Replace, cancel or change information on your health card

Find out how to replace, cancel or make changes to an Ontario health card. You need a valid card to get coverage through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan ( OHIP ).

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Replace a lost, stolen or damaged health card

How you replace a card depends on the kind of card you have.

Red and white health card

To replace a lost, stolen or damaged red and white Ontario health card, you must visit a ServiceOntario centre with a completed Registration for Ontario Health Insurance Coverage form.

You will need to bring three separate identification documents from the list of qualifying identification documents (photocopies are not accepted):

1. an original one that proves your Canadian citizenship or OHIP -eligible immigration status
2. an original, printed or digital/electronic one that proves you live in Ontario
3. an original one that confirms your identity

You will receive a new photo health card in 4 to 6 weeks.

Replacing a photo health card

How you replace a photo health card depends on whether it is expired or not – and whether your personal information has changed or not.

You must visit a ServiceOntario centre to replace an unexpired photo health card if your name or address has changed.

If your name and address has not changed, you can replace an unexpired lost, stolen or damaged photo health card by calling ServiceOntario at 1-800-664-8988 .

To replace an expired photo health card after the renewal date, you must visit a ServiceOntario centre.

Bring two separate identification documents from the list of qualifying identification documents (photocopies are not accepted):

1. an original, printed or digital/electronic one that proves you live in Ontario
2. an original one that confirms your identity

If your Canadian Citizenship or immigration status has changed since you got your current health card, you also need to bring your most recent Citizenship or immigration document

Cancel a health card

How you cancel a health card depends on the reason you need to cancel it.

Death of a family member

To cancel a family member’s health card following their death, please visit any ServiceOntario centre.

Bring the following with you:

• the health card
• a death certificate
  • This can be a death certificate from the funeral home or a certificate from ServiceOntario (a fee applies)

  If you do not have a death certificate, you can complete a Change of Information Form.

  Moving outside Ontario

  If you are cancelling your health card because you are moving outside Ontario, provide ServiceOntario with your new address and date of your move as soon as possible. This will ensure your OHIP coverage continues for the allowable time (generally 90 days) following your move.

  To provide this information you can

  • call ServiceOntario at 1-866-532-3161
  • fill out a Change of Information form and return it by mail to:
    ServiceOntario
    PO Box 48
    Kingston, Ontario
    K7L 5J3
  • visit any ServiceOntario centre

  Make sure the information is complete and accurate so the cancellation takes effect when needed.

  Change your address

  You are required to change the address for your health card within 30 days of your move.

  It is important that you update your address in order to keep your health coverage active, to ensure that you receive renewal notices and other necessary information.

  There are four ways to update the address for your health card:

  • change your address online
  • complete a Change of Address form (1057-82) and return it by mail
  • send a letter to your local ServiceOntario centre that gives:
    • your name
    • health number
    • telephone number
    • current address
    • new address including postal code

    Change a name on a health card

    To change your name on your health card, you must visit a ServiceOntario centre.

    Bring a completed Change of Information form and an original copy of one of the following documents:

    For a first name or middle name change

    • Canadian birth certificate
    • Canadian change of name certificate
    • citizenship/immigration status document in the name requested

    For a last name change

    • certificate of marriage (If the document is written in a language other than English or French, a certified translation is required.)
    • certified copy of statement of marriage
    • Canadian change of name certificate
    • a Record of Marriage (must be the original issued and signed by the clergy member, judge or justice of the peace who performed the marriage and it must contain the name of both spouses, the date of the marriage and licence number. If the document is written in a language other than English or French, a certified translation is required.)
    • notarized affidavit (common-law relationships or same-sex relationships)
    • divorce certificate
    • Citizenship/immigration status document in the name requested
    • Citizenship/immigration status document for the name currently on your health card and a marriage document audit trail backward to the name requested
    • certified copy of the court order for a change in name
    • Adoption Certificate

    If you have a red and white health card, you must also provide three original documents to prove citizenship or eligible immigration status, Ontario residency and identity. Check the Ontario Health Coverage Document List for acceptable documents.

    French language characters

    As of August 3, 2022, you can now add French language characters (for example, À, Â, Ç, É, È, Ê, Ë, Ï, Î, Ô, Ù, Û, Ü) to your name on your Ontario health card. To request a new health card and name change with French language characters at no cost, visit a ServiceOntario location with documents proving your legal name and showing those characters.

    You can show proof of your legal name showing French language characters using your:

    • Canadian citizenship
    • OHIP-eligible immigration document

    If your Canadian citizenship or OHIP-eligible immigration document does not show your legal name with French language characters, you can show a proof of residency or proof of identity document showing French characters in your legal name.

    Found health card

    If you find someone’s health card, you can:

    • bring it to any ServiceOntario location
    • drop it off at any police station
    • drop it in any Canada Post mailbox