Maplease

Hi,

Just wondered if there is any way to keep hold of your UK licence and have the NS one. I couldn't care less, but my other half does not appear to want to swap!

Thanks for any info.

Siouxie

No, though she should take a photocopy of it in case of return to the UK.

http://www.novascotia.ca/snsmr/paal/...269.asp#group4

To get a Nova Scotia driver's licence, if you're from a country with a reciprocal license exchange agreement, you must:

be at least 16 years of age,
take a vision screening test,
disclose all medical conditions or physical disabilities that may affect your ability to safely drive a motor vehicle,
provide an English translation of your license (if licence being exchanged is not in English or French).
surrender your driver's license at the time of exchange, and
pay normal fees for the issuance of a licence.

Former Lancastrian

Visitors or Newcomers who have a valid driver's licence from another part of Canada, or from another country, can drive in Nova Scotia for up to 90 days without getting a Nova Scotia Driver's Licence. After that, you need a Nova Scotia licence.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Regular Class 5 or Class 6 driver's licence.
To get a Nova Scotia driver's licence, if you're from a country with a reciprocal license exchange agreement, you must:

be at least 16 years of age,
take a vision screening test,
disclose all medical conditions or physical disabilities that may affect your ability to safely drive a motor vehicle,
provide an English translation of your license (if licence being exchanged is not in English or French).
surrender your driver's license at the time of exchange, and
pay normal fees for the issuance of a licence.
http://www.novascotia.ca/snsmr/paal/rmv/paal269.asp

Maplease

Thank you for the response. It's appreciated.

Maplease

Responses.

Steve_

Bear in mind it's actually an offence to have more than one licence in some provinces. In BC and Alberta it definitely is, in Ontario it's an offence if you have a licence from another province or US State but not if it's a foreign country. In Saskatchewan they don't seem to care, don't know about the Maritimes but it's usually mentioned somewhere in the paperwork they give you.

Maplease

Thanks for replying.

colchar

The only way for him to keep his UK licence would be to go through the process of obtaining a license as if he was a new driver. If he doesn't want to go through the hassle, expense, and tests then it is far easier just to swap licenses.

michalBE

Hi Steve,
I like your answer, but I am not very sure that you are right.
I have a German Licence and , as a new resident of Ontario, I would like to exchange it to an Ontario driver's Licence. However, because I still have some business and Family in Germany, I shall need to travel very often to Germany and , especially in the first 2- 3 Years, to stay there for more then 6 Months. So, I definitely will need the two Licences- the Canadian/Ontario and the German one.

So, what to do?
In the German Regulations for exchange foreign Driver Licence [FeV, s.31 (4)] is stated, that the Licence issuing Authority may , if the applicant can prove important reasons, consider to abstain (desist) from seizing or sending back the foreign licence.
But in the Ontario's Highway Traffic Act and its Regulations (340/94 and 341/94) is stated every where " Exchange against Surrender the foreign Licence " and the Section 35 (4) "Second driver’s licence permitted" says just the opposite of what you have stated here above:
But I don't give, so, please check back your source for the above (your) answer and give me some evidence that a second Driver's Licence from an EU Country (UK, Germany, Austria, etc.) is permitted in Ontario too.
Thank you in advance
With the best regards
Michal

steve of 5-0

Interesting that the other half will not let go...are they not committed to Canada?

99problems

This is Canadian BS really. They don't have the right to "cancel" a driving licence in another country. The obvious thing to do is photocopy your other licence before surrendering it. The alternative is before coming to Canada you call your licensing authority in UK/Germany/whatever and tell them you've lost your licence and need a new one and pay the fee - bingo you have 2 licences. You then surrender the old one to get a Canadian provincial licence and keep the new one - you have two driving licences. Or - you can request a replacement when you go back home. A driving licence doesn't just exist in physical format - if you're in the database you're licensed.

michalBE

I think, as a first reaction, this looks like very smart, how ever there are at least "two traps" in this solution:
(i) when you declare the original lecence as lost -in UK/Germany/where ever- unless there is a police record about a rubbery- the Authority will want you to sign a declaration on oath (affirm), certified by a Notary, saying that a) there is no a second licence..... etc. and b) that if you make a false statement it is a crime ... and c) that you will lose the Original driver Licence...
(ii) the Canadian authority will return the Original Licence back to the original country, so the will catch you with your falls declaration....

I think the only way is to convince the Canadian Authority that you, as Canadian resident, are frequently traveler between Canada an EU and get as exemption a "second driver license Permit" as stated in the German Low or maybe in [ R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 35 (4).]

Bellanova

Just for info, we weren't asked to surrender our UK License at the time we got our NS one. not sure why, but we didn't, we both still have the UK one's

alicemilly

I too am moving to either NS or PEI later in the year and have been researching the driving license exchange, can I ask if anyone knows what happens to your UK license when you surrender it? Like what do the Access offices do with it?

99problems

You are told that your license is sent back to your country of origin and "cancelled". I know conclusively that this does not happen as I have spoken to DVLA about it. I believe they retain and/or destroy them. There is nothing stopping you from requesting a new licence from DVLA if you ever return as you will be registered until the age of 70 as UK licences are not renewable until your 70th birthday or if photo expires.

I think the whole paranoia about taking your licence off you is they don't want you showing different licences to avoid endorsements but its silly really. You can also gain a 12mths valid international driving licence which is good almost anywhere in the world - I'v had a few of them.