Hi to all on this helpful and friendly site.
I am expecting to move to Ontario around end May... House is for sale.. fingers crossed etc. I am seeking some clarification re driving in Ontario
I understand that UK licence can be "exchanged" for Ontario licence with relevant experience. So:

1. Once you exchange your uk licence does it in any way restrict you from driving in uk as I will be visiting uk often, my children will be completing their education here.

2. Do you need a photocard uk licence to effect the "exchange" ? I have the old green piece of paper (giving away my age!!!!)?

3. And if I present my non-photo uk licence without any recorded penality points.... is that "satisfactory driving record"?

4. And finally for car insurance purposes would documentation from my uk insurance showing 70% no claim discount be enough to secure reasonable insurance?

I am sure there will be more things to ask as the time passes. Many thanks in advance.
hcs.

This isn't directly relevant but I too have a green UK license. I use it to rent cars in the US and the UK, so as to protect the points on my Ontario license.

1. No
2. No
3. Yes, but really its years they are looking for, so the insurance letter will help here. Im not sure its even a big deal if you passed the UK test many years ago.
4. No, insurance is always an issue for newcommers. It will help if you find the right agent, but willl still be unreasonable.

Many thanks for prompt reply. It all helps.
hcs

I asked the DVLA about that a while ago and they say it's okay to have a license and not reside at the UK address on it, as long as you don't hold a second license from a country with which GB has a reciprocal exchange agreement. You could argue whether the Canada/UK thing is reciprocal, but it is in Ontario for certain. My MB license has a bit to be signed saying "I certify I do not hold a valid license from any other jurisdiction" or words to that effect. The DVLA quoted me this about an EC directive although I'm not sure where the EC comes into it...

"The Second EC Directive on Driving Licences (91/439/EEC), effective since 1 January 1997, provides that drivers are not permitted to hold a British licence at the same time as a valid licence from another country with which Great Britain has a reciprocal driving licence exchange agreement"

Oh, I'm not saying that this is strictly kosher, just that it's handy because any points incurred in the US (or the UK I suppose but I haven't tested that) vanish into some computer somewhere.

Thanks for info., although I am wondering what logic is behind having a reciprocal arrangement and then NOT allowing to hold both licenses. There must be some reason... may be I am not smart enough to sus it out!!!
hcs.

I think you will find that you will NOT be able to exchange your UK licence with just the older paper licence. they are only interested in the photo id.

Was never a problem for me. If they need photo ID then the passport should do. It boils down to that its a legal license in the UK, then its legal to swap it here.

I expect the logic is that if you come here with a clean license, then get done for reckless driving, DUI or whatever, and then at some point head back to the UK, they want the UK authorities to be aware of canadian offences, rather than picking up where you left off with a clean UK license.

Oh yes... never occured to me!! Thanks.

Paper license was good enough 4 months ago, I was asked about the photo, I just said it wasn't compulsory in the uk and that was it. My points disappeared into the ether too!

What they want to prove years of experience is a thing they call an abstract here. This is an official print out from the DMV (or whatever it is called in the UK) showing how long you have had a license and any tickets or accidents. If you don't have this, they will only give you credit for how long your current license has been issued.

You will probably need to take the approved driver's ed course to reduce your insurance. You have to make sure that the institute training is approved by the Ministry of Ontario. Most insusurance companies will immediately give you credit for 3 years driving experience when you present this certificate which will drop your annual rate from $6,000 to $2,500 immediately (Yes, that figure of $6,000 is exactly what you will get as a quote from most insurance companies even with 20 years no claims driving experience in UK)

Well, I'll be arriving in Ontario on a Work Permit on the 29th. It would appear though, having spent the day turning the house upside down, that I've lost the paper counterpart to my UK photo license.

Will that make a difference? Do they even know it exists? Will they just accept the photocard and exchange that?

To get a replacement paper section I have to fill out a form and send the photocard back to the DVLA and they'll return it (after scratching their behinds for a couple of weeks) with the new paper bit. Trouble is, I'm flying out next sunday!

Any ideas??