Mandatory Disclosures: The 22 Things a Dealer Has to Put in Writing on Your Honda Contract

Photo: American Honda (Honda US Newsroom). 2026 Honda Civic. Part of the Car Buyer Protection Series by Henry Chen, Maple Honda, Vaughan.

An OMVIC-registered dealer in Ontario cannot sell you a vehicle without making a long list of disclosures in writing, right on the contract. The MVDA lists 22 disclosures that must be made known, and most of them only apply in certain situations — but they all exist to make sure a buyer doesn't sign for something they don't actually understand.

Some of the disclosures are obvious (model year, odometer reading). Some are specific situations you'd never think to ask about (was this a daily rental before? Has it had flood damage?). The whole point is that you don't have to remember to ask — the dealer has to tell you, on paper, before you sign.

The everyday disclosures (almost every Honda contract includes these)

• Make, model, model year, and trim level
• Odometer reading — for new vehicles, the maximum distance that will appear on the odometer at delivery
• For used vehicles, the actual kilometres driven if the dealer can determine it
• If the odometer has been replaced, rolled back, is broken, or displays miles instead of kilometres
• Whether two or more adjacent body panels (not bumper panels) have been replaced
• Whether the vehicle has been classified as salvage, irreparable, or rebuilt under the Highway Traffic Act
• Whether the vehicle was declared a total loss by an insurer
• Whether the manufacturer's warranty has been cancelled
• Whether the vehicle is significantly different from its original or advertised production specifications
• Whether the vehicle has badges, emblems, or markings indicating a different model than the vehicle actually is

Some of the 22 disclosures in the MVDA are close variants of the same topic — for example, there are several different wordings for the odometer/distance-driven disclosure depending on what the dealer can and can't determine — grouped here under a single "odometer reading" line for readability rather than listed as separate legal clauses.

The situational disclosures (only when they apply to that specific vehicle)

• Previous use as a taxi, limousine, police, or emergency-services vehicle
• Previous use as a daily rental (unless the vehicle was later owned by a non-dealer)
• Damage caused by fire
• Flood or immersion damage that reached at least the interior floorboards
• Structural damage, or any repairs/replacements/changes to the vehicle's structure
• An anti-lock braking system that isn't working
• Airbags that are missing or non-functional
• Required repairs to engine, transmission, powertrain, subframe, suspension, computer systems, electrical system, fuel system, or air conditioning
• Repair costs from any incident exceeding $3,000 (and the total cost if known)
• Previous registration outside Ontario, and which jurisdiction, unless it has been registered in Ontario for at least seven consecutive years
• Whether the vehicle was recovered after being reported stolen
• Anything else that could reasonably affect a buyer's decision to purchase on the disclosed terms

Photo: American Honda (Honda US Newsroom). 2026 Honda CR-V.

Why this matters at a Honda store

For a brand-new Honda, almost all of these disclosures don't apply — there is no previous use, no accident history, no salvage branding, no replaced panels. The odometer line just states the maximum delivery distance (usually under 75 km for transport plus PDI).

For a Certified Pre-Owned or used Honda, more of the list kicks in. As an OMVIC-registered dealer, we have to put those disclosures in writing. If we miss one and it would have changed your mind, the MVDA gives you a 90-day right to cancel the contract. That's not a marketing promise — it's the law.

How to read the disclosure section on your contract

When you sit down to sign a deal, the disclosures are usually grouped in a block near the top of the contract, often titled "Previous Use / Condition Disclosures." Read it line by line. If something is marked "N/A" or "Not applicable," that's the dealer's way of telling you the situation doesn't apply to this vehicle. If something is marked "Yes" or has a description, that's the thing you want to ask about.

If you want a second source for the vehicle's history, OMVIC points to CARFAX, Canadian Black Book, Transport Canada (for recalls and defects), and the Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP) for private sales. None of those replace the contractual disclosure — but they help you cross-check that the dealer hasn't missed anything.