A mobile tire swap side hustle in Canada drives to customers’ homes in October and November and swaps their winter tires, already mounted on rims, onto the car, then does the reverse in April. Canadian mobile services that publish prices charge $65 to $99.95 for an on-rim swap of four wheels. Two provincial deadlines create the rush: Quebec requires winter tires from December 1 to March 15, and B.C. requires winter tires or chains on most designated highways from October 1. Prices and rules were read on the official and company pages on October 19, 2026.
Related reading: car detailing sells to the same driveway customers, winter car detailing and salt removal is the follow-up visit, and best winter side hustles lists more seasonal work.
| Quick fact | Figure (read October 19, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Published mobile on-rim swap | $65 to $99.95 |
| Published early-bird on-rim price | $79.95 (On The Go) |
| Quebec winter tire period | December 1 to March 15; fine $200 to $300 |
| B.C. designated routes | October 1 to April 30 on most routes; some end March 31 |
| B.C. minimum winter tread | 3.5 mm |
| Quebec recommended winter tread | At least 4.8 mm (legal minimum groove 1.6 mm) |
What do Canadian mobile tire services charge?
Canadian mobile tire services charge a flat price per vehicle for an on-rim swap, with off-rim work, storage and multi-car bookings priced separately:
| Service | Titan Auto Care (Ottawa) | On The Go (Ottawa, GTA, Calgary) |
|---|---|---|
| On-rim swap, 4 wheels | $65, about 45 minutes | $99.95, early bird $79.95 |
| Off-rim change (mount and balance) | $249.95, early bird $199.95 | |
| Tire storage between seasons | $79.95 | |
| Multi-car | Two- and three-car pricing at checkout | |
| Membership | $9.99 a month for 15% off tire visits |
Sources: Titan Auto Care, On The Go Tire Change. A side hustler with a jack, stands and a torque wrench is selling the on-rim job only. Off-rim work needs a tire changer and balancer, which is a shop-level investment.
What do CAA clubs charge for driveway tire swaps?
Four CAA clubs run their own driveway tire-swap service and publish member prices, which makes them the best-known price anchor your customers will compare you against. Prices below were read on each club’s page on October 19, 2026; they apply to members only and are before tax.
| CAA club (area) | Premier | Plus | Basic / Classic | Everyday | Second vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North & East Ontario (Greater Ottawa, Sudbury, Thunder Bay) | $79.95 | $89.95 | $99.95 | $99.95 | $68.95 |
| South Central Ontario (select areas) | $80 | $100 | $120 | $120 | $20 off |
| Niagara | $79.95 | $89.95 | $99.95 | $69 | |
| Manitoba | $70 | $80 | $90 | $90 | $20 off |
CAA North & East Ontario also lists off-rim changes at $179.95 to $199.95 (Greater Ottawa only), storage at $67 + HST a season, and a $25 surcharge for large trucks. CAA South Central Ontario offers $30 off to its own auto-insurance policyholders.
What this means for pricing: an independent on-rim swap at $65 to $80 sits at or under the lowest CAA member price, and CAA’s second-vehicle discounts suggest a household discount of about $20 is a normal expectation.
What service terms do CAA clubs set, and which should you copy?
The CAA pages list the conditions their technicians work under, and most of them translate directly into terms for a one-person service:
- Tires on rims and accessible. All four clubs require tires already mounted and placed beside the car or just inside the garage (CAA Niagara and CAA South Central Ontario say this explicitly).
- Residential driveway, clear and safe. CAA South Central Ontario serves residential driveways only, with space on all sides and no ice, snow or debris; CAA Niagara makes the member responsible for shovelling and removing hazards.
- Customer on site. CAA South Central Ontario, CAA Manitoba and CAA Niagara require the member to stay for the whole service.
- Vehicle limits. CAA South Central Ontario services cars, SUVs and trucks up to 3/4-ton, not commercial vehicles, trailers or RVs, and asks for the locking-nut key.
- Time window. CAA South Central Ontario says one set can take up to 90 minutes.
- Re-torque. CAA South Central Ontario and CAA Manitoba recommend re-torquing wheels within 100 to 150 km after the swap.
- Workplace bookings. CAA Niagara requires written permission from the property owner before working on a commercial lot.
- Payment at the end. The clubs charge the card or take payment when the job is done and issue an invoice.
Copyable booking terms (fill in your own prices):
On-rim swap, 4 wheels: $[__] + tax. Second car, same visit: $[__] off.
Tires must be mounted on rims and placed beside the car before I arrive.
Driveway must be clear of snow, ice and obstacles, with room on all sides.
Please be home for the visit and leave the locking lug-nut key out.
Cars, SUVs and light trucks only; no commercial vehicles, trailers or RVs.
Please re-check wheel torque after 100-150 km (free re-torque if you book it).
Payment by e-transfer, debit or credit when the job is done; receipt by email.Which provincial rules drive the fall rush?
The provincial rules that drive the fall rush are Quebec’s mandatory winter tire period and B.C.’s designated-route requirement. Other provinces leave the choice to drivers, so demand there follows the first snowfall rather than a date.
Quebec. The province’s winter tire page (last updated October 5, 2026) says vehicles registered in Quebec must be winter-ready from December 1 to March 15, including rentals, with fines of $200 to $300. A compliant tire carries the mountain-and-snowflake pictogram or is studded. Studded tires are allowed from October 15 to May 1 on passenger vehicles. The page recommends waiting a few weeks after March 15 before switching back, and says winter groove depth should be at least 4.8 mm (legal minimum 1.6 mm).
British Columbia. B.C.’s designated routes page says winter tires or chains are required on most routes from October 1 to April 30, ending March 31 on select routes outside mountain passes and high-snowfall areas. The passenger vehicle page says a legal winter tire needs at least 3.5 mm of tread and an M+S or three-peaked mountain/snowflake marking, and at least two matching winter tires on the primary drive axle.
That gives you two sales lines: “booked before December 1” in Quebec, and “legal for the Coquihalla” style highway trips in B.C.
Illustrative example: one fall weekend of on-rim swaps
This is an illustrative example. The price anchors are sourced from the two companies above; your price, the number of bookings, travel time and costs are assumptions.
- Assumed price: $60 per car, just under Titan’s $65.
- Assumed bookings: 6 cars on Saturday and 6 on Sunday = 12 cars.
- Revenue: 12 × $60 = $720.
- Assumed time: 45 minutes per car (Titan’s published estimate) + 20 minutes of driving = 65 minutes. 12 × 65 = 780 minutes = 13 hours.
- Assumed costs: $5 a car in fuel = $60.
- Left before tax and insurance: $720 − $60 = $660, or $660 ÷ 13 = about $51 an hour.
| Cars in the weekend (assumed) | Revenue at $60 | Left after $5 a car | Hours at 65 minutes each |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | $360 | $330 | 6.5 |
| 12 | $720 | $660 | 13 |
| 18 | $1,080 | $990 | 19.5 |
Clustering bookings on one street cuts the 20 minutes of driving, which is why On The Go prices two- and three-car bookings at checkout. Ask the first customer on a street to tell a neighbour.
What equipment and checks does a swap need?
A safe on-rim swap needs a jack rated for the vehicle, jack stands, wheel chocks, a breaker bar, a torque wrench, a tread depth gauge and a tire pressure gauge. Price these from your own receipts; buy for the heaviest vehicle you will accept. Use this checklist on every car:
On-rim swap checklist
[ ] Confirm the customer's tires are mounted on rims and the right size for the car
[ ] Park on level, hard ground; chock the wheels; engage the parking brake
[ ] Lift at the jack points in the owner's manual; use stands, never only the jack
[ ] Check tread depth (B.C. winter legal minimum 3.5 mm; Quebec recommends 4.8 mm)
[ ] Check for the mountain/snowflake symbol; note any damage to the customer
[ ] Tighten in a star pattern; torque to the value in the owner's manual
[ ] Set pressures to the door-jamb placard, cold
[ ] Tell the customer when to have the torque re-checked, and write it on the invoice
[ ] Bag and label the removed set if they go to storageRefuse jobs that need off-rim work, have damaged studs or seized nuts, or sit on a slope. Those go to a shop.
What does a first season look like?
A first season starts selling in early October, runs hardest from mid-October to the first snow, and books spring swaps before the last car is done.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Early October | Buy and test the gear on your own and a friend’s car; time each swap |
| Mid-October | Post a price, the checklist and your service area; offer a two-car price |
| Late October to November | Run weekend routes; cluster by street |
| Quebec: before December 1 | Push the deadline in your messages |
| December | Ask every customer to pre-book an April swap |
| April | Run the spring routes; offer a reminder for next October |
A post you can copy
Driveway winter tire swaps in [area]
Your winter tires already on rims? I'll swap them in your driveway.
$[price] per car, about 45 minutes. Tread and pressure check included.
$[price] for two cars at the same address.
Booking October and November weekends now. Reply with your car and postal code.Which tax rules apply to a tire swap side hustle in Canada?
Tire swap income is self-employment income reported on Form T2125, with tools through capital cost allowance and fuel and a share of vehicle costs as expenses. GST/HST registration is required once taxable sales pass $30,000 in a calendar quarter or four consecutive calendar quarters, under the CRA’s when to register rules. Vehicle records are in the mileage log guide. This is not tax, legal, or insurance advice.
What can this guide not confirm?
This guide cannot confirm whether your insurance covers damage or injury from work on a customer’s car, whether your municipality or a condo board allows driveway or parking-lot vehicle work, or the torque value for any specific vehicle (use the owner’s manual). Prices were read on two companies’ pages on October 19, 2026, and the weekend example uses assumed bookings and times. This is not tax, legal, or insurance advice.
Which guides sit next to mobile tire swaps?
- Car detailing: the same driveway customers.
- Winter car detailing and salt removal: the January follow-up visit.
- Snow removal: the next seasonal service for the same street.
- Best winter side hustles: the full winter list.
What are the common questions?
How much does a mobile tire swap cost in Canada?
On October 19, 2026, Titan Auto Care in Ottawa listed an on-rim swap at $65 and about 45 minutes, and On The Go listed $99.95 regular or $79.95 early bird. Off-rim changes with mounting and balancing were $249.95 or $199.95 early bird.
When are winter tires mandatory in Quebec?
From December 1 to March 15 for vehicles registered in Quebec, including rentals. Fines are $200 to $300. Tires must carry the mountain-and-snowflake pictogram or be studded.
When are winter tires required in B.C.?
On most designated B.C. routes from October 1 to April 30, with some routes ending March 31. A legal winter tire needs at least 3.5 mm of tread and an M+S or mountain/snowflake marking.
How much can I make doing tire swaps on weekends?
In the illustrative example, 12 on-rim swaps at $60 bring $720, or about $660 after fuel, over about 13 hours, roughly $51 an hour before tax and insurance.
Do I charge GST/HST on tire swaps?
Once your taxable sales pass $30,000 in a calendar quarter or four consecutive quarters you must register and charge GST/HST. Income goes on Form T2125. This is not tax advice.
Which sources support this guide?
The rules, rates, and platform requirements in this guide are checked against these primary sources. Retail price ranges are labelled as ranges to verify locally, and they are not quotes.
- Requirements for winter tires — Gouvernement du Québec
- Passenger Vehicle - Tire and Chain Requirements — Province of British Columbia
- Designated Winter Tire & Chain Routes — Province of British Columbia
- Mobile Tire Change Ottawa — Titan Auto Care
- Services & Pricing — On The Go Tire Change
- CAA Mobile Tire Change — CAA North & East Ontario
- Mobile Tire Change — CAA South Central Ontario
- Mobile Tire Change — CAA Manitoba
- Mobile Tire Service — CAA Niagara
- When to register for and start charging the GST/HST — Canada Revenue Agency
- T2125 Statement of Business or Professional Activities — Canada Revenue Agency