Hi

There seems to be lots of conflicting information regarding this, so I wonder if anyone can clarify for me pls.

i hold a UK driving licence and have done so for 20 years now. Do I need to do a written test in canada and do I need to do a practical test. How do I go about organising this once i get to Canada (hubby moving jan 31st, i am following later, kids!)

son just turned 17 so has his UK provisional, and is taking lessons, however we plan to move over in summer to join hubby, how does it work for him for lessons etc and is it worth him taking his UK test?

Thanks in advance guys, love this website everyone soooo helpful
Have a great new year!
Sharon

Hi Sharon, it all depends upon which province you go to. Here in Ontario all you do is a simple eye test. I believe in Nova Scotia you have to do a written and practical test.

Here in Alberta it's just a simple eye test too. You basically walk into a local Registries, hand over your UK licence in exchange for your Alberta one. They give you a temporary paper one until your proper plastic one arrives in the post a couple of weeks later. Not sure about your son's licence though. Here, learners start at the age of 14 but I believe they cannot drive alone without any restrictions until they are 18 but I am unaware of all the specifics.

Hi Sharon

Firstly it depends on the province you are going to settling in and the second depends on driving experience (above or below 24 months).

If you are going to settle in any of the following:

BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador....................then a driver who has held a UK licence for >24 months can just take an eye test and swap licences.

(The list of provinces were taken from British Embassy website but it has not been updated to reflect BC changing the rules last winter).

If the driver has held a licence for less than 24 months then there are different rules....which I think will depend on the province. In Ontario <12 months means the driver has to accrue 12 months experience then sit the full road test whereas >12 months then they can take the full road test straight away.

Now something to think about with regards to your son. The Canadian's do not differenciate between manual and automatic unlike the UK.

If you son passses his test in a manual in the UK then if he ever wants to return to the UK he will get his licence back (allowing both Manual and Automatic cars).

But if he decides to skip getting a UK licence and gets his licence in Canada then if he ever decided to live in the UK, he would get a limited licence that allow him to drive only Automatics until he takes a test in a Manual.

As for changing licence (for >24 months) you just go to a local government office (for me it was Service Ontario office) with you UK licence (both parts) and some ID. They take your photo card from you and will return this to the DVLA. You keep the paper copy. They take your photo and give you a quick eye test....then take some money from you....they then issue you a papercopy of a licence which is valid for driving and getting insurance etc. The photo card licence comes in post a few weeks later.

Cheers

JB

As JB0591 says, yes, it is worth him taking his test in the UK.

However, most provinces will not swap a UK license held for less than two years for a full driving license. In BC there is a graduated licensing system. A learner is in the same position as in the UK and can only drive while supervised by a qualified adult. When the learner passes their first test they become a novice driver. They can drive on their own but still with a number of restrictions. E.G zero alcohol, number of passengers etc. After two years they take another test and, if passed, they get a full license.

So, if junior arrives with a full UK license held for less then two years he will have to enter the graduated licensing scheme. If not, he will need to get a provisional license here, take some lessons, and challenge the first test.

In BC if he got a full UK licence he would be issued a Class 7 Novice licence though, which is better than getting the Class 7L licence. Means he can drive solo, but with a number of restrictions (no alcohol, no night-time driving, only one non-family passenger without a supervisor and has to display a N on the car). Then after 2 years can sit the Class 5 test to get an unrestricted licence.

If he didn't sit the test in the UK he'd have to be issued a Class 7L licence, basically same as UK learner's licence, except that you HAVE to be a learner for 12 months before you can graduate to the novice stage.

I wrote to ICBC about holding a UK licence for less than 2 years (and also if that licence was an automatic UK one) and this was their response;

"Thank you for your email of August 12, 2010.

In order to be exempt from the Graduated Licensing Program you must be able to prove two years of non-learner driving experience. From the information in your email, it appears you will be issued a class 7 novice driver licence.

As well, you will not be restricted to automatic transmission as in BC it does not matter whether a person road tested in a vehicle with manual or automatic transmission.

If you have further questions about driver licensing, please feel free to call ICBC Customer Contact at 1-800-950-1498. A representative is available to assist you by telephone between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time Monday through Friday, and from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays.

Yours sincerely,

Glenda

ICBC Customer Contact"

thanks for this much appreciated

just to clarify we are moving to Ontario and I have everything perfectly clear for myself and hubby now, thanks for that, but am still a little confused about my son

if he doesnt sit his UK test, does this mean I have to pay for lessons for him in Canada or are we able to teach him? worst case scenario I am guessing is if he doesnt pass his UK test before we leave,

so lets just suppose the worst case scenario (unlike me I am so positive!) in that he arrives in canada with his UK provisional what happens next?

thanksguys!
Sharon

If he has a UK provisional I think he starts at the beginning, with the written test and a G1. If he has a full license but less than two years driving experience then I believe he gets some minor concession.

Two points:

- it'll cost an arm and a leg to insure a vehicle for him to drive

- getting in to take the written exam is a challenge "ok, so the queue was too long last week, this year we'll try to get you there before 5am". There were people in the queue who had wasted several Saturdays in a row queuing up to not get in. Somewhere I have a picture of part of the queue, lacking a wide angle lens I couldn't get it all.

Hi Sharon

Please see link below for the the information on exchanging licence:

http://www.drivetest.ca/en/license/O...ryDrivers.aspx

I dont think they recognise provisional licence so back to start for him.

I would suggest you and your husband obtain your driving history from the DVLA as some insurance companies here (in Ontario) ask for this in addition to the insurance company's none-standard no claims letter. Look at bottom of this link for address to send request.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/dvla/data/reli...torequest.aspx

I have just received ours so we can start to look for better insurance.....at the moment we have taken a 6 month policy with State Farm but it is expensive.

I am Ottawa, Ontario based so if you need any more information please PM me.

Cheers

JB

thanks JB I suppose he will jsut have to pass his test over here then, am I right in assuming he will be able to drive in canada tho as long as he is accompanied by one of us?? kinda with restrictions applied

Is it an eye test at an opticians ? Or read a reg plate at a certain distance like UK one?

You can read all about it here: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dan...du/index.shtml

Graduated Licensing for Automobile Drivers
Class G1

New drivers of passenger vehicles learn to drive with six important conditions with a G1 licence. A new driver must hold a G1 licence for a minimum of 12 months before attempting the G1 road test. This time can be reduced to eight months if you successfully complete a Ministry-approved Beginner Driver Education Course . Drivers earn more privileges after passing their G1 road test.

As a G1 driver, you are required to:

maintain a zero blood alcohol level while driving;
be accompanied by a fully licensed driver, who has at least four years driving experience, and a blood alcohol level of less than .05 (accompanying drivers 21 and under must have zero per cent), in case he/she needs to take over the wheel;
ensure the accompanying driver is the only other person in the front seat;
ensure the number of passengers in the vehicle is limited to the number of working seat belts;
refrain from driving on Ontario's "400-series" highways or on high speed expressways such as the Queen Elizabeth Way, Don Valley Parkway, Gardiner Expressway, E.C. Row Expressway and the Conestoga Parkway;
refrain from driving between midnight and 5:00 a.m.

He can practice the "written" test here: http://find-a-driving-school.ca/free...st-road-signs/

The driver's handbook is available online: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dan...ok/index.shtml

To find out where your local office is (and the wait times) go here: http://www.drivetest.ca/

You can also book a road test online: https://www.rtbo.rus.mto.gov.on.ca/s...lish/index.asp

When I came to Ontario in 2005 I had held a UK provisional license for more than 10 years. As such I had to take all of the tests G1, G2, G.

However, I was exempt from graduated licensing, which meant I took my G1 and G2 tests in the same year, and could have taken my full G straight after I'd passed my G2.

Not sure if this is still the case though...

[QUOTE=siouxie;9075095]You can read all about it here: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dan...du/index.shtml

Graduated Licensing for Automobile Drivers
Class G1

New drivers of passenger vehicles learn to drive with six important conditions with a G1 licence. A new driver must hold a G1 licence for a minimum of 12 months before attempting the G1 road test. This time can be reduced to eight months if you successfully complete a Ministry-approved Beginner Driver Education Course . Drivers earn more privileges after passing their G1 road test.

As a G1 driver, you are required to:

maintain a zero blood alcohol level while driving;
be accompanied by a fully licensed driver, who has at least four years driving experience, and a blood alcohol level of less than .05 (accompanying drivers 21 and under must have zero per cent), in case he/she needs to take over the wheel;
ensure the accompanying driver is the only other person in the front seat;
ensure the number of passengers in the vehicle is limited to the number of working seat belts;
refrain from driving on Ontario's "400-series" highways or on high speed expressways such as the Queen Elizabeth Way, Don Valley Parkway, Gardiner Expressway, E.C. Row Expressway and the Conestoga Parkway;
refrain from driving between midnight and 5:00 a.m.

He can practice the "written" test here: http://find-a-driving-school.ca/free...st-road-signs/

The driver's handbook is available online: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dan...ok/index.shtml

To find out where your local office is (and the wait times) go here: http://www.drivetest.ca/

You can also book a road test online: https://www.rtbo.rus.mto.gov.on.ca/s...lish/index.asp


[/thanks for this most helpful
QUOTE]

Out of interest, I'm intending to recce Canada in April (I'm not 100% sure that's where I'm going to head but it looks likely that I may not have many options). I've held a full UK licence for 17 months (and realistically by the time I'd be going out there would have held it for 24 and hence be able to do the switch). Does anyone think there would be some benefit in taking a driving lesson whilst I'm out there?? (realistically I'm possibly going to recce/holiday in Alberta and Ontario).