle is not in motion. This by-law is posted in the By-law Library.

By-law overview

The purpose of the Idling By-law is to reduce air pollution by minimizing the time engines are running. The by-law applies throughout Vaughan, and generally prohibits vehicles from idling (operating the engine of a vehicle while it is not moving) for more than five minutes.

To learn more, read the Idling By-law 170-2004 (Consolidated) (PDF) and the by-law amendment 059-2026 (PDF), which are posted in the By-law Library.

Exemptions to the by-law include:

AREA	WHAT IS EXEMPT
Heating and cooling	when the outside temperature is more than 27 degrees Celsius or less than 5 degrees Celsius and idling is necessary to operate the air conditioning or heating equipment
Conditions the driver has no control over	vehicles that remain motionless because of an emergency, traffic, weather conditions or mechanical difficulties the driver has no control over
Powering equipment	when involved in jumpstarting another vehicle’s battery, or otherwise providing power to operate other equipment
Repair and maintenance	where idling is required as part of a repair process or for servicing
Public transit and passenger vehicles	while passengers are embarking or disembarking en route or at terminals while at a layover or stopover location, except where idling is mainly for the convenience of the vehicle operator
Electric and other vehicles	electric or other vehicles that do not produce environmentally harmful emissions (such as greenhouse gases) while idling
Emergency services	vehicles assisting in emergencies police, fire or ambulance vehicles while working or training, except where idling is mainly for the convenience of the operator of the vehicle
Medical reasons	when transporting a person who requires temperature and/or humidity to be in a certain range for medical reasons, as certified in writing by a physician
Training	mobile training courses that require idling
Armoured vehicles	where a person remains inside the vehicle or is guarding the vehicle while it is being loaded or unloaded
Parades and races	when engaged in a parade or race, or any other such event authorized by Vaughan Council
Cargo temperature	where necessary to heat or cool cargo