Exchanging driving license - Certificate of Entitlement
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 3
Exchanging driving license - Certificate of Entitlement
Hello everyone
I arrived to Toronto a couple of weeks ago and have been trying to exchange my British license to Ontario.
I have had my UK license for approx 10 years (I exchanged it to UK when I arrived in Great Britain over 10 years ago), however since it expired in September and has been renewed, it does not show that I have had it for more than 2 years.
At the drive test centre when I was trying to exchange it to Ontario I was told to bring a Certificate of Entitlement from DVLA to show that my UK license was issued more than 2 years ago. I've searched DVLA's website and there is no such a thing that I could get online from them.
Does anyone has any experience with dealing with a similar request from the drive test centre? I do not have the paper counterpart to show them neither....
I arrived to Toronto a couple of weeks ago and have been trying to exchange my British license to Ontario.
I have had my UK license for approx 10 years (I exchanged it to UK when I arrived in Great Britain over 10 years ago), however since it expired in September and has been renewed, it does not show that I have had it for more than 2 years.
At the drive test centre when I was trying to exchange it to Ontario I was told to bring a Certificate of Entitlement from DVLA to show that my UK license was issued more than 2 years ago. I've searched DVLA's website and there is no such a thing that I could get online from them.
Does anyone has any experience with dealing with a similar request from the drive test centre? I do not have the paper counterpart to show them neither....
#2
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: Exchanging driving license - Certificate of Entitlement
Hello everyone
I arrived to Toronto a couple of weeks ago and have been trying to exchange my British license to Ontario.
I have had my UK license for approx 10 years (I exchanged it to UK when I arrived in Great Britain over 10 years ago), however since it expired in September and has been renewed, it does not show that I have had it for more than 2 years.
At the drive test centre when I was trying to exchange it to Ontario I was told to bring a Certificate of Entitlement from DVLA to show that my UK license was issued more than 2 years ago. I've searched DVLA's website and there is no such a thing that I could get online from them.
Does anyone has any experience with dealing with a similar request from the drive test centre? I do not have the paper counterpart to show them neither....
I arrived to Toronto a couple of weeks ago and have been trying to exchange my British license to Ontario.
I have had my UK license for approx 10 years (I exchanged it to UK when I arrived in Great Britain over 10 years ago), however since it expired in September and has been renewed, it does not show that I have had it for more than 2 years.
At the drive test centre when I was trying to exchange it to Ontario I was told to bring a Certificate of Entitlement from DVLA to show that my UK license was issued more than 2 years ago. I've searched DVLA's website and there is no such a thing that I could get online from them.
Does anyone has any experience with dealing with a similar request from the drive test centre? I do not have the paper counterpart to show them neither....
You should be able to get proof of your driving experience by obtaining a copy of your details online -
https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence / https://www.viewdrivingrecord.servic...licence-number
https://www.ontario.ca/page/exchange...rivers-licence
We have a great wiki section on moving over, you might find of use https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Categ...gistics-Canada
#3
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 3
Re: Exchanging driving license - Certificate of Entitlement
Hi Siuxie
Thank you for your prompt reply. And for the warm welcome!
I’ve looked up the DVLA website again and applied for a code to share my driving info with others. The report produced says the same what the driving license: valid from (Sept 2020 - this is when the new license was issued once the old license expired ) and valid to date, the categories of vehicles I can drive and the start dates for these. What it does not say is the date when I got my license in the UK and this is the info that Drive centre is after. As such with the record available online I cannot prove I have had the license for longer than 2 years.
Is there other way to get that info, maybe someone has gone through similar trouble?
Thank you for your prompt reply. And for the warm welcome!
I’ve looked up the DVLA website again and applied for a code to share my driving info with others. The report produced says the same what the driving license: valid from (Sept 2020 - this is when the new license was issued once the old license expired ) and valid to date, the categories of vehicles I can drive and the start dates for these. What it does not say is the date when I got my license in the UK and this is the info that Drive centre is after. As such with the record available online I cannot prove I have had the license for longer than 2 years.
Is there other way to get that info, maybe someone has gone through similar trouble?
#4
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: Exchanging driving license - Certificate of Entitlement
Hi Siuxie
Thank you for your prompt reply. And for the warm welcome!
I’ve looked up the DVLA website again and applied for a code to share my driving info with others. The report produced says the same what the driving license: valid from (Sept 2020 - this is when the new license was issued once the old license expired ) and valid to date, the categories of vehicles I can drive and the start dates for these. What it does not say is the date when I got my license in the UK and this is the info that Drive centre is after. As such with the record available online I cannot prove I have had the license for longer than 2 years.
Is there other way to get that info, maybe someone has gone through similar trouble?
Thank you for your prompt reply. And for the warm welcome!
I’ve looked up the DVLA website again and applied for a code to share my driving info with others. The report produced says the same what the driving license: valid from (Sept 2020 - this is when the new license was issued once the old license expired ) and valid to date, the categories of vehicles I can drive and the start dates for these. What it does not say is the date when I got my license in the UK and this is the info that Drive centre is after. As such with the record available online I cannot prove I have had the license for longer than 2 years.
Is there other way to get that info, maybe someone has gone through similar trouble?
https://assets.publishing.service.go...g-licences.pdf (opens in new tab) - perhaps show this to Ontario Driver Licence as the official leaflet by UK DVLA / Govt. explains what the codes mean
Last edited by Siouxie; Dec 20th 2020 at 4:40 am.
#5
Re: Exchanging driving license - Certificate of Entitlement
Have you checked the back of the license you have? It should show how long you have held a license and for which categories.. the date shown in column 10 is when you passed your test for that category
https://assets.publishing.service.go...g-licences.pdf (opens in new tab) - perhaps show this to Ontario Driver Licence as the official leaflet by UK DVLA / Govt. explains what the codes mean
https://assets.publishing.service.go...g-licences.pdf (opens in new tab) - perhaps show this to Ontario Driver Licence as the official leaflet by UK DVLA / Govt. explains what the codes mean
#6
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 3
Re: Exchanging driving license - Certificate of Entitlement
Thank you both for the replies. The drive test clerk had my license and I believe she looked up the back of it to see the dates (or perhaps she did not?). Anyway, I will try again with the printed record and will have to be more persistent this time so I'm not sent home with nothing this time again!
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 80
Re: Exchanging driving license - Certificate of Entitlement
Did mine this morning in London, Ontario. I had a UK 3 year medical licence which only just got renewed in August but as per comments the back showed the original pass dates. I had things ready to 'prove' my pass date but the guy flipped it over, commented that I had been driving for 22 years and was good to go.
Good luck with yours!
Good luck with yours!
#8
Re: Exchanging driving license - Certificate of Entitlement
Did mine this morning in London, Ontario. I had a UK 3 year medical licence which only just got renewed in August but as per comments the back showed the original pass dates. I had things ready to 'prove' my pass date but the guy flipped it over, commented that I had been driving for 22 years and was good to go.
Good luck with yours!
Good luck with yours!
#9
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 80
Re: Exchanging driving license - Certificate of Entitlement
Yes! Ended at the weekend so been busy exploring (as much as you can without a car) and getting jobs (licence & OHIP) done