What do bail conditions mean in Ontario?
Last reviewed 22 Sep 2026 · Updated 28 Sep 2026
Bail conditions in Ontario are the rules a person must follow while released before their case is decided. They are written on the release order and enforced as written. Common ones: no contact with named people, living at a stated address, a curfew, and staying away from a place. Breaking one is a separate charge.
What are the most common bail conditions?
- Keep the peace and be of good behaviour. On every order. It means no new charges.
- Attend court. Every date, on time. Missing one can mean a warrant.
- No contact. With a named person — no calls, texts, social media, messages through friends. This is the one people break by accident.
- Stay-away condition. A stay-away condition names an address or a place, and it applies as written, whoever invites the visit.
- Live at. A fixed address, often the surety's.
- Curfew. Be inside between set hours. Police can check.
- No weapons. No alcohol or drugs. Common on impaired and domestic matters.
- Report to police. On a schedule, in some cases.
Can the conditions be changed?
Yes, but only by the court (a bail variation), usually with the Crown's agreement. Never by the surety, the family, or the person. Ask the lawyer's office before doing anything the order forbids — even something that seems harmless, like picking up clothes from home.
What happens if a condition is broken?
Breaching a condition is a separate charge — failure to comply, section 145 of the Criminal Code. Police can arrest for a breach, and the breach becomes part of the record a court has in front of it at any later bail hearing.
What does the surety have to watch for?
The conditions most often breached are contact and curfew. Many people keep a copy of the release order on their phone so the exact wording is at hand.
What do we see with bail conditions?
The most common problem isn't the condition; it's that nobody read it closely. “No contact” includes a text sent through a cousin. “Reside at” means every night.
When you call Remandly with the release order in hand, we read it with you, line by line, and open a file so the wording is there when you need it later.
What do people ask about bail conditions?
What are the common bail conditions?
Keep the peace and be of good behaviour. On every order. It means no new charges.
Attend court. Every date, on time. Missing one can mean a warrant.
No contact. With a named person — no calls, texts, social media, messages through friends. This is the one people break by accident.
A condition not to attend an address applies even when the other person invites the visit. The condition, not the invitation, is what the court enforces.
Can bail conditions be changed?
Yes, but only by the court (a bail variation), usually with the Crown's agreement. Never by the surety, the family, or the person. Ask the lawyer's office before doing anything the order forbids — even something that seems harmless, like picking up clothes from home.
Do I have to talk to the police?
No — a person does not have to answer police questions, whether that's in person, at a station, or over the phone. You can confirm identifying information if asked, but you're not required to explain, discuss the events, or answer follow-up questions.
What does a surety do?
A surety is an adult who tells the court they will supervise a person released on bail and who pledges an amount of money as a promise that the rules will be followed. Two things are involved: making sure the person sticks to every condition of release, and risking loss of the pledged amount if they don't.
What does a no-contact condition mean?
A no-contact condition, whether in an undertaking or a release order, applies to whoever is named in it. If children are not named, the condition doesn't automatically restrict contact with them — but if the order also includes a
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- Justice Laws Website, accessed 2026-09-25
- Steps to Justice (CLEO), accessed 2026-09-25
- Legal Aid Ontario, accessed 2026-09-25
Remandly is not a law firm and this page is information, not legal advice. Payment arrangements available. Private retainer only. Legal Aid Ontario: 1-800-668-8258.