VINready

What goes on a trailer compliance label in Canada

Updated 2026-10-05 · By the VINready team, built by a Canadian trailer manufacturer

Every trailer built for road use in Canada carries a compliance label: the sticker with the VIN, the weight ratings and the National Safety Mark. Under the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations it’s the manufacturer’s statement that the trailer meets the standards that apply to it on the date it was built.

Sample trailer compliance label for Demo Trailers Inc. with GVWR, GAWR, tires and VIN XX9ZAFCLXV1123001
A 125 × 75 mm compliance label made with VINready. Sample data.

What a trailer compliance label shows

  • Manufacturer’s name: who built the trailer (“Manufactured by / Fabriqué par”).
  • Month and year of manufacture: when it was actually built, for example OCT 2026.
  • National Safety Mark with your Transport Canada authorization number.
  • GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating / PNBV) in kilograms.
  • GAWR (gross axle weight rating / PNBE) for each axle, in kilograms.
  • Vehicle type: TRA / REM.
  • VIN: all 17 characters.

Trailer labels also commonly list the tire size, rim size and cold inflation pressure that the axle ratings are based on. Check the regulations for exactly what applies to your trailers.

Making the label

  • Permanent: it should last the life of the trailer and not come off in one piece. Use durable label stock and a strong adhesive, or a riveted plate.
  • Legible: lettering big enough to read easily. VINready keeps every character at least 2 mm high at any label size.
  • Placed where it’s easy to find. Trailer builders usually fix it on the left (road) side, toward the front.
  • Matching: the VIN and ratings on the label must match the NVIS and your records exactly.

Fixing a mistake: don’t correct a label by hand. Void the VIN in your log with the reason, destroy the wrong label, and issue a new one.

Related

The label’s VIN follows the CMVSS 115 VIN format. The same details also go on the NVIS used to register the trailer.

Common questions

Is the compliance label the same as the VIN plate?
On most trailers, yes: the compliance label (often called the VIN sticker) carries the VIN along with the ratings and the National Safety Mark. Many builders also stamp the VIN into the frame.
Does the label have to be bilingual?
Labels on vehicles sold in Canada are bilingual, English and French, for example GVWR / PNBV and TYPE: TRA / REM.
What does TRA / REM mean?
It’s the vehicle type on the label: trailer, in English (TRA) and French (REM, for remorque).
Can I print compliance labels myself?
Yes, many trailer builders do, on a print-and-cut machine, a thermal label printer or label sheets. Use durable label stock that will last the life of the trailer.

This guide explains the rules in plain language and isn’t legal advice. The Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations and Transport Canada’s guidance are the final word; check them, or ask Transport Canada, before relying on a detail.