bazzz

You have to pass the knowledge test before you can apply for your road test. The wait between the two will depend on where you are - it can be several months, but you can usually bring that forward by looking out for cancellations.

live to ski

Check out the ICBC website - they have nearly all the details you need. http://www.icbc.com/licensing/

If on a work permit you can only drive on a UK license for 3 months. But if on a tourist visa you can drive for 6 months.

Anyway, you do your theory test at one of their many centres, and then once you pass you can book a road test.

They don't differentiate between stick and auto here, so you can do your test in a auto and then drive a stick - CRAZY.

We had to wait ages for our road tests as we wanted them consequently, so make sure that you book them ASAP so your 3 months don't expire. In the end a co-worker had to officially drive the car to the test centre for us as our UK licenses had expired.

OH failed (SUSH -big secret as he's a traffic engineer!) so he had a couple of lessons before passing the second time.

One problem for us was that we don't own a car, but still use them for work and hire them for weekends away etc. We rented a car for the test, but apparently this isn't allowed. Luckily we had gone with an independent rental car company who the examiner hadn't heard of. She kept on and on asking if they had given permission for us to use the car for the test - we both lied and said yes. If we had gone with AVIS or HERTZ etc. she would have known that we couldn't use the car.

OH did 2nd test in instructors’ car.

Lancashire Lad

OK. now no laughing at the number of errors on my skills sheet - but here is the copy of my test results and the guidance document. I PASSED REMEMBER and also didn't take any lessons (only because of the 4-6 weeks waiting time for an instructor - I did plan to take a few lessons) so hence i did get marked down for a few things; for ending in the wrong lane when turning left (I've developed a habit of naturally navigating to the right hand lane when turning left onto a dual carriage way to get out of the way of the boy racers in big trucks normally driving up your backside) and also not taking a gap (i.e. in this case taking too long to make a right turn on a red light - I preferred to air on the side of caution in the test as they take you to all the blind spot junction areas to test you). As you will see my general driving was OK (only 1 general driving error from a possible 9 allowed). So they test 12 left turns, 12 right turns, 12 straight throughs, and then general observation, space margins, speed, steering and communication.

The biggest thing (as with taking the test in the UK) is to be seen to be continually checking mirrors, shoulder checking on all turns, scanning intersections (left, right, straight on, left again, etc) and slow down around schools (if it's a school day - a lot simpler when the schools are on holidays ).

We got two books from ICBC (both free ) 'Roadsense for Drivers' is like the highway code and covers all the info for the Theory Test and once you have that you can request 'Tuning up for Drivers'. Theory Tests can be taken anytime at any ICBC office - 30 minute time limit. Good Tip - You can 'pass' on questions during the test and it doesn't affect your score (I presumed you would come back to them but it didn't).

In Victoria the ICBC test centre takes both cancellations and also unscheduled appointments. i.e. you turn up an hour before they open and queue up outside to take a place in the unscheduled queue. I only had to wait two hours for my test spot (better than 2 months for a scheduled appointment).

We bought a second hand car after a few weeks on the island and I would recommend people to get a car and get out their and drive around to get used to road conditions, rules, etc. It seems like about 90% of the cars here are automatic so the whole stick v auto debate is dictated by available vehicles. I didn't find making the transition too difficult.

Hope the above helps and good luck to everyone who has to go through the same things. I've now got to go through the whole thing again for my bike :curse: Theory & Practical despite having had a UK bike licence for 10 years and passing my B.C car....

live to ski

I learnt to drive in London so was parinoid about being too aggressive on the streets of North Van - turns out that I was too causious and told that I needed to be more aggressive, but still passed!

I was actually told off during test for slowing down when someone pulld out in front of me - crazy.

Maple Leaf

wow!~~ it realy does go to show doesn't it..that whilst there is an over all guidelines that the examiner has to adhere to...some is at there discretion too.~ i had to stop not once but twice for pedestrians who walked out in front of me..just taking there sweet time across the road! and another for a car who pulled straight in front of me!

however i do believe that they do want us to pass...and not out to get us as such.......(not that i am saying you are saying that) is just a thought and something someone said to me once.

I am so glad i took my test back in kelowna....as i am a tad confused over here at the moment.~.so if anyone is driving round the Duncan/Nanaimo area and sees a woman in a stealth green pontiac..looking slightly confused as to where she is going!! odds are it is me...LOL...

Gremmie

Hi Hi.... I have a Swiss licence and dont have to take the test This is so called " schaden freude " :curse:

Rob_999

I managed to confuse a give way sign with a merge sign, and still passed! Lucky nothing was coming

glenfiddich

OK...Here is our situation with this. My UK partner landed here June 14th, 2007. We went in to the local BC Access to get his theory test and they would not accept his carbon copy of his PR as a primary form of ID. They would only accept his real PR card. We assume that it is coming soon...The crux of this all is that he can't take the theory test until he has his PR card and then after he takes his theory he can then and only then book the driver's test and that is now backed up to October. (We are here in Vernon, in the North Okanagan). So, even if everything went perfectly, we have to wait 6 weeks to get the PR card, then he has to do the theory and then he has to wait 3 months to take the road test...So how is he supposed to squeeze 4 and a half months worth of waiting for the PR card and then taking the theory and then the road test in the required 3 months that is allowed to convert a UK licence to a BC licence. Just wondered if anyone is having the same problem with their PR carbon copy not being good enough identification. If there is a problem then maybe 6 months needs to be allowed to a)get the pr card b) take the theory test and c) take the road test...The math just isn't there...

live to ski

We are just on work permits out here so no PR card - carbon or not.

I can't remember exactly what we used for ID but I assume it was our UK passport and our UK driving licenses, and potentially a bank statement when we sat our theory tests. It was definately the UK driving license as one piece though as the guy dealing with my OH got confused and tried to take it off him as he thought we had been here over the 3 months and it had expired. As OH looks about 17 he needed it for ID otherwise it would have been a case of taking passport to the pub a liquor store.

You don't need to be a PR to do a driving test in BC so I don't know why that is stopping him unless he doesn't have 2 other pieces of ID.

Maple Leaf

when you go for your computer knowledge test you receive a piece of paper that is essentialy like a ..oh god i have forgotten what she called it now...it isn't a *licence* perse..but it is kind of....you have to keep that on you at all times when driving.....till you go for your actual driving test.

because of the time limit and waiting times for my drivers road test i was going to be over the time limit!..nothing was said to me about not being able to drive etc..on my australian licence and with that piece of paper because my 3 month time limit would run out.

now i hope someone can come along and explain it with a bit more of actual authority on the issue..because my understanding is..that once i did my knowledge test..and passed that..that i was in the system...and i had my driving test booked etc...so that had me covered!!!..?????!!!??????

of course if i failed the driving test then i would have had to hand in my australian licence and be a L driver till i passed.

i think just relax with it...many people get into that situation.also...it took just 2 weeks for me to get my PR card in the mail.so it shouldnt' be much longer till you get it..

Maple Leaf

Oh also!!...when you pass your knowledge test in the ICBC office etc....that piece of paper you are given has your NEW BC drivers licence # on it...so if you need to talk with them..or you want to book your road test online.that is your licence number~ cheers!.

jadams674

Hi, I'm going to Vancouver in a couple of weeks, just waiting to get the PR visa on my passport, and want to take my test ASAP.......can I walk into ICBC on day one in Canada and take the theory test; once I have the theory test can I take the practical?......where's the quickest place to take it, I like the idea of queuing for two hrs and then taking the test.......is there anything I can do prior to arrival in BC to make things happen any quicker?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Lancashire Lad

You can take the theory test as soon as you arrive - although readin the book and doing some practice tests online first are important. There is an ICBC office in central Vancouver (on Robson) with the theory mahcines. You may need to allow a few hours as there may be queues. As soon as you pass the theory you can book a road test appointment.

live to ski

Once you pass the theory test they give you a temporary driving license number and you get to choose your password.

With this you can log on to the ICBC driving test website and see what waiting times are like for ANY test centre in BC or look for cancellations.

Really good system.

R I C H

Take your test mid-winter, there are far fewer tests booked I called the Kamloops test centre for a date and was asked 'today or tomorrow?' That was during January. I took and passed the car, then bike theory tests, then immediately took the car driving test. All done in an hour and a half.