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US Canada Driving License Exchange

salikgilani

Hero Member
Apr 27, 2017
213
27
When exchanging a US license with a Canadian one, do they keep the US license and provide Canadian in its stead? Or do I just show my US license and get a Canadian license.

Any help would be appreciated as I have to travel back to the US ( drive in ) so this information is critical.
 

APPNOV2014NY

VIP Member
Nov 21, 2014
3,005
1,099
When exchanging a US license with a Canadian one, do they keep the US license and provide Canadian in its stead? Or do I just show my US license and get a Canadian license.

Any help would be appreciated as I have to travel back to the US ( drive in ) so this information is critical.
SAAQ ( DMV equivalent in Quebec) kept my USA license while giving me Canadian one.
 

Binabik

Star Member
Aug 15, 2017
159
53
Canada
Yes they will keep your US license (regardless of what provinces you are in). Your US license is not lost forever tho, you can simply exchange back your Canadian license for a US one later on.

It is strongly advised to get a driving history letter from your insurance/state. This will be necessary to prove driving experience as well as to claim insurance discounts.
 

APPNOV2014NY

VIP Member
Nov 21, 2014
3,005
1,099
Yes they will keep your US license (regardless of what provinces you are in). Your US license is not lost forever tho, you can simply exchange back your Canadian license for a US one later on.

It is strongly advised to get a driving history letter from your insurance/state. This will be necessary to prove driving experience as well as to claim insurance discounts.
Funny story. I moved to Canada for 13 months on work permit and returned back to CT ( same city, different address). CT DMV simply re-issued me same USA DL that I had exchanged in Canada as in their system it was still valid. No CA to US DL exchange required. I sent Canadian DL back to SAAQ and got some refund on DL fees.
 

salikgilani

Hero Member
Apr 27, 2017
213
27
Yes. Problem is the state of Iowa does not provide driving license history beyond the last renewal. Since I got mine renewed in June this year, I need to attach my original DLA along with. So for anyone reading this, kindly ensure you have atleast your original application when you come in for an exchange.

Thank you all for your responses. I will hold on to the exchange till i have moved here to Canada permanently.
 

canada@2018

Star Member
May 7, 2017
170
120
Folks,

My current US (Ohio) driving license has only 1 year, however I had 3 years of driving history in Florida and I got that history in a pdf. Between staying in Florida and Ohio, I stayed in India for more than 6 months and my license expired, so I had to get a new one in Ohio. Now can I exchange my Ohio license (1 year) and show my Florida driving record (3 years) to get a full license in Toronto?

My total driving history in US is more than 4 years, but there is a break of 2 years when I was out of country. Will that be a problem?
 

keesio

VIP Member
May 16, 2012
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Toronto, Ontario
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I exchanged my NYS license for an Ontario one. It was very easy to do. I just filled out a form, provided my long abstract which I got from the NYS, and passed an eye test. They took my NYS license and issue me a temporary Ontario license on the spot. My permanent one came in the mail a few weeks later.

But yes, they took my NYS license and I didn't get it back. It really is an "exchange"
 

shinyjoshua

Star Member
Jan 16, 2018
67
25
I lost my wallet and it had my CA DL. I was planning to exchange it with Ontario license. I have the CA drivers' extract however don't physically have the DL. Given I don't have a legal resident status in the US anymore can I still show the DL extract (and I do have the image of my CA DL on my phone) to get G license here?
 

keesio

VIP Member
May 16, 2012
4,795
396
Toronto, Ontario
Category........
Visa Office......
CPP-O
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
09-01-2013
Doc's Request.
09-07-2013
AOR Received.
30-01-2013
File Transfer...
11-02-2013
Med's Done....
02-01-2013
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
12-07-2013
VISA ISSUED...
15-08-2013
LANDED..........
14-10-2013
I lost my wallet and it had my CA DL. I was planning to exchange it with Ontario license. I have the CA drivers' extract however don't physically have the DL. Given I don't have a legal resident status in the US anymore can I still show the DL extract (and I do have the image of my CA DL on my phone) to get G license here?
hmm... when I did the exchange, they definitely wanted my physical license to keep. You should check with service Ontario.
 
8

8494193

Guest
For Quebec, do US (California, in my case) DL holders need to pass a knowledge test/road test? Or is it a simple exchange?
 

godavari

Full Member
Oct 30, 2017
44
3
How to get Drivers license extract / Driving record from Missouri, I am currently out of USA and living in india Is there any online procedure?
 

LOOKATAMI

Member
May 17, 2018
16
1
Can someone suggest if one should get Ontario Driving license during soft landing from USA?

I've a USA driving license (Massachussets) and I did my soft landing on Sept 1, 2018. As I've been reading in the forums that I'll have to surrender my US driving license if I opt for Ontario driving license. Is that true?

Should I research for a way to get Ontario driving license to build my driving history (lower insurance in future)?
 

skarme312

Hero Member
Aug 2, 2017
204
23
When you get a Canadian temporary license; can you drive across the border for work/leisure using that? How did you go about car insurance?