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Transferring Foreign Drivers License After 90 Days

BCBound20

Member
May 11, 2020
13
0
Hello,

I have a question about transferring a foreign driver's license to a Canadian one as a new immigrant with Permanent Resident status.
The province I am moving to is British Columbia, but I assume it would be similar rules for other provinces.
The government website says that a new resident has 90 days to transfer their license from another jurisdiction. I am not quite sure what this wording implies. Does this just mean after 90 days I can't legally drive with a foreign license, or does it instead mean I HAVE to transfer the license within the 90 day period otherwise I lose the opportunity to do so? For example, if it's been 100+ days would the foreign driving experience still be accepted for transferal (note: I won't have been driving on Canadian roads during this period)?
The reason I ask is because I did a soft landing for a single week In Canada but that was well over 90 days ago. After that week, I went back to my home country to continue work for a few months (I still needed to be able to drive in my home country for my job). I am planning to move to British Columbia permanently in March 2024, which would be much longer than 90 days since I obtained my Permanent Residence status in August 2023.
Will I still be able to transfer my license when I get there? If not, that's going to be a big problem for me when I get there, but I didn't really have an opportunity to transfer it before the 90 day period ended.
Note my driver's license is from the United Kingdom so should be transferrable without needing to take a test.

Thanks for your help.
 
Last edited:

Shmiler

Star Member
Oct 19, 2020
134
102
No problem with doing it when you're ready to do it. It means when you've landed you can only drive on that licence for 90 days, not that you can no longer change it over after the 90 days has passed.

My husband, also from UK, converted his after three years of PR.

Enjoy the move to BC.
 
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BCBound20

Member
May 11, 2020
13
0
No problem with doing it when you're ready to do it. It means when you've landed you can only drive on that licence for 90 days, not that you can no longer change it over after the 90 days has passed.

My husband, also from UK, converted his after three years of PR.

Enjoy the move to BC.
Thank you, that is a big relief.
Do you mind if I ask roughly how long ago your husband converted his licence? Just in case the rules are different these days.

Thanks
 

Shmiler

Star Member
Oct 19, 2020
134
102
August 2021.

I just checked the rules and they're the same as they were previously. You'll have no issue.

You need more than 2 years driving experience on your UK licence in order to convert. The date of issue on your photo card licence should suffice, however if you want to go belts and braces, then you can also get a record of your driving experience from the DVLA here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/make-a-subject-access-request-to-dvla

The service is free.
 
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