Last Updated: June 12 2026
Question: Can you be charged and fined for hitchhiking in Ontario under the Highway Traffic Act?
Answer: Yes, in Ontario you can be charged for hitchhiking if you’re on the roadway soliciting a ride, which is prohibited under Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, with fines typically ranging from $60 to $1,000 plus surcharges and costs; Freed Legal Services is a Paralegal service that helps Ontarians understand the charge, evaluate defences, and pursue the best possible outcome, so call (800) 716-1897 to get help fast. Getting advice early can reduce stress, protect your driving-related record, and help you respond properly to the ticket or court process across Ontario.
Can a Person Be Charged For Hitchhiking?
In Ontario, Hitchhiking Along a Roadway As a Means of Soliciting a Ride Is Unlawful and Subject to a Fine Ranging From $60 to $1,000 Plus the Statutory Victim Surcharge and Court Cost.
Understanding the Highway Traffic Act Charge For Hitchhiking Including the Applicable Penalties
A person that is standing or walking along the roadway seeking a driver who will provide a ride is engaging in what is commonly known as, and referred to as,hitchhiking. In Ontario, this type of conduct is unlawful as such poses a potential danger including risks that the person hitchhiking may be accidentally struck by a motor vehicle. Additionally, a risk to others arises whereas a vehicle driver may be distracted by the hitchhiker or stop suddenly to pick up the hitchhiker thereby surprising other drivers and possibly cause an accident.
The Law
The law that forbids a person from hitchhiking along the roadway is prescribed by section 177(1) of the Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8. For those found guilty of violating section 177(1), the details for the penalty upon conviction are prescribed by section 214(1) of the Highway Traffic Act whereas section 177(1) is actually silent, meaning absent, about the penalty details. Interestingly, what is actually defined as the "roadway" often requires careful review of the definition as per section 1 of the Highway Traffic Act. Within section 177(1), section 214(1), and section 1 of the Highway Traffic Act it is specifically stated:
Soliciting rides prohibited
177(1) No person, while on the roadway, shall solicit a ride from the driver of a motor vehicle other than a public passenger conveyance.
General penalty
214 (1) Every person who contravenes this Act or any regulation is guilty of an offence and on conviction, where a penalty for the contravention is not otherwise provided for herein, is liable to a fine of not less than $60 and not more than $1,000.
“roadway” means the part of the highway that is improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular traffic, but does not include the shoulder, and, where a highway includes two or more separate roadways, the term “roadway” refers to any one roadway separately and not to all of the roadways collectively;
As show above, the general penalty prescribed by section 214(1) of the Highway Traffic Act imposes a fine ranging from sixty ($60) dollars to one thousand ($1,000) dollars for hitchhiking. Furthermore, a statutory victim surcharge plus court cost will also apply.
Summary Comment
Hitchhiking poses a risk of serious injury or death to the person that is hitchhiking, among others; and accordingly, hitchhiking is unlawful and subject to a potential fine of one thousand ($1,000) dollars plus victim surcharge and court cost.
NOTE: A considerable quantity of inquiries featuring “lawyers in my area” or “top lawyer in” typically signifies an urgency for competent legal assistance rather than a precise job title. In Ontario, licensed paralegals are governed by the same Law Society that regulates lawyers and are permitted to represent clients in specific litigation cases. Advocacy, legal assessment, and procedural expertise are fundamental to this function. Freed Legal Services provides legal representation within its licensed scope, focusing on strategic alignment, evidentiary preparation, and effective advocacy aimed at securing prompt and beneficial resolutions for clients.
