Mornign all,

I have a bit of a weird question for you all. I am supposed to be sitting my UK driving test within the next 3 weeks before I leave for Canada in 6 weeks. However I have heard that if I go to BC I will have to sit another test anyway. Should I just wait and sit the test in BC or is there an advantage of having a UK full license first? Other than the fact I might come back to the UK of course.

Secondly I have read that some prov's in Canada allow a straight swap from UK license to Canadian. Is Ontario one of them? After spending 4 months in Van I will be moving to Toronto to pick up some work so if I had a UK license I could hang on to it until then I guess?

All help much appreciated!

Tom

Tom

You can swap it over in Ontario although I would check out if you are suppose to have a couple of years driving experience first. i don't think you need to bt just in case.




HTH

Danny

Great thanks Danny. And I take it each prov's license is valid in every other place? Such as Ontario is valid in BC? I don't see why brits wouldnt go to Ontario swap out there license and then return to BC skipping the full resit of the test.

Incidently I have had my provisional license for about 4 years does this count towards the license requirements?

Tom

Good news I found this.

Ontario exchanges a UK driver's licence without a driving test. Alberta also exchanges a UK driver's licence without a driving test, but drivers' licences from Northern Ireland and the Channel Isles are excluded from this provision.



Except for the two cases mentioned above, a British driver who wants to drive in Canada has to get a provincial driver's licence by passing a driving test before the relevant province's deadline for newly arrived residents.

Bad news I also found this.

If you are a new resident of Ontario and have a valid driver's licence from another province or country, you can use that licence for a maximum of 60 days in Ontario. If you want to continue to drive after 60 days, you must get an Ontario driver's licence.

Drivers from other Canadian provinces, Canadian Forces-Europe, U.S.A., Japan, Korea, Switzerland, Germany, France, Great Britain, Austria and Belgium.
2 or More Years of Driving Experience Within the Last Three Years
If you are a licensed driver with two or more years of driving experience from one of these jurisdictions you may get full class licence privileges without taking a knowledge or road test. However, you must pass a vision test and show acceptable proof of your previous licence status and driving experience.

If you hold a controlled class licence (A,B,C,D,E,F) from a Canadian province or territory, you may exchange your licence for the equivalent Ontario class of licence (a class B or E licence will be exchanged for a class C or F licence respectively).

Visit a DriveTest Driver Examination Centre or contact the MTO Driver & Vehicle Licensing Call Centre at (416) 235-2999 or toll free at 1-800-387-3445.

Less than 2 Years of Driving Experience Within the Last Three Years
If you have less than two years of driving experience, you may get credit for your experience for graduated licensing and be issued a Class G2 or M2 licence. Once you have a total of two years of driving experience, you may take the G2 or M2 road test to earn full driving privileges.

If you hold a controlled class licence from a Canadian province or territory, once you are eligible to attempt the G2 road test, you must pass the road test within one year of the licence exchange to be issued the equivalent controlled class licence. If you pass the G2 road test after one year from the date of exchange, you will be issued a class G licence.

If you are a licensed driver with two or more years of driving experience from one of these jurisdictions, you may get full Class G licence privileges without taking a knowledge or road test. However, you must pass a vision test and show acceptable proof of your previous licence status and driving experience.

So I am not sure how you would go with a recently passed test, no doubt someone with more knowledge will be along in a minute.


Good luck
Danny