Licence Your Ride                       

Amusement Devices Regulations

Any amusement device operating in Ontario must have an Amusement Device Operating Permit, issued by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA). The process is similar in some ways to obtaining a building permit, and we at SDA have been helping operators get their permits ever since the Amusement Devices Act came into being in 1987.

The definition of an amusement ride includes not only the typical mechanical ride at a fairground, but also such items as: Inflatable Attractions of all kinds (Bouncers, Slides, Mazes etc), Go-Karts, Bungee devices of all kinds, Water Slides and Dry Slides. Contact SDA if you are in any doubt as to whether your unit fits the definition. Any Amusement Device open to the public is covered, this includes School, Church and Company events. Backyard parties at a private residence are exempt. There are severe penalties for operating an Amusement Device without a permit.

To help the newcomer to this process, please read the following simplified description of the procedure you have to follow:

1. You need to obtain a Licence to operate amusement devices. We have a copy of the Licence Application Form here. This is NOT a licence for your ride, it is simply your registration in TSSA's system. Fill in the form and mail it to TSSA, along with a cheque for $300. They will then issue you with a licence number (ADLxxxx).

2. Once TSSA have issued you with your ADL number, we can then apply for your AD permit. Remember that you need a permit for each ride you wish to operate. We need to have a signed copy of the Technical Dossier Application Form. Print it out and sign in the signature box only, please leave the other boxes blank - we will fill them in for you. Mail the form to us.

3. In addition to the forms, we need to have the following documents for submission to TSSA:

   1. Specifications of the ride, including Serial Number and year of manufacture.

   2. Operating manual

   3. Erection manual (portable rides)

   4. Maintenance manual

   5. Photos of the ride

   6. Drawings of the ride, including: General Arrangement, Site Plan (for permanent rides), Passenger Accommodation and Restraints, Electrical, Hydraulic and Pneumatic Schematics as applicable

4. If you have any other documents, such as Structural Analysis Reports, please send us those also. They are not required for the submission, but they are very useful for our review process.

5. It is quite probable that we will have to inspect the ride as part of the process. If it can be brought to or near our offices, this will certainly save you travel charges.

6. Please contact us for details of fees etc.

 

Inflatable Attractions

This is a rapidly expanding area of the amusement device market. There are dozens of manufacturers and hundreds of operators, many of whom are small Mom & Pop businesses. Unfortunately many operators are unaware of their obligations to obtain AD permits and get dismayed when visited by a TSSA inspector. We at SDA have licensed hundreds of inflatables and can guide you through this process.

1. First of all, you have to follow the instructions in 1 & 2 above

2. We need to receive the following information:

   1. Manufacturer of the inflatable

   2. Manufacturer's Name of the device

   3. Your name for the device (if different from above)

   4. Serial Number and Year of Manufacture

   5. Description of the inflatable, and photos

   6. Drawing (sketch) showing the number and location of the anchor points

   7. Certificate of Fire Retardency for the material (This is VERY important)

3. Send these through to us and we will get started. We are happy to receive these documents by e-mail if you wish.

 

How long does this take, and what does it cost?

These are the first questions that we are asked, and the most difficult to answer. Please allow at least four to six weeks for the entire application process, preferably longer for a larger mechanical ride. During spring and early summer both ourselves and TSSA can be overwhelmed with new ride applications and this inevitably means delays in both preparing the application and getting it through TSSA. If you leave it to the last minute, it is most probable that you will not get it approved in time for your bookings.

As for cost: we will try to give you a quotation before we start the job. For inflatables we have a fixed fee regardless of what size or type, but for mechanical rides it can be very difficult to give an exact quote. During the application process many things can emerge that require extra work on our part. Ontario is one of the strictest jurisdictions in North America, and is getting tougher - a ride that is licensed elsewhere may not be acceptable here without modifications. In addition, TSSA will charge you for their engineering review and inspection on an hourly basis. We advise that you call us to discuss the details.

Can you Guarantee that a Ride will be Licensed?

The vast majority of rides we handle do get certified with few, if any, issues. We cannot however guarantee that any ride will be acceptable due to different and stringent requirements in Ontario. In some instances a ride that is approved elsewhere in Canada may require extensive (and expensive) modifications to operate in Ontario.

Are there any rides that are banned in Ontario?

Yes. Portable bungee devices are not allowed here (with the exception of inflatable "Bungee Run" devices). If you have such a device, you will have to register it as permanent. Again we suggest you talk to us about it.

How about other Provinces? Or the USA?

We have obtained approvals in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. Please contact us for more details, or to discuss other Provincial approvals. As for the USA, each state has its own rules and we have been able to get approval in some of them, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Maryland and others. Since the rules are changing down there, and acceptance of Ontario P. Eng. certification varies, you should contact us with specific requests. We do have affiliates in the USA who can help out as well.

New Jersey Registration

The procedure in New Jersey is similar to Ontario, but is generally done at the manufacturer's level, rather than the users'. New Jersey also allows category registration in which a single application can cover a family of similar inflatable devices. This approach greatly simplifies the process, especially as there are numerous very similar designs in every manufacturer's catalog. In order to apply for New Jersey certification, you will need to sign the Application Form and send it to us, together with the data listed above. Please give us a call if you have any questions regarding this process.

What are the Rules for Amusement Devices?

You may download the following documents, which are in .pdf format:

Amusement Devices Regulation 221/01

Amusement Devices Code Adoption Document

Canadian Bungee Code of Safe Practice

Amended Definition of Mechanic in O. Reg. 221/01

Certification and Training of Amusement Device Mechanics

In addition, rides have to satisfy the requirements of CSA Standard Z267-00. To buy a copy (which may be downloaded), go to the CSA Website.