October 20, 2026 | Buying
Tarion Warranty Explained (2026): PDI, Forms, Deadlines, 2- and 7-Year Coverage
Updated October 2026 · By Xerxes Bharucha, Broker · Team Rajpal, Re/Max Key2 Real Estate., Brokerage, Seaton, Pickering
Quick answer: Every new home in Ontario comes with a Tarion warranty: 1 year for workmanship and materials, 2 years for water leaks, cladding and the electrical, plumbing and heating systems, and 7 years for major structural defects. In the first year you report problems on three Tarion forms, which now submit automatically on day 41, day 183 and day 365 after you take possession. Miss a window and the builder no longer has to fix those items under warranty.
Free tool · Team Rajpal
The Warranty Clock: your Tarion deadlines
Enter the date you took possession and we’ll work out every Tarion form window for you.
Based on Tarion’s timelines for homes possessed on or after May 1, 2024. Always confirm against your own MyHome account at myhome.tarion.com. Nothing you enter is saved or sent anywhere.
The Warranty Clock: enter your possession date and see every Tarion deadline, a first-30-days checklist and local new-owner contacts.
What does the Tarion warranty cover?
Tarion is the organization that runs Ontario’s new home warranty program. Your builder provides the warranty, and Tarion steps in if the builder doesn’t honour it.
| Coverage | How long | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year warranty | First year after possession | Work done properly and free of defects in materials, Ontario Building Code violations, unauthorized substitutions, and the home being fit to live in |
| 2-year warranty | First two years | Water getting through the basement, foundation or building envelope; cladding that detaches or deteriorates; defects in the electrical, plumbing and heating systems; Building Code violations that affect health and safety |
| 7-year warranty | First seven years | Major structural defects: serious soil movement, major basement wall cracks, structural collapse or distortion, and harmful substances like excessive radon |
Source: Tarion: warranty coverage.
The warranty stays with the home, so it carries on if you sell during the coverage period.
What is a PDI (pre-delivery inspection)?
The PDI is a walk-through your builder leads before you get the keys. The builder shows you how the home’s systems work, and together you record anything damaged, unfinished, missing or not working on the PDI Form. Both of you sign it and you keep a copy.
- Allow time. Tarion suggests about an hour for every 1,000 sq ft.
- You can send someone. A friend, family member or your agent can attend for you if you fill out Tarion’s Appointment of Designate form.
- You can bring a home inspector. Tarion allows it, and it’s worth the cost on a new build.
- Check everything: floors, walls, cabinets, windows, doors, appliances, heating, cooling, plumbing, the driveway, decks and grading.
- Take photos of every item you list.
The PDI Form itself isn’t a warranty claim. Anything still unresolved has to go on your first Tarion form. Source: Tarion: the PDI.
Xerxes’s 3 rules for your PDI
I’ve done dozens of PDIs, for my own Mattamy home and for clients. Each one depends on the builder’s inspector: some work through every snag with you, others go strictly by the book. You can’t predict which you’ll get, so do these three things.
1. Don’t just look at everything. Test everything.
Run every tap and shower and check under the sinks for leaks. Flush every toilet. Open and close every window, door and cabinet. Plug an outlet tester or phone charger into every outlet. Run the heating and cooling, and note anything you can’t test.
2. Check what you paid for, not just what’s installed.
Bring your purchase agreement, floor plans and upgrade selection sheet, and go room by room: flooring, counters, cabinets, fixtures, pot lights, extra outlets and appliances. An upgrade worth thousands is easy to miss. Write down every difference, and don’t let anyone rush you.
3. Your PDI is not your last chance to report problems.
Write every problem on the PDI Form, photograph it, and keep your signed copy. Then add it, plus anything you find after moving in, to your Initial Form in Tarion’s MyHome portal before day 41. The PDI Form isn’t a warranty claim, and neither is a builder’s verbal promise.
Watch: see a full walk-through of a brand-new Mattamy Elgin home in Seaton Whitevale on YouTube (1,829 sq ft, 3 bedrooms, premium ravine lot).
What are the Tarion forms and deadlines in the first year?
For homes taking possession on or after May 1, 2024, Tarion replaced the old “30-Day Form” with three first-year forms in its online MyHome portal. You add items to a list whenever you notice them, and the list submits itself automatically on its deadline.
| Form | You can add items | Submits automatically on | Builder’s repair period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Form | Day 1 to day 41 | Day 41 | 120 days (to about day 162) |
| Mid-Year Form | Day 42 to day 183 | Day 183 | 120 days |
| Year-End Form | Day 183 to day 365 | Day 365 (10-day grace period with written proof you told the builder) | 120 days (to about day 486) |
| Second-Year Form | Any time in year 2 | Submit yourself, as many as needed | 120 days |
| Major Structural Defect Form | Year 3 to year 7 | Submit yourself, as many as needed | Per Tarion |
Sources: Tarion: claim forms and timelines; summary of the May 2024 changes.
You only get one Year-End Form, and it’s your last chance to claim one-year items. That’s the deadline people miss most.
Xerxes’s tip: get two home inspections. Almost every client has something come up in their first year. You’ve just spent hundreds of thousands of dollars, maybe over a million, so here’s what I suggest, and many clients have thanked me for it: get a home inspection on day 1 and another around day 360. Add the first inspector’s findings to your Initial Form and the second to your Year-End Form before day 365, so the builder has to deal with them. You live in the home every day, but you don’t know what you don’t know. Both inspections together cost about $1,000, and they’re worth it. See what a home inspection costs in Ontario.
What if the builder doesn’t fix it?
If an item on your form isn’t fixed within the builder’s 120-day repair period, you can ask Tarion for conciliation. There’s a $282.50 fee, refunded if Tarion finds even one item covered. Tarion inspects, decides which items are covered, and the builder has 30 days to fix them. If the builder still doesn’t, Tarion resolves it with you directly. Source: Tarion: conciliation.
Don’t miss the request window. For the Initial Form it runs to about day 183, for the Mid-Year Form to day 365, and for the Year-End Form to day 516. Items you don’t escalate in time can be treated as withdrawn.
Does Tarion protect my deposit?
Yes, for freehold homes signed on or after January 1, 2018: up to $60,000 on homes $600,000 or less, and 10% of the price up to $100,000 above that. Condo deposits are protected up to $20,000.
New in 2026: since April 1, 2026, buyers of new freehold homes must register their purchase with Tarion within 45 days of signing. If you don’t, your deposit protection drops to a share of a limited fund, which can be paid out late and prorated. If you’re buying pre-construction, make sure it’s done right after you sign. Sources: Tarion: deposit protection; Bennett Jones.
What if my closing is delayed?
If a builder delays a freehold closing past the firm date without your agreement, you can claim up to $7,500: $150 a day for living expenses (no receipts needed), plus moving and storage costs with receipts. If the builder gave less than 10 days’ notice, you get an extra $1,500. Claim from the builder within 180 days of closing. Source: Tarion: delayed closing.
Tarion tips for new-build buyers in Seaton and Pickering
- Set up MyHome on possession day. Add items as you find them. The forms submit on their own, so a list you never start is the real risk.
- Report to the builder in writing, too. An email to customer care is your proof if you need the Year-End grace period.
- Photograph everything at the PDI and the day you move in.
- Know your three dates: day 41, day 183 and day 365. The Warranty Clock calculator works them out for you, and the full Warranty Clock (button below the calculator) adds a first-30-days checklist and local contacts.
- Plan for the extra tax bill. New homes often get a supplementary property tax bill months after closing. See our guide to Pickering property tax.
“Your PDI isn’t just about finding scratches on the wall. It’s about making sure the home you receive is the home you paid for, that everything works the way it should, and that every problem is properly documented.”
Xerxes Bharucha, Broker, Team Rajpal
Buying new in Seaton? See our Seaton guide, our guide to Seaton Whitevale Mattamy homes and the 2026 new home HST rebate.
Tarion warranty: FAQ
What does the Tarion warranty cover?
Every new Ontario home has a 1-year warranty on workmanship and materials, a 2-year warranty on water leaks, cladding and the electrical, plumbing and heating systems, and a 7-year warranty on major structural defects.
Is there still a Tarion 30-Day Form?
Not for homes with possession on or after May 1, 2024. It was replaced by the Initial Form (day 1 to 41), the Mid-Year Form (day 42 to 183) and the Year-End Form (day 183 to 365), which all submit automatically in Tarion’s MyHome portal.
When is the Tarion Year-End Form due?
It submits automatically on day 365 after possession. There’s a 10-day grace period, but only if you have written proof you reported the items to your builder during the first year. You can only submit one Year-End Form.
What is a PDI on a new home?
A pre-delivery inspection: a walk-through with your builder before you get the keys, where you record anything damaged, unfinished or not working. You can bring a home inspector or send someone in your place.
How long does the builder have to fix Tarion items?
Generally 120 days after each form is submitted. If items aren’t fixed, you can ask Tarion for conciliation ($282.50, refunded if at least one item is found covered), and Tarion decides what’s covered.
Does Tarion protect my deposit?
For freehold homes, up to $60,000 on homes $600,000 or less, and 10% of the price up to $100,000 above that. Since April 1, 2026, you must register your purchase with Tarion within 45 days of signing to keep full protection.
What happens if my new home closing is delayed?
For a freehold home delayed past the firm closing date without your agreement, you can claim up to $7,500: $150 a day for living expenses, plus moving and storage costs with receipts.
Does the Tarion warranty transfer if I sell?
Yes. The warranty stays with the home for the rest of its coverage period.
Talk to a local agent
Team Rajpal is the only real estate team with an office in Seaton, and many of our clients buy brand-new homes. We walk new-build clients through the PDI, the Tarion forms and the deadlines that matter. If you’re looking for a realtor in Pickering who knows new construction, start here.
Call or text Team Rajpal · 647.372.2997
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your own agreement and Tarion’s website for the rules that apply to your home.
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