Ontario Jury Duty Compensation & Reimbursement

Wondering how much you’ll earn while serving? This guide explains daily pay brackets, travel and meal coverage, plus exactly how to file your claim so you’re paid on time.

Daily Allowance Rates

If you’re called to serve, the Ontario Juries Act sets a sliding-scale allowance designed to offset—but not fully replace—lost wages. Rates increase the longer a trial runs and climb again if the jury is sequestered overnight. The table below uses official 2025 figures.

In practical terms a short, five-day trial where your employer continues your salary means you usually receive only the stand-by allowance. Using the 2025 chart, Day 1-5 attendance pays $0, but stand-by days at home are worth $12 each. If you were physically in court the whole time and your employer does not pay you, the court substitutes $40 per day, bringing the total to $200. Although modest, that figure combined with mileage and meals can offset transit fares and lunches for the week and still leave room for coffee breaks.

Contrast that with a 15-day criminal trial that runs into a second week and requires two nights of sequestration. Your first ten in-court days yield $0 each (or $40 if unpaid), while Days 11-15 jump to $40 regardless of employer policy, totalling $200 for that last stretch alone. Add $50 per night for the two hotel stays and your allowance reaches $300 in sequestration premiums. Combined with the earlier $400 base, the grand total hits $700—before you even tally mileage, meals, or incidentals. That figure can easily top $900 with travel.

Payment Category Days 1 – 10
(2025 rates)		 Days 11 – 49
(2025 rates)		 Day 50 +
(2025 rates)
In-court attendance $0 per day($40/day if employer unpaid) $40 per day $100 per day
On-call / stand-by $12 per day $20 per day $40 per day
Sequestration premium $50 additional per night away from home

Key Take-aways

  • Most trials end before Day 10, meaning many jurors receive the base rate.
  • Allowance counts calendar days served, even if the court adjourns early.
  • Sequestration pay stacks on top of the daily allowance and covers hotel incidentals.
  • The average Ontario jury trial lasts nine days (2024 Ministry of the Attorney General data).
  • Direct-deposit payments typically arrive two to four weeks sooner than paper cheques.
  • Allowance continues to accrue over statutory holidays that fall during the trial schedule.

Direct Deposit vs. Paper Cheque

Waiting eight weeks for a paper cheque can feel like a lifetime when you have out-of-pocket expenses. Ontario courthouses now offer Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) as an option on Form JUR-2. By filling in your banking details and a void cheque, funds are deposited directly to your account, usually within four to six weeks. Cheques, by comparison, are printed in batches and mailed from a central finance hub, stretching the timeline to eight to ten weeks plus Canada Post travel time. EFT also removes the risk of lost mail and eliminates a trip to the bank. Unless you are paid entirely by your employer, tick the “Direct Deposit” box—it’s faster, safer and environmentally friendly.

Travel Reimbursements

Ontario reimburses reasonable travel costs between your primary residence and the courthouse. Mileage is paid at ¢40 per kilometre (2025 rate) for a round trip by the most direct route. Public-transit fares, GO Transit, and economy-class rideshares are also covered when cheaper than driving.

Round-trip Distance Calculation Example Mileage Paid
15 km 15 km × ¢40 $6.00
40 km 40 km × ¢40 $16.00
75 km 75 km × ¢40 $30.00
Commute Method (25 km RT) Estimated Cost Reimbursement Rules
Drive $10.00 (25 km × ¢40) Guaranteed with mileage log
GO Transit $8.70* Submit PRESTO summary or printed ticket
Rideshare $34.00 (economy tier) Only if transit is unavailable or unsafe

*Example off-peak adult fare; check current GO pricing.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Forgetting to double mileage when calculating a round trip.
  • Submitting premium parking without proof that cheaper lots were full.
  • Mixing personal and work parking receipts—keep jury-duty slips separate.
  • Claiming Uber when public transit was available on the same route.
  • Uploading photos instead of submitting original, itemised receipts.
  • Forgetting to sign or date your mileage log.
Typical morning commute to a downtown Ontario courthouse for jury duty

Meal & Incidental Expenses

You’re entitled to modest reimbursement for meals and small out-of-pocket expenses incurred because of jury service. Keep original receipts for anything over CA$10 and submit them with your claim form.

Sample One-Day Receipt Breakdown

  • Breakfast — $8.50
  • Lunch — $13.90
  • Dinner — $22.75
  • Breakfast — up to $10 (2025)
  • Lunch — up to $15 (2025)
  • Dinner — up to $25 (2025)
  • Non-alcoholic beverages and snacks within meal caps
  • Daily incidentals ($5) for Wi-Fi, phone calls or stationery
  • Child-care premium if the jury is sequestered overnight

Alcohol, souvenirs and personal entertainment are never reimbursable.

How to File Your Claim

The claim process is straightforward but attention to detail prevents payment delays. Click for a quick reminder of every slip you’ll need.

  1. Collect the forms. Before leaving the courthouse on your final day of service, ask the jury officer for Form JUR-2, the mileage log sheet, and a pre-addressed envelope. Grabbing these documents while you are still on-site prevents the common “I’ll pick it up later” delay and ensures you have the most current version of each form.
  2. Complete personal details. Fill in your name, address, and banking information exactly as they appear on your summons and government ID. Small discrepancies—such as abbreviating “Street” to “St.”—can trigger a manual verification step that slows processing, so copy directly from your official documents.
  3. Attach receipts. Organise mileage logs, transit stubs and meal receipts in chronological order and staple them behind the form. Finance officers love tidy packages; a clear order reduces the chance an item will be missed and prevents your claim from being returned for clarification.
  4. Photocopy the entire package. Make a full photocopy—or high-resolution scan—of every page, front and back, before you seal the envelope. Keep digital copies in cloud storage so they are accessible even if the paper versions are lost or damaged.
  5. Submit to the jury officer. Hand your envelope to the jury officer before you leave, or mail it by registered post within 14 days. Registered mail gives you a tracking number, which the finance desk can use to locate your package if payment is delayed.
  6. Follow-up after six weeks. Set a calendar reminder for six weeks after submission. If funds have not landed in your account (or a cheque hasn’t arrived), call the courthouse finance desk with your reference number and ask for a status update; most delays can be resolved on that first call.

Tax Treatment & Employer Top-Ups

Is Jury Pay Taxable?

Attendance allowances above $500 in a calendar year are reported on a T4A, box 014, and must be entered on line 13000 of your personal tax return. Mileage and meal reimbursements are considered non-taxable as they merely repay out-of-pocket costs. Jury pay is not subject to CPP or EI.

After you cross the $500 threshold, the court generates a T4A at year-end and mails it to the address on your summons. If you move, file a change of address with the courthouse to avoid a lost slip. Keep in mind that the amount reported is gross income; any accountant fees you pay to prepare taxes are not deductible against it. Store the slip with your regular employment T4 to avoid confusion in April.

Employer Salary Supplements

Many employers voluntarily top up your wages. If you receive full salary, you may still keep travel and meal reimbursements. Some HR policies require surrendering the daily allowance—check your contract. Jury pay does not affect EI insurable hours or vacation accrual.

Before banking on a top-up, review your employee handbook—some contracts require you to sign over the daily allowance, while others let you keep everything. HR departments also differ on how they adjust benefits; for example, some stop matching RRSP contributions during unpaid days. Get the policy in writing and confirm whether they need a Certificate of Attendance or only proof of summons. Clear expectations prevent awkward payroll claw-backs later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Processing time varies by courthouse finance unit, but most payments arrive within four to eight weeks after you submit Form JUR-2. Choosing direct deposit and ensuring your claim is error-free can cut the timeline in half. For example, the Newmarket courthouse reports average EFT turnaround of 28 days, while cheques mailed to rural addresses can exceed 60 days due to Canada Post routing. Action tip: record the date you hand in the form on your phone calendar—if six weeks pass with no payment, call the jury officer immediately and quote your summons reference number.

Child-care costs are reimbursable only when you are required to be physically present in court or sequestered overnight. Stand-by days spent at home or work do not qualify because the Ministry assumes you can continue regular care arrangements. However, if the court gives less than 24-hours’ notice to attend and you must hire emergency care, attach a receipt and brief note explaining the sudden change—some finance officers will allow partial reimbursement. Action tip: keep a spare babysitter invoice template on file so you can secure proper documentation quickly.

Double-dipping is not permitted. If your employer reimburses mileage, omit it from your claim. You can, however, keep meal allowances and the daily attendance fee unless your HR policy states otherwise. Include a brief note on Form JUR-2—“Mileage paid by employer”—to avoid questions from the finance clerk. Practical example: if your company pays 50 ¢/km, you forego the court’s 40 ¢/km but still claim lunch and attendance. Action tip: attach the employer mileage report to your package so the math is transparent.

Yes, attendance allowances over $500 become taxable income and appear on a T4A slip. You’ll enter the amount on line 13000 of your federal return. Travel and meal reimbursements remain non-taxable because they are considered a return of personal expenses. Illustration: a juror who earns $640 in attendance fees will pay marginal tax on $140 (the amount over the exemption). Action tip: photograph your T4A and store it in cloud storage the moment it arrives—finance units will re-issue a lost slip, but it can take weeks.

No. Only lawful parking receipts or transit fares are reimbursable. Tickets, towing fees, and traffic fines incurred during jury duty remain your responsibility. That includes parking-meter violations outside the courthouse when deliberations run long. Practical example: if you park in a two-hour spot and deliberations stretch to four hours, the resulting ticket is on you. Action tip: choose a full-day lot or use a phone-controlled meter app that lets you extend time from inside the building.

Trials longer than 60 days are rare but the $100 daily attendance rate continues indefinitely. If the jury is sequestered, the $50 nightly premium also continues. Employers must still preserve your job under Ontario’s Employment Standards Act. Real-world case studies show mega-trials taking up to 18 months; jurors in those situations can negotiate alternating work shifts or remote-access evenings with their employer to reduce wage loss. Action tip: if you foresee an extended trial, request EFT to avoid large cheque amounts being lost or delayed in the mail.

Accurate records and timely submission ensure you receive every dollar you’re entitled to. For full details on eligibility rules or to crunch exact numbers, explore our linked tools below.

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This guide is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

All figures in this guide reflect 2025 rates; verify current amounts with your local courthouse before relying on them.