Getting a Ontario Drivers License

[shandymoo]

I have been driving in the UK for 5 years and have a full uk drivers license. When I move to Ontario what do I have to do to get one for there? Will they take my UK one off me and switch it? If so what if i want to come back to the UK on vacation and drive? Is there a way to have both?

[emmagail]

Because you are from UK/NI, you can make a direct swap. 



its all here:   http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/

Make sure to bring a letter from your insurance broker detailing your history (if its clear!), insurance is VERY expensive over here.

they let me keep my Irish and international licence, just issued me a temporary G1, for the format of the licence number to register my SUV. then i sat G test, without having to wait any time.  Its a much easier test, may explain why the drivers are so bad over here.
But as you will read, you dont have to do a test, jsut remember to drive on the other side of the road

[shandymoo]

thanks emma that is really helpful!

[210045803]

So if our driving history is good in our current countries (I'm from USA) then I should talk to my insurance agent to print it?  This will reduce my rates there? 

What if we want to become dual citizens at some point...don't they take our home countries license to swap it?  There is no way to keep it?  What if our home countries license is going to expire in 2 years can we renew it online and then have both again?

[emmagail]

Sorry, don't know anything about US, just all about Irish drivers.

But for sure bring your no-claims-bonus with you, no matter where you are from.  I got to keep my Irish/International, so i dont see why you cant.  Get an international licence just to be sure.  It is different for US, ye are an option when you are filling out an online quote

[210045803]

Sorry, don't know anything about US, just all about Irish drivers.

But for sure bring your no-claims-bonus with you, no matter where you are from.  I got to keep my Irish/International, so i dont see why you cant.  Get an international licence just to be sure.  It is different for US, ye are an option when you are filling out an online quote

thanks I'll have to look into getting an international license

[YorkFactory]

What if we want to become dual citizens at some point...don't they take our home countries license to swap it?  There is no way to keep it?  What if our home countries license is going to expire in 2 years can we renew it online and then have both again?

You have to surrender your old license in order to get an Ontario license, and it's not legal to have both licenses at once.  (This is true for most, if not all, provinces/states.)  Citizenship has no bearing on whether you have an Ontario license.  If you live in Ontario, you need to have an Ontario license.

[emmagail]

I didn't have to surrender them, i have a G1, with a null sticker on it, my G, an Irish licence and an international. 

Obviously i just carry around the G.  Before i got the G, i was allowed to drive on an international licence for 90 days.  The Irish licence is carried with it, to verify that you have a full licence. 

[kiwikris]

I was able to drive on my NZ license for 3 months...which was extended due to the strike.  I had to sit the G1 and answer the questions and then only really needed to sit the G but becuase there was a month wait due to the backlog I sat the G2 as well otherwise by law I would not have been able to drive on my own and I needed to for work. I did not have to surrender my NZ license I can keep both. I had to get a COP (certificate of particulars- this is waht is is called in NZ) to prove I had previous driving experience and the equivalent to a G here in Canada.

[YorkFactory]

I didn't have to surrender them, i have a G1, with a null sticker on it, my G, an Irish licence and an international.

Right, but you can't have more than one U.S./Canada license at once.  If you move to Ontario from elsewhere in the United States or Canada, you must surrender your old license.

[kiwikris]

Right, but you can't have more than one U.S./Canada license at once.  If you move to Ontario from elsewhere in the United States or Canada, you must surrender your old license.

I didn't have to surender mine and I am in Ontario so I have both Ontario and NZ

[Love_Young]

I didn't have to surender mine and I am in Ontario so I have both Ontario and NZ

You're lucky kiwikris.
I had to sacrifice over my VA license over in order to get a Newfoundland one.
The woman looked really stern at me and said: "You won't be going back home will you?"
I figured she wouldn't let me get one if I said yes so I just said "no". But I don't think she realizes I am only here temporary so really I have to go home if I am not approved plus I mean I obviously want to visit home again. Just the way she looked and said it to me though was like as if to say "You can never go back." Lol, so funny now that I think on it but she didn't laugh like I did. 

[kiwikris]

Maybe because I had to sit the tests so I wasn't exchanging my license as such. Some countries can exchange some can't. It is becaus eof the right hand turn rule we have in NZ. LY you will be able to drive on your Canadian while ur in the US so no worried there. Sometimes you can't crack a joke with anyone lol and I am sure you will be approved!

[doctorkb]

I believe there is an international agreement between the US and Canada limiting you to ONE state OR province drivers license.  The upside is there is not supposed to be any retesting requirement for drivers holding just a passenger car license -- it's supposed to be a trade / pay fee situation.

OTOH, if it's a motorcycle license, it varies A LOT.

[SaugaBoss]

To get an Ontario license it's a direct swap, u need ur license, passport and abstract. This is for people from the US. But do u really need the original??? That's the annoying part!!!? Has anyone not showed an Abstract or showed only a copy?