Tarion Registration Timing for New Freehold Homes

Key points

• Reg. 892 s. 2.1 applies to a purchase agreement entered into on or after April 1, 2026 for a home of the type in ONHWPA s. 1(1)(a) or (b) that is neither a contracted home nor a condominium unit.

• Under Reg. 892 s. 2.1(2), the purchaser shall, within 45 days after entering into the purchase agreement, provide notice of the agreement and prescribed particulars through Tarion's designated portal or by delivering the information in writing to Tarion.

• Tarion's New Home Purchase Registration page says that, as of April 1, 2026, freehold homebuyers must notify Tarion by registering their purchase within 45 days of signing, through an online portal.

• O. Reg. 388/25 moved the start date of the notice duty (s. 2.1) and the deposit-claim deadline rule (s. 4.7) from January 1, 2026 to April 1, 2026. A later amendment, O. Reg. 95/26, pushed the deposit-coverage consequences (ss. 4.9 and 6.1) to January 1, 2027.

• The notice duty does not apply to condominium units or contracted (custom-built) homes: Reg. 892 s. 2.1(1) excludes them, and Tarion's Deposit Protection Q&A confirms purchasers of condominium or contract homes do not need to give notice.

The notice duty under Reg. 892

"Corporation" in Reg. 892 means Tarion Warranty Corporation.

Reg. 892 s. 2.1 applies to a purchase agreement entered into on or after April 1, 2026 for a home of the type in ONHWPA s. 1(1)(a) or (b) that is neither a contracted home nor a condominium unit.

ONHWPA s. 1(1) defines "home" to include a self-contained one-family dwelling, detached or attached, and a building of not more than two self-contained one-family dwellings under one ownership; a condominium unit is treated separately.

Under Reg. 892 s. 2.1(2), the purchaser shall, within 45 days after entering into the purchase agreement, provide notice of the agreement and prescribed particulars through Tarion's designated portal for purchasers and owners on the Internet or by delivering the information in writing to Tarion.

The prescribed particulars include the purchaser's name and contact information; the vendor's name; the municipal address or other description or identifier of the property; and the total deposit amount under the purchase agreement.

The notice duty does not apply to condominium units or contracted (custom-built) homes: Reg. 892 s. 2.1(1) excludes them, and Tarion's Deposit Protection Q&A confirms purchasers of condominium or contract homes do not need to give notice.

What Tarion says about registering

Tarion's New Home Purchase Registration page says that, as of April 1, 2026, freehold homebuyers must notify Tarion by registering their purchase within 45 days of signing, through an online portal.

Tarion says lawyers, real estate agents, or other representatives can assist with registering the purchase or do it on the buyer's behalf.

Tarion says buyers need to provide contact information, the vendor or builder's name, property address, and deposit amount.

Tarion says notifying Tarion allows it to verify that the vendor or builder is licensed and selling homes legally, and to take action with the Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) if not.

Tarion's important-updates page says registering creates a record of the purchase with Tarion, lets Tarion give buyers key warranty information, and lets Tarion check that the builder is acting legally.

Tarion encourages freehold buyers to register using the Home ID on the Warranty Information Sheet attached to the purchase agreement, and says that if they do not have a Home ID they can still register their purchase.

Related: Checking a builder's licence and Tarion status.

Start dates and the January 1, 2027 transition

O. Reg. 388/25 moved the start date of the notice duty (s. 2.1) and the deposit-claim deadline rule (s. 4.7) from January 1, 2026 to April 1, 2026. A later amendment, O. Reg. 95/26, pushed the deposit-coverage consequences (ss. 4.9 and 6.1) to January 1, 2027.

Tarion says it is implementing a transition period and will defer the changes to deposit coverage until January 1, 2027, while purchasers are still required to register as of April 1, 2026.

Tarion says purchasers who provide notice within 45 days of signing will qualify for the maximum amount of deposit coverage currently available under the warranty program, while those who register later or do not register will qualify for coverage under a separate fund.

For freehold purchase agreements entered into on or after January 1, 2027, if the purchaser did not give the s. 2.1 notice, a deposit claim under ONHWPA s. 14(1) is a "special fund claim" and compensation is paid out of the special fund under Reg. 892 ss. 4.9 and 6.1(3), rather than under the ordinary limits in s. 6.1(2).

Reg. 892 s. 8(2) designates a fixed annual amount for the special fund for 2027 and each later calendar year.

Under Reg. 892 s. 8(3), no compensation is payable in respect of a special fund claim until the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the claim was made.

Starting in 2028, by March 1 each year Tarion totals the previous year's special fund claims as if the purchasers had given notice; if that total exceeds the designated special fund amount, each claim is paid pro rata (Reg. 892 s. 4.9(2)–(5)).

Tarion's pre-possession page states that all new home buyers will continue to benefit from Tarion's deposit coverage and consumers will continue to receive the full construction warranty coverage and protection against defects in their new home.

Related: Getting your deposit back from a builder.

Addendum, claim timing, and builder enrolment

Reg. 892 s. 2 paragraph 2 requires, for purchase agreements signed on or after February 1, 2021, that the Tarion Addendum and Warranty Information Sheet be completed, signed as required, and attached to the purchase agreement when it is signed.

Under Reg. 892 s. 4.7, for purchase agreements entered into on or after April 1, 2026, a purchaser making an ONHWPA s. 14(1) deposit claim must submit Tarion's claim form no later than the first anniversary of the day the purchase agreement was terminated (as defined in s. 4.7(4)); s. 4.7(3) provides that no payment is made if the form is late.

Separately, Tarion says that, in general, a vendor must obtain a Qualification for Enrolment Confirmation for each new home it intends to sell, and a builder must not start construction before receiving Enrolment Confirmation for the home.

Related: Buying pre-construction in Ontario: a checklist | Pre-construction lawyer.

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Related: Checking a builder's licence and Tarion status | Buying pre-construction in Ontario: a checklist | Pre-construction lawyer | Getting your deposit back from a builder

This article is general information about Ontario real estate law as of November 8, 2026. It is not legal advice.

Sources: R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 892 (https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/900892); O. Reg. 388/25 (https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/r25388); O. Reg. 95/26 (https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/r26095); Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.31 (https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90o31); Tarion New Home Purchase Registration (https://www.tarion.com/newhomeregistration); Tarion pre-possession coverage (https://www.tarion.com/homeowners/pre-possession-coverage); Tarion Deposit Protection Q&A (https://www.tarion.com/node/66087); Tarion important updates (https://www.tarion.com/homeowners/important-updates); Tarion qualification and enrolment process (https://www.tarion.com/qualification-enrolment-process).

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