iancurtis

Hi,

I know that a UK driving licence is only valid for 3 months in BC but I've just been told that if you have an International Driving Licence it's valid for one year, is this true ?

Thanks.

stu_the_joiner

Hi Ian, we have looked into this as we move in March, Your UK licance is valid for 60 days in Ontario, even if you get a International Driving Licence it is still only valid for 60 days (somthing about UK driving on the left). But the problem is in Ontario there is a 60 day waiting list for sitting your driving test So it seems as soon as we land we will have to book our test as not to get scuppered. You also cant buy a car until you have your licence, so it looks like the hire companys are going to get plenty $$$ from me

Stu the joiner....

MCannon

From what I know the International Drivers License really doesn't mean anything anyway -- you still need your UK license as backup as the IDL is nothing on its own. Also, I think how long your license is good here depends on a few things, such as your status. If you are here as a visitor your UK license is good for basically as long as you are here, but once you become a resident and officially move then you have the 30 - 60 days depending on where you are.

ptlabs

Ian,

I just arrived in Vancouver, BC a few days back on a working trip. I went over to the Hertz counter, was asked for my licence, I asked the guy if he wanted my IDP (international driver's permit), and he told me he wanted my national licence.

I passed him my national licence and it didn't have a photo on it, so I passed him my IDP. That was the only time I used my IDP. I could have passed him my passport to verify that the licence was indeed mine.

The moral of the story is that an IDP is practically useless in BC.

The only exception is the question that you just raised - length of validity of a national licence that is backed up by an IDP.

According to all the literature that I availed myself to at the Vancouver International Airport and at my service appartment, an IDP holder who also has a valid national licence can use his/her IDP backed up by a valid national licence for up to 12 months.

It's 3 months otherwise without an IDP.

Watch out for those tight right turns though. And look left first when jaywalking!

HTH

Peter

ptlabs

A tourist w/o an IDP can only use his/her national driver's licence for up to 3 months in BC.

A tourist with an IDP not issued in Canada and has a valid national driver's licence can drive using those two licences for up to 12 months.


Peter

iancurtis

That's interesting Peter. Does that mean then that if I have an IDP, I get a year to pass the Vancouver test as opposed to just 3 months with my UK license on it's own ?

ptlabs

As a tourist, you can use your IDP + national licence for 1 year. It depends on whether you're here on a work visa or a tourist visa. If it's the latter, I doubt you'll need to do much, and I doubt you can do much - they need a permanent local address for a driver's test, and I'm not sure a hotel address will suffice.

If it's on a work visa, I guess you can get it all sorted out in 3 months. Not too sure about any help the IDP would give in this situation.

Take a look at this URL:
http://www.cometobc.com/getdl.html

It seems to suggest that only BC residents (with supporting proof of such) can apply for a BC driver's licence.

Here's another link of interest:
http://www.icbc.com/Licensing/lic_re...new.html#other

Do a google search on "British Columbia driver's licence" and you'll get other links as well...


Peter

ptlabs

I need to correct myself here. A tourist w/o an IDP can use his/her national driver's licence for up to 6 months in BC.


Peter

flatty38

Hi,

FYI: When I moved to Toronto from the UK, I got my G1 licence straight away, the test is just a written thing, you can just go to the test center and take it there and then. Then because I had proof I was an experienced driver (with my UK licence)I was able to apply for the G1 exit test straight away. The G2 then allows you to drive with only a few restrictions. To avoid the wait in major centers, like here in Toronto, try other places - I took my G1 exit in Oshawa and only had to wait 2 weeks.

In respect to buying a car - I was able to buy a car within a week of being here, I did have my G1 by then, but you dont need to have a full licence to buy a car. Trouble is, your insurance will be sky high for a while!

Good luck!

Pammy

Hi Iain

Long time no speak!
We are in Emonton now having landed on 20th January

DO GET YOUR IDP!, it is well worth the 6 quid!

You can drive for a year legally in Alberta(where are you heading anyway and when?)with your IDP.

The problem comes when you want insurance, be carefull, some companies require you to sit your test within 1 month and the way the weather is at the moment, no thanks!

Anyway, be prepared to pay through the nose for your first years insurance, $4000 is average, we have a quote of $2700 but this has to be confirmed

Glad you finally received your visa
Pammy

james_tester

I have read ALL the comments and questions on this subject with interest.

I moved here a year ago and still have NOT taken my driving test. In fact I REFUSE to do so. I have an IDL (just re-newed) and a EU(UK) driving licence. ICBC here in BC demand that UK drivers re-sit, regardless of experience etc.

I have been driving with an unblemished record since I was 17 (I'm now 46) and have driven on most continents. WITHOUT exception the WORST driving I have EVER experienced is here in Vancouver and as far as I am concerned there is not one Vancouver driving instructor who can tell me how to drive. If they 'taught' these guys here they should be shot!! The even more sickening thing is that GERMANS, AUSTRIANS, KOREANS & JAPANESE can simply exchange their licence for a BC one. I have contacted the EU, the BC Human Rights Comission, The British Consulate in Vancouver and shortly my UK MP and the FCO in London on this. If necessary God Almighty himself! How a British person cannot drive in BC wheres the above mentioned can is a bloody disgrace (PS- I am not racist!!) Oh by the way Belgium has just negotiated the same deal.

The EU & The British Consulate have both passed the buck and I am expecting the FCO and my MP to do the same. The SAD fact of life is that our great British Brothers have not cared to bother with us Brits in Canada enough to be bothered to negotiate the same deal. It has NOTHING to do with the side of the road etc (Japs drive on same side as UK!) BUT just a reciprocal deal.

You definitely do NOT need a BC licence or IDL to buy a car here and ICBC quote no more premium for a driver with UK/IDL licences. I have bought TWO cars since being here so I know OK!

This has become a matter of principal with me and I intend to make it my life's hobby if necessary. If all of us do the same we might actually get the damn British Government /Foreign Office (& get Jack **** Straw off his butt) to do something tangible for us!

Any other comments or observations welcome- Lets not take this lying down guys OK??

Cheers

wizzard

i agree that it is a political thing rather than a practical thing. Like you say someone from Japan who drives on the left can swap but a UK licence can't in most provinces (incidentaly a UK licence can be swapped withotu a test in Quebec). The reason as i understand it is to do with reciprical agreements and types of test. Ontario and BC etc all now have graduated tests so that a new driver cannot get a full licence any quicker than the maximum graduation time usually around 2 years with intermitant stages.

So coming from the UK with no graduated scheme you have to re test. This is also true in the reciprical, a Canadian licence holder can only swap thereson moving to the UK for a special "automatic only" licence. If they want a full UK licence they also have to sit a re test. So for a UK licence holder to get a straight swap in Canada it would require the UK DVLA to allow a straight swap for Canadians moving to the UK and i doubt that will happen as we all know how insanely strict the UK DVLA is.

The timelimit however has nothing to do with where you come from. That is a rule that applies to everyone. So for example in Ontario the rule is a new *resident* must get an Ontario licence within 60 days of establishing residence in the province. That applies to everyone. Even if you have a BC licence and move to Ontario you still have to get an Ontario licence within 60 days and cannot use your BC licence after those 60 days. Of course for them it's a simple case of swapping and getting an Ontario one but you still have to do it.

So as you can see the IDP makes no difference here because all an IDP is, is an international translation of a driving licence with a photo. A UK licence holder can drive for exactly the same amount of time with jsut a regular UK licence as with an IDP because its all in english anyway and doesnt need translation and most people in the UK have got off their butts and gotten the proper photo licence anyway by now.

So whether you have a normal UK licence, or an IDP with it or an American licence or even a licence from another province you still have to get it changed to the local provincial licence with in the time limit.

The consequences of not doing are rather vauge though and i am fairly sure the worst that will happen is that say if youw ere stopped by the police etc or in an accident then you could claim ignorance and they djust tell you to go swap it then.

I think it is damned annoying we have to take a retest however if they were going to change the rules then maybe they should re test everybody. Because most people drive like crap anyway and could do with a few refresher lessons and a re test and except for the USA which is very similar but still slightly different it is a complete new set of road laws and there are many poitns of driving law in Ontario at least and probably other provinces that are very different to say the UK and tehre are also differences in what is considered a proper way of driving.

ericd

'The consequences of not doing are rather vauge though and i am fairly sure the worst that will happen is that say if youw ere stopped by the police etc or in an accident then you could claim ignorance and they djust tell you to go swap it then.'

I love the above quote. Last time I remember reading the law ignorance is no defense. Basically you are driving illegally and therefore without insurance as well.

Last week I went to the Richmond Hill Test Center swapped my license for a G1 took the eye test and written test. Then waited for a cancellation and had my G2 license by midday. The practical test was basically drive round the block, hill start, 3 point turn and a reverse 10 minutes max.

PS Don't forget the second you apply for the G1 and receive the license your UK license is no longer valid for driving.

SteveHarris

Hi Ian,

We moved to Victoria, B.C. in August 2001 and without realising it I was driving on a UK license for longer than 60 days. Got to the test center early in the morning and did my written test and eye test - written test is in a booth on a computer (touch screen), multiple choice and you must get a minimum correct. Got to the test center early the next day as they had some form of first come first served approach as well as the booked in tests and did my test. Don't sweat over the test - just do it. The driving examiner told me that in general people who he's tested coming from the UK have a much higher standard of driving (although having driven around the UK for a few years with jobs in the UK I find that hard to beleive.

Anyway - don't sweat over the test and good luck.

Cheers - Steve

MCannon

I moved from Canada to the UK and they did swap out my license however I could only drive an automatic transmission -- that meant I had to pay an extra ??? for a new car with an automatic transmission, despite the fact that the majority of my driving experience was with manual. . I am sure there are ways for the governments to negotiate.
Also -- when I moved from Manitoba to BC (about 10 years ago) I had to take a written test so I don't think they are discriminating.

Finally -- if you are such a good driver then take the test and get it over with -- way too much time on your hands if this is your life mission.
Remember folks, we are moving countries with different rules and regs -- check it out before you go and if you don't like them then stay at home.