by NAV 
TSSA gas station requirements in Ontario include facility licensing, employee emergency training, inventory control records, and fuel-system testing.TSSA gas station requirements are an important part of buying and operating a fuel station in Ontario. A new owner needs to confirm the facility licence, obtain fuel-system records, train employees in emergency procedures, and keep testing and maintenance reports available for inspection.
This guide explains the main items in the Technical Standards and Safety Authority’s (TSSA) Liquid Fuels Compliance Standard and turns them into a working checklist for a retail gasoline or diesel station. The standard took effect on April 14, 2025. TSSA uses it during periodic inspections to identify high risk non-compliances that require an order and follow-up. www.tssa.org
What does a new gas station owner need from TSSA?
Start with the licence. The seller’s TSSA licence does not automatically transfer to the buyer. TSSA says licences are not transferable and the new owner is responsible for applying for a new one. Confirm the change-of-licence-holder process before taking over the station. Operating without the required licence is a high risk item under section 10(1) of Ontario Regulation 217/01. www.tssa.org
At takeover, obtain:
- The current licence and TSSA facility details.
- Approved site plans and records of approved modifications.
- Tank, piping, dispenser and leak-detection system information.
- Recent TSSA inspection reports and all outstanding orders.
- Current test, maintenance and repair reports.
- Inventory control records and employee emergency training records.
Compare the documents with the equipment at the property. If a tank capacity, pipe layout or dispenser configuration differs between the site and its records, investigate the difference before relying on it for the purchase or future operation.
Which records should be available for a TSSA inspection?
Keep one organized file—digital or physical—with a person responsible for updating it. The most important records depend on the station’s equipment, but TSSA’s high risk list specifically identifies the following:
| Record | TSSA issue and clause |
|---|---|
| Facility licence | Facility must be licensed — O. Reg. 217/01, s. 10(1) |
| Approved modification documents | Modifications require approval — O. Reg. 217/01, s. 22(4) |
| Employee emergency training records | Employees must be trained in emergency procedures — LFHC cl. 6.5.2 |
| Inventory control records | Copies must be available — LFHC cl. 1.2.3 |
| Current precision leak test reports | Copies must be available — LFHC cl. 7.3.1 |
| Current corrosion protection reports | Reports for applicable underground tank systems must be available — LFHC cl. 2.3.1.2 |
| Cathodic protection test report | The report must show a passing result — LFHC cl. 2.3.1.4 |
LFHC means the Liquid Fuels Handling Code. The table reflects TSSA’s published high risk inspection items; the code, the station’s approved design and any site-specific orders determine the full requirements. www.tssa.org
Keep TSSA inspection reports, contractor service reports, invoices and proof that deficiencies were corrected with these records. An invoice showing that a contractor visited is less useful than a report identifying what was tested, the result and any repair completed.
Are ATG reports enough for inventory control?
An automatic tank gauge (ATG) report is an important part of the file, but the owner should also retain the information needed to understand fuel movement: deliveries, dispenser or point-of-sale sales totals, tank readings, alarms and investigations of discrepancies.
TSSA lists available inventory control copies under LFHC clause 1.2.3. It separately identifies a loss of liquid or gain of water that cannot be attributed to condensation as requiring investigation under clause 7.3.5(a). If the numbers do not reconcile or an alarm appears, document what was checked and what happened next. www.tssa.org
What emergency training do employees need?
Employees should know the station’s actual emergency procedures before they are expected to respond to a spill, leak, fire or dispensing incident. Training should include where the emergency shutoff is, how to stop dispensing, how to keep people away from danger, and whom to contact.
Keep a training record with the employee’s name, training date, procedures covered and trainer’s name. Update it when a new employee starts or procedures and equipment change. TSSA identifies employee training in emergency procedures as a high risk inspection item under LFHC clause 6.5.2. www.tssa.org
A signed sheet should reflect training that was actually delivered. Ask an employee to show you the emergency shutoff and explain the first steps they would take. That simple check often tells you more than a form in a binder.
Which fuel-system checks matter most?
The owner should arrange qualified service and retain the results for the equipment installed at the site. TSSA’s high risk list includes these conditions:
| Equipment or condition | What TSSA identifies |
|---|---|
| Sump leak detection | Must be interlocked to shut off product flow — LFHC cl. 4.6.10 |
| Dispenser sumps | Must be leak-tight — LFHC cl. 4.5.2.7 |
| Dispenser hoses | Must have approved emergency breakaway devices — LFHC cl. 4.6.13 |
| Equipment generally | Must be approved, suitable and installed according to the code and manufacturer’s instructions — LFHC cl. 1.3.1 |
| Stage I vapour recovery | Applicable equipment must be installed, operated and maintained — LFHC cl. 1.3.2 |
| Ignition sources | Product must be dispensed or vented at least three metres from an ignition source — LFHC cl. 6.3.1 |
| Video monitoring | Images must meet the clarity standard described by TSSA — LFHC cl. 5.2.5 |
| Manual leak detection | Applicable systems must comply with the code — LFHC cl. C.1.1 |
These are inspection issues, not instructions for staff to repair regulated equipment themselves. Have the appropriate qualified contractor assess a fault and keep the service report. www.tssa.org
TSSA’s announcement of the standard also lists annual shear-valve and leak-detection system tests and maintenance records under LFHC clause 4.6.9. That row appears in the announcement but is absent from the current compliance-standard webpage. Confirm the applicable testing schedule for your station’s equipment with TSSA or your petroleum contractor. www.tssa.org
What should the operator do regularly?
Use a short routine that assigns a person to each task and records exceptions. The schedule below is an operating practice, not a statement that TSSA prescribes every listed frequency.
| When | Practical owner or manager check |
|---|---|
| Each shift | Check for ATG or leak-detection alarms, obvious spills, damaged hoses or nozzles, blocked emergency equipment and other visible hazards. Escalate and document problems. |
| When inventory data is produced | Keep tank, delivery and dispenser sales information together. Complete the applicable inventory control process and investigate discrepancies. |
| When a new employee starts | Provide site-specific emergency training and record it. |
| When service or testing is due | Arrange the required work and keep the complete test or maintenance report. |
| After a repair or alarm | Record the issue, the action taken, who completed the work and whether equipment was returned to service. |
| After a TSSA inspection | Track each order and safety task to its deadline and retain proof of correction. |
Do not ignore an unexplained inventory loss, water gain, alarm or suspected leak while waiting for the next routine visit. TSSA specifically identifies investigation of unexplained tank losses or water gains as a high risk issue. www.tssa.org
Do gas station upgrades need TSSA approval?
A change to regulated fuel equipment may need approval before the work proceeds. TSSA lists unapproved facility modifications as a high risk issue under O. Reg. 217/01, s. 22(4) and provides an application process for retail outlet modifications. Check the requirements before changing tanks, piping, dispensers or other parts of the fuel system. Retain the approved plans and final work records. www.tssa.org
What happens if TSSA issues an order?
TSSA says a high risk non-compliance found during a periodic inspection leads to an order and a follow-up inspection. Depending on the issue, correction may be required immediately, within 14 days, or within another period specified by TSSA. A serious issue can result in shutdown. Other safety tasks must be corrected within the time stated in the inspection report. Read the deadline on the actual order; do not assume every issue has 14 days. www.tssa.org
For a buyer, an open order should be addressed during due diligence. Obtain the report, understand the required work, get a contractor’s assessment where needed, and clearly allocate responsibility for correction in the purchase agreement.
TSSA checklist before buying an Ontario gas station
Before conditions are waived, ask the seller and your advisors:
- Is the facility currently licensed, and what does the buyer need to submit for its new licence?
- Do the approved plans and records match the tanks and fuel equipment on site?
- Are there any outstanding TSSA orders or inspection safety tasks?
- Are current precision leak test and applicable corrosion protection reports available?
- Can the seller provide inventory control, ATG, delivery and dispenser sales records?
- Have unexplained losses, water gains and alarms been investigated?
- Are employee emergency training records available?
- Are equipment tests, maintenance and repairs documented?
- Were modifications properly approved?
A gas station can appear to operate normally while carrying a serious documentation or equipment problem. Establish what has been installed, what has been tested and what remains to be corrected before taking responsibility for the site.
Official TSSA references
- Liquid Fuels Compliance Standard
- Compliance Standard for Liquid Fuels Facilities in Effect
- Change of Ownership
- TSSA Liquid Fuels Compliance Standard webinar
This article is general information for Ontario retail gasoline and diesel facilities. Confirm requirements against the current regulation, Liquid Fuels Handling Code, approved site documents and any order issued for the particular station.
