How to Apply for ODSP in Ontario
How to apply for ODSP in Ontario: the two-stage process — financial eligibility first, then disability determination — and what to do if denied.
How to Apply for the Ontario Disability Support Program
Apply for ODSP online in 20 to 30 minutes, by phone, or in person. A single person can receive up to $1,436 a month for basic needs and shelter, and the disability decision follows a Disability Determination Package.
Applies in: Ontario
The short answer
You apply for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) online, by phone, or in person at a local ODSP office, and one application covers you and the immediate family members who live with you. The Government of Ontario states that the online application takes 20 to 30 minutes, that a caseworker calls within 15 business days, and that the disability part of the decision runs through a Disability Determination Package reviewed by the Disability Adjudication Unit.
ODSP is Ontario's program, run under Ontario rules. It is a different program from British Columbia's disability assistance, with different offices, forms and steps, and nothing in this guide carries over from that program. This guide walks through the application process only. It gives no advice on whether you qualify.
What ODSP offers
ODSP offers money to help you and your eligible family members with living expenses, including food and rent, and health benefits, including prescription drugs and vision care. If you are eligible, the amount depends on your situation. You could receive up to $1,436 a month for basic needs and shelter if you are single. You may receive more for benefits, for example additional money for transportation to medical appointments, and more if you have a spouse or child.
ODSP rates are tied to inflation and adjusted annually in July. The 2026 increase took effect on July 1, 2026, at 1.9%, applied to basic needs and shelter maximum amounts for individuals and families, board and lodge amounts, the amount for a couple if both people have disabilities, and amounts for services provided by a long-term care home or a specialized care residence. The province states this was the fifth increase since September 2022, with rates up more than 22% over that span.
ODSP also has an employment side. If you are a person with a disability and interested in working, you can get help finding a job, and supports are available to remove disability-related barriers to employment. ODSP staff can tell you how to access employment-related supports in your community.
One federal interaction is stated plainly: if you receive the federal Canada Disability Benefit, it will not affect your eligibility for ODSP or the amount of your payment. The province treats it as exempt income for social assistance.
The three ways to apply
- Online. One application covers Ontario Works and ODSP. Submit one application for you and your immediate family members who live with you.
- By phone. Call the Social Assistance Support Line toll free at 1-888-999-1142, or toll free TTY at 1-800-387-5559.
- In person. Book an appointment through your local ODSP office.
The province states that the application process may take a few months.
Step by step: the online application
Step 1: Fill in your personal information. Before you start, have all family members included in the application with you, so they can provide consent and confirm their information. Have identification and documents ready: social insurance numbers, OHIP cards, birth certificates, immigration papers, tax returns and banking information. You will need a current version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge. The form asks for your family's full legal names, dates of birth and status in Canada, address, email addresses for all family members 18 and over, total monthly income and available assets, housing costs, other expenses such as child care and disability related expenses, and your bank account information if you have one, so you can get your payment quickly. Then submit the application.
Step 2: ODSP reviews your application. A caseworker from your local ODSP office reviews your application and calls you within 15 business days to schedule an appointment.
Step 3: Meet the office to sign and verify. At the verification appointment, the caseworker asks for more information to verify what you submitted. That can include proof of income or employment, shelter costs and proof of residency in Ontario, bank statements covering a minimum of one month before the application date (up to 12 months may be required depending on circumstances), and information on other assets such as stocks, bonds or investments. You may also be asked to sign your application package, including a consent form allowing ODSP to access information about you from other government programs or organizations, such as the Ministry of Transportation, Employment Insurance and Equifax Canada. If no additional information is required, the caseworker lets you know if you are financially eligible within 15 business days. If ODSP decides you are not financially eligible, you have 30 days to request a review of your information.
Step 4: Submit a Disability Determination Package. If you are a member of a prescribed class, you skip this step. Otherwise, if you are financially eligible, you receive a paper Disability Determination Package (DDP). An approved health care professional, such as your family doctor, a registered nurse, a nurse practitioner or a psychologist, completes it, on paper or digitally. The package includes an instruction sheet, a Health Status Report about your medical condition, an Activities of Daily Living Index about how your condition affects daily life, a Self Report where you describe how your disability affects your daily life, and a Consent to the Release of Medical Information for you to sign. A paper package goes back by mail to the Disability Adjudication Unit in the addressed envelope that comes with it. Send additional medical and supporting information with it where you have it, such as clinical notes, hospital reports, or psychological or functional assessments.
Step 5: The Disability Adjudication Unit decides. Specialized ministry staff, including doctors, nurses or occupational therapists, review the completed package to determine whether you meet the legislative definition of a person with a disability. You receive a letter from the Disability Adjudication Unit within 90 business days telling you whether your disability qualified.
Step 6: Develop a plan. If you are eligible, your caseworker contacts you to schedule an appointment to develop a plan for how best to help you, and tells you when to expect your first payment.
Checking on an application, and coming back
If you applied online, you can check the status of your application with your application number, which is in the confirmation email and on the confirmation page shown after you submit. If you applied in person or by phone, call the Social Assistance Support Line at 1-888-999-1142, TTY 1-800-387-5559, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
If you left ODSP and need to come back for financial help, you may be eligible for rapid reinstatement, which makes it faster to start receiving ODSP again without going through a disability assessment. Contact your local ODSP office to find out.
ODSP pays monthly, on the last business day of each month. December payments may be available earlier in the month.
What the opened pages do not state
The Ontario page opened for this guide states the application routes, the six steps, the $1,436 single maximum, and the 15 business day and 90 business day times. It does not state asset limits or income limits on the page read here, and it does not reproduce the legislative definition of a person with a disability beyond naming it, so this guide states neither. It also does not state an application fee, so this guide does not describe applying as free or as paid.
Related guides:
- How to Apply for the Canada Disability Benefit — the federal benefit for working-age people with a disability, exempt as income for ODSP.
- How to Apply for CPP Disability Benefits — the federal contribution-based disability benefit.
- How to Apply for the Disability Tax Credit in Canada — the federal credit and the T2201 certificate.
- How to Apply for Disability Assistance in British Columbia — British Columbia's separate Persons with Disabilities program, with its own steps.
- How to Apply for the Ontario Trillium Drug Program — Ontario's program for high drug costs relative to household income.
ODSP application steps and stated times
| Maximum for a single person, basic needs and shelter | Up to $1,436 a month; your amount depends on your situation |
|---|---|
| Online application time | 20 to 30 minutes in most cases; one application covers you and immediate family members who live with you |
| Caseworker call after you apply | Within 15 business days, to schedule your verification appointment |
| Financial eligibility answer if no more information is needed | Within 15 business days of the verification appointment |
| Disability decision letter from the Disability Adjudication Unit | Within 90 business days of the unit receiving your completed package |
ODSP rates are tied to inflation and adjusted every July. The July 1, 2026 increase was 1.9% on basic needs and shelter maximums, board and lodge amounts, the couple amount where both people have disabilities, and long-term care and specialized care amounts.
Questions people ask
What does ODSP provide?
ODSP offers money to help you and your eligible family members with living expenses, including food and rent, and health benefits including prescription drugs and vision care. A single person could receive up to $1,436 a month for basic needs and shelter. You may receive more for benefits such as transportation to medical appointments, or for a spouse or child.
How do I apply for ODSP?
Apply online, which takes 20 to 30 minutes in most cases, over the phone by calling the Social Assistance Support Line at 1-888-999-1142 or TTY 1-800-387-5559, or in person by booking an appointment through your local ODSP office. Submit one application for you and your immediate family members who live with you.
What documents do I need ready to apply online?
Have your family's social insurance numbers, OHIP cards, birth certificates, immigration papers, tax returns and banking information ready. Make sure all family members included in the application are with you when you apply online, so they can provide consent and confirm their information.
What is the Disability Determination Package?
If you are financially eligible, you receive a paper Disability Determination Package. An approved health care professional, such as your family doctor, a registered nurse, a nurse practitioner or a psychologist, completes it on paper or digitally. It includes an instruction sheet, a Health Status Report, an Activities of Daily Living Index, a Self Report, and a Consent to the Release of Medical Information.
How long does an ODSP application take?
The province states that the application process may take a few months. A caseworker calls within 15 business days of your application to schedule an appointment. After the Disability Adjudication Unit receives your completed package, you receive its letter within 90 business days telling you whether your disability qualified.
Can I get help while my ODSP application is being assessed?
Yes, through Ontario Works. If you do not have enough money to support yourself and your family while ODSP reviews your application, you can apply to Ontario Works and ODSP at the same time online. Your eligibility for Ontario Works is assessed first, and if you are eligible you can receive Ontario Works assistance while your ODSP application is assessed.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, Ontario Disability Support Program — what ODSP offers, the up to $1,436 a month single maximum for basic needs and shelter, rates tied to inflation with the July 1, 2026 increase of 1.9%, the Canada Disability Benefit being exempt for social assistance, applying online in 20 to 30 minutes or by phone at 1-888-999-1142 and TTY 1-800-387-5559 or in person, the six application steps including the verification appointment, the Disability Determination Package and the Disability Adjudication Unit decision within 90 business days, applying to Ontario Works at the same time, rapid reinstatement, employment supports, and monthly payment on the last business day of the month.