Error code
EQ5 — Lab inactive on Service date
Lab number not active
The laboratory number on the claim is registered but wasn't active on the service date.
What to do: Check the lab number and service date against the requisition or report, correct whichever is wrong, and resubmit.
- Code
- EQ5
- Description
- Lab inactive on Service date
Explanation
Updated October 26, 2026
EQ5 means the laboratory number on the claim was not active with the Ministry on the service date. Check the lab number and date, then resubmit.
What it means
EQ5 means the laboratory number on the claim was registered with the Ministry but was not active on the date of service, so the claim was rejected.
Common causes
- The lab number on the claim belongs to a lab that had closed or was not yet active on that date
- A typing error turned the number into another lab's number
- The service date on the claim is wrong
How to fix it
- Check the lab number and the service date on the rejected claim against the requisition or report.
- Correct whichever one is wrong.
- If both are right, contact the laboratory to confirm its OHIP registration on that date.
- Resubmit the corrected claim within three months of the service date. If that window has passed but the claim was first submitted on time, use the Ministry's stale-dated resubmission process.
Don't resubmit if
- The lab number and service date are both correct. Sort out the lab's registration first.
How APEX handles it
APEX reads your error reports and remittance advice from MCEDT and lists claims rejected with this code in its Correction Centre for you to correct and resubmit. See how APEX works · Pricing