Driver’s licence for newcomers to Canada

The short answer

To drive in Canada you need a driver's licence issued by your province or territory, and you must have it with you whenever you drive. If you hold a valid licence from your home country you can probably use it for a short time after you arrive, but only for as long as your province allows. After that you generally need a Canadian licence. The process depends on where you live and on your driving background, and it may include a written exam and one or two road tests. Some provinces exchange licences from certain places without testing. Check yours first.

Key terms in plain English

• Provincial or territorial licence: the licence that lets you drive anywhere in Canada once you have it.
• International Driving Permit (IDP): a document, issued in your home country, that translates your licence into English and French. IRCC recommends one if you plan to use a foreign licence in Canada.
• Licence exchange: swapping a foreign licence for a Canadian one, which some provinces allow for certain countries and some licence classes.
• Graduated licensing: a system in some provinces where new drivers move through stages before getting a full licence.
• Car insurance: cover that is compulsory if you drive in Canada.

How it usually works

1. Find your province's licensing page (listed below) and read what it says about new residents.
2. Check the time limit for using a foreign licence. Each province sets its own.
3. See whether your licence can be exchanged. For example, Ontario publishes the list of places whose licences it will exchange. If yours is not on the list, you may still get credit for your driving experience.
4. Book exams if they apply. These can include a written test on the rules of the road, with a study guide, and one or two road tests. Lessons are optional, and you pay for them.
5. Arrange car insurance before you drive a car. It is illegal to drive without it. If you regularly drive a car owned by a relative or friend, make sure you are listed on their insurance.
6. Renew on time. The expiry date is printed on your licence.

Official pages by province

• Ontario: exchange an out-of-province licence
• British Columbia: ICBC moving to BC
• Alberta: licensing and owning a vehicle
• Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI)
• Manitoba Public Insurance
• Nova Scotia: exchange an out-of-province licence
• Prince Edward Island: getting a driver's licence
• Newfoundland and Labrador: Motor Registration Division
• Northwest Territories: driver services
• Quebec: settle and integrate, which leads to the Quebec licensing agency

For New Brunswick, Nunavut and Yukon, IRCC's pages for each province or territory point onward.

Checklist

• To do: Find your province's rules for new residents
• To do: Note how long you may use your foreign licence
• To do: Get an International Driving Permit in India before you travel, if you plan to use your licence
• To do: Check whether your licence can be exchanged
• To do: Find the study guide and book the written test if one applies
• To do: Arrange car insurance before you drive
• To do: Keep your licence with you when you drive
• To do: Learn the local rules for winter driving

Common mistakes

• Driving on a foreign licence for longer than your province allows. Check the limit.
• Assuming your licence will be exchanged. Provinces decide which places they exchange.
• Driving without insurance. It is illegal and costly.
• Borrowing a car without being listed on the insurance. Ask the owner to check their policy.
• Skipping the study guide. The written test covers rules and signs that differ from home.

Things that change

Exchange agreements, time limits, test requirements and fees are set by each province and can change.

Verify before you act

Start with IRCC's Driving in Canada page, then your own province's official page.