How Tarion New Home Warranty Works in Ontario: From PDI to Filing a Claim

According to Tarion (2025), every new home built by a licensed Ontario builder comes with a statutory warranty that starts on your possession date and runs in three tiers:

• One-year warranty: covers defects in workmanship and materials, and items that don’t meet the Ontario Building Code.
• Two-year warranty: covers defects in the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems, water penetration through the building envelope, and certain workmanship and materials.
• Seven-year warranty: covers major structural defects such as foundation cracks, load-bearing wall problems, and structural roof leaks.

Coverage limits: per Tarion, for agreements signed on or after July 1, 2023, condo units are covered up to $300,000 and freehold homes up to $400,000.

Before possession: do the PDI properly

Before you get the keys, your builder leads you through a Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI). According to Tarion (2025), this is your key chance to inspect the whole home before moving in: record every incomplete, damaged, missing, or non-functioning item on the builder’s PDI Form to establish that these conditions existed before occupancy. Make sure you or a designate attends, take plenty of photos, watch for unauthorized substitutions of items promised in your agreement, and only sign once it’s accurate.

Get your CCP and register for MyHome with the enrolment number

According to Tarion (2025), at the PDI your builder hands you the Certificate of Completion and Possession (CCP) along with the PDI Form. The CCP carries your home’s Tarion enrolment number and your possession date — which is your warranty start date. Your first move: use that enrolment number to register for Tarion’s MyHome portal. Every claim is submitted through MyHome, so without an account you can’t actually run the process.

Year one: file the 30-day and year-end forms

According to Tarion (2025), the first year has fixed reporting windows, all filed through MyHome:

• 30-Day Form: opens the day after possession and auto-submits on day 41 — your first chance to report warranted items.
• Year-End Form: opens on day 183 and auto-submits on day 365, with an additional 10-day grace period (manual, with written evidence). This is your final chance to report one-year warranty items.

Batch your issues into these official windows so Tarion has a formal record — don’t rely on telling the builder verbally.

Years two through seven: keep using the right forms

According to Tarion (2025): the Second-Year Form can be submitted any time during the second year of possession, multiple times, for items under the two-year warranty (systems, water penetration). The Major Structural Defect Form can be filed after year two through day 2,555 — seven years from possession — to report major structural defects. Put these deadlines in your calendar so coverage doesn’t quietly expire on you.

Delayed delivery is covered too: occupancy compensation

Tarion protects more than quality — it also protects timely delivery. According to Tarion (2025), if your builder delays your occupancy or closing date without sufficient notice or a valid exception, you can receive up to $7,500 in compensation, including $150 per day for direct living expenses (accommodation, meals) plus other costs such as moving or storage. The Delayed Closing/Occupancy Form must be filed within one year of possession.

According to Tarion (2025), effective July 14, 2025, every purchase agreement signed on or after that date must include a new Warranty Information Sheet carrying a unique Home ID and registration code. Confirm this document is attached to your agreement at signing — it’s an important record for activating and managing your warranty later, and a missing sheet can complicate the process down the line.

Q: When does the Tarion warranty start?

It starts on the day you take possession. According to Tarion (2025), at handover the builder gives you a Certificate of Completion and Possession (CCP); the possession date on it is your warranty start date, and the enrolment number is used to register for the MyHome portal. The 1-, 2-, and 7-year warranty tiers all begin counting from that day.

Q: What do the 1-year, 2-year, and 7-year Tarion warranties each cover?

According to Tarion (2025): the one-year warranty covers defects in workmanship and materials and items not meeting the Building Code; the two-year warranty covers plumbing, electrical, and HVAC system defects and water penetration; and the seven-year warranty covers major structural defects such as foundation, load-bearing wall, and structural roof issues. For agreements signed on or after July 1, 2023, condo units are covered up to $300,000 and freehold homes up to $400,000.

Q: How do I submit a Tarion warranty claim, and which forms do I use?

All claims go through Tarion’s MyHome online portal. In year one you file the 30-Day Form (auto-submits day 41) and the Year-End Form (auto-submits day 365, with a 10-day grace period). In year two you file the Second-Year Form, and in years three through seven the Major Structural Defect Form (until day 2,555, seven years from possession). Each form has a fixed window, and missing it can cause that coverage to lapse.

Q: How important is the PDI, and do I have to attend in person?

Very important. According to Tarion (2025), the PDI is your key opportunity to inspect the home before moving in, and every incomplete, damaged, or missing item is recorded on the PDI Form as official evidence that the condition existed before occupancy. You or a designate should attend, take photos, watch for unauthorized material substitutions, and review the form before signing.

Q: If my builder delays closing, can I get compensation?

Yes. According to Tarion (2025), if the builder delays occupancy or closing without sufficient notice or a valid exception, you can receive up to $7,500 in compensation, including $150 per day for direct living expenses (accommodation, meals) plus actual costs like moving or storage. You must file the Delayed Closing/Occupancy Form within one year of possession.