Ontario Jury Duty Compensation Calculator

See at a glance what you could receive for pay, travel and overnight sequestration.

Use this simple tool to estimate the daily allowance, mileage reimbursement and sequestration stipend you may receive while serving as a juror in Ontario. For a deeper dive into the numbers, check our full compensation guide.

Estimate Your Jury Duty Payments

First 10 physical days in court.
Days you stayed home “on call”.
Typical daily mileage to the courthouse.

How the Numbers Are Worked Out

1. Daily Jury Fee Schedule

Ontario pays jurors on a sliding scale. The first 10 court days traditionally assume your employer continues wages, so the provincial allowance is $0. From Day 11 to Day 49 you earn $40 per day, and once a trial exceeds Day 50 the rate jumps to $100 per day. These payments apply only to days physically spent in court and appear on a year-end T4A slip if the total exceeds $500.

2. Mileage Reimbursement Rules

Jurors travelling by personal vehicle claim $0.34 per kilometre round-trip, using the most direct route. The Ministry caps mileage at 80 km per day unless pre-approved. If you take transit, submit actual fares instead. Parking receipts are reimbursed when cheaper than mileage—log both and claim the higher amount.

3. Sequestration Meals & Lodging

When a jury is sequestered overnight, the court covers hotel costs directly and pays a flat $50 nightly stipend to cover meals and incidentals. Enter your total nights in the calculator; it adds the stipend but not hotel cost, because the sheriff’s office pays hotels up front.

4. Tax Treatment, Employer Top-ups & Record-Keeping

Your attendance allowance (but not mileage or sequestration stipend) counts as taxable income. Expect a T4A if you cross $500 in a calendar year. CRA recommends setting aside 20-25 % to cover taxes. Employers may top up wages; consult your HR policy and our employer-obligations guide. Keep receipts (Form JUR-5) for seven years in case of audit. If self-employed, ask the judge for a lost-income certificate—it can support business-expense claims.

Real-World Scenarios

Scenario 1 – Office Worker in Toronto

Jasmine, a salaried administrative assistant, serves 15 in-court days, lives 12 km from the downtown courthouse, and is never sequestered. Her employer stops paying after Day 10. Using the calculator she enters: 10/5/0 for the day fields and 24 km round-trip. The estimate shows $200 in attendance pay (5 days × $40) plus $122.40 in mileage (24 km × $0.34 × 15 days) for a total of $322.40. Because her total is under $500 she will not receive a T4A. She signs up for direct deposit on Day 1 and receives payment within five weeks—just before her next rent is due.

Scenario 2 – Self-Employed Graphic Designer

Marcos runs a freelance studio and is selected for a lengthy fraud trial lasting 58 in-court days with 6 nights of sequestration. He commutes 4 km by bicycle, so he records zero mileage. The calculator displays: $3,540 in attendance pay (39 days × $40 + 9 days × $100), $300 in sequestration stipends, for a total $3,840. Because payment exceeds $500 he will receive a T4A next February. Marcos asks the judge for a lost-income certificate to deduct business losses against the taxable portion. He also applies for a Legal Aid contribution agreement to cover contract disputes that arose while he was away.

Scenario 3 – Rural Commuter from Sudbury District

Eli lives 68 km from the nearest courthouse and serves as an alternate juror for 8 in-court days; he is excused before deliberations and never sequestered. He drives a pickup and logs 136 km per day round-trip, but the Ministry reimburses only the first 80 km. Plugging numbers into the calculator—8/0/0 days, 80 km distance—he sees $217.60 in mileage (80 km × $0.34 × 8) but $0 attendance because the trial ended before Day 11. The mileage cheque arrives by mail nine weeks later. Eli keeps odometer photos and fuel receipts in case finance staff question the distance claimed.

Calculator, mileage log and Ontario juror payment forms on a wooden desk
Payment Category (2025) Rate Notes
In-court attendance, Day 1–10 $0 /day (or $40 if employer unpaid) Historic expectation of continued wages
Attendance, Day 11–49 $40 /day Automatically applied by finance office
Attendance, Day 50+ $100 /day Compensates lengthy income loss
Stand-by allowance $12–$40 /day Depends on total trial length
Mileage reimbursement $0.34 /km Capped at 80 km per day
Sequestration nightly stipend $50 /night Meals & incidentals; hotel paid directly

Quick Tips for Maximising Reimbursements

  • Register for direct deposit on Day 1 to halve payout time.
  • Snap odometer photos each morning as proof of mileage.
  • Keep toll, parking and meal receipts—they add up fast.
  • If self-employed, request a lost-income certificate from the trial judge.

Compensation FAQ

Ontario’s finance offices default to paper cheques unless you enrol in Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) by completing Form JUR-2 and providing a void cheque. EFT deposits typically arrive within four to six weeks of trial completion, whereas cheques can take up to eight because they are processed in weekly batches and then rely on Canada Post delivery. If your address changes mid-trial, immediately update the jury officer—returned mail adds another two-week delay. Keep your bank account active for at least 90 days after the trial ends; a closed account causes automatic rejection and manual re-issue by cheque. Always photograph your completed EFT form as backup in case the original is misplaced.

Employers in Ontario are not legally required to continue salary beyond the Employment Standards Act’s unpaid leave protection. However, unionized and many large private employers offer “top-up” programs that bridge the gap between court allowances and normal earnings. Policies vary: some mirror full wages up to 10 days, others pay 75 % for the entire trial, and a few reclaim the provincial attendance fee as reimbursement. Verify your collective agreement or employee handbook before assuming coverage, and request written clarification from HR. If you experience retaliation for serving—reduced hours, demotion, or termination—document every incident and consult our employer-obligations guide or duty counsel; courts can issue lost-income certificates to strengthen claims.

Daytime childcare is normally considered a personal cost, but Ontario recognises that extended court hours can create unexpected burdens. If sittings run past your daycare’s closing time or the jury is sequestered, the judge may authorise reimbursement up to $40 per day for incremental expenses—not your entire childcare bill. Keep detailed receipts: timesheets from the babysitter, extended-hour invoices from the centre, or a signed note detailing extra pickup fees. Attach them to Form JUR-2. For overnight sequestration, courts assume the $50 stipend covers meals and childcare, so a separate claim is unlikely unless pre-approved. If you anticipate conflicts, raise them with the jury officer during orientation; proactive requests are more likely to be granted.

Airfare and ferry costs are reimbursable only with advance judicial approval. You must show that driving is impractical—e.g., a Northern community accessible only by regional air service or a Georgian Bay island requiring a vehicle ferry. Provide at least three economy-class quotes and a proposed itinerary. If approved, the sheriff’s office books tickets directly or instructs you to purchase and submit original boarding passes; credit-card statements alone are insufficient. Remember to claim mileage from your home to the departure terminal if you drive. When ferries are involved, include both passenger and vehicle fares. Any hotel stay en route is treated like sequestration and must be pre-authorised in writing. Keep copies of all paperwork in case finance officers query high travel claims months later.

No. The tool shows gross figures so you understand what the court will pay, not what you’ll take home. Mileage and sequestration stipends are non-taxable because they reimburse out-of-pocket expenses, but attendance fees count as income once they exceed $500 in a calendar year. The Ministry issues a T4A slip the following February. To estimate the net amount, subtract your marginal provincial + federal rate from the attendance portion only—roughly 20-25 % for many Ontarians. If you incurred significant business losses, ask a tax adviser whether the judge’s lost-income certificate can offset the taxable amount. Keep all original receipts and the court payment summary in case CRA requests verification years down the line.

Processing time hinges on two factors: court location and payment method. Provincial finance units batch files once weekly, then forward them to the central treasury. If you completed the EFT form on Day 1, funds often appear within 20-30 business days after the trial ends—sometimes sooner in major urban courts with electronic workflow. Paper cheques add an extra 7-10 days for printing and mail. Errors such as missing signatures, crossed-out dates or bank details that don’t match a void cheque force manual verification and can double the wait. If six weeks pass with no payment, contact the jury officer; they can trace the file and re-issue. While delays beyond 60 days are rare, they do occur during peak fiscal-year closing (March-April), so plan cash-flow accordingly.

This calculator provides an illustrative estimate only. Official amounts are determined by the Ontario court finance office under the Juries Act. Rates may change without notice—always confirm with your local sheriff’s office.