time_for_a_cuppa

Hello all... new here (the site and the city) so please bear with if this topic has been covered already.

Here's my dilemma: I am a Brit who is now living in Ontario as a PR. I also have USA green card status, but this is now not an issue as living in the States is not an option but I would like to exchange my California license for an Ontario one.

I have looked online and in order for this I also need to obtain my driving history; not an online print out but an official one. So I completed the paperwork, sent the $5 cheque... and its' still not arrived, been waiting on the edge of my seat for about 8 weeks now. Can I still get the CA license exchanged without the driver history/record for the On license?

I don't want to surrender my UK license as I will be driving when I go back, and have also found the UK license to be considered universal (found this to be the case on honeymoon, the UK one basically out ranked my husbands ON one when wanting to hire a care).
As I understand (and have read on here) it seems pretty straight forward and an easy process to swap UK for ON... I'm only willing to do this if I can get my UK license back the next time I'm in the UK.. is this possible?

I would've just sat the tests here but I need my license sharpish as I'm applying for jobs, that all require me to drive.

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Twitcher1958

It is usually an easy and straightforward process to change your UK licence to an Ontario one and I think there’s a certain time scale within which you have to do it. When you say about getting your licence back when you go to the UK, you mean going back permanently? Or just visiting?
I understand it’s a similar process to swap back, but obviously most people in this forum won’t have experience of that. If you’re just visiting the UK, you use your Canadian licence.
There was a recent thread on this if you search.

suzeandmatt

As far as I understand it- you’re not not strict you allowed to hold multiple driving licenses.
When we wanted Albertan licenses we had to hand over our Uk ones- they get sent back to the DVLA. If we ever move back to the Uk and need to change our license back- it’s a simple case of swapping back.
It was an easy switch here though. They used the info on our license- wanted to see proof of our residency here (TWP’s), proof of address here (tenancy agreement), we did a quick eye test- had our photos taken and paid $22 each- no other questions were asked.
My husband travels back to the UK a fair bit for work and hires cars when he’s there- he has an Albertan license and just hires cars on that with no issues.
His friend is a UK traffic cop and said if you’re no longer resident at the address on your UK license then technically you’re driving illegally on that license. :-/ Even if you move house in the UK and don’t change the address on your license you could be fined.

Siouxie

Welcome to BE!

Unfortunately, you don't have a choice on whether to retain your UK license or not - if you don't live in the UK (and have a valid address) your license will be invalid. Additionally, you can't hold multiple licenses in Canada (although there appears to be some leeway with regards to your US one). Keep a photocopy/scan of your original UK license to make it easier to show your driving number if you return to live in the UK.

Here's the rule for Ontario:

"A driver may not apply for, secure or retain in his or her possession more than one driver's licence," Section 35.1e of Ontario's Highway Traffic Act.

Please see this thread: http://britishexpats.com/forum/canad...ntario-888573/



There's an interesting article in the Globe about holding 2 licenses in Ontario and the penalties

https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/glo...beandmail.com&

"When applying/exchanging for an Ontario driver's licence, the driver must complete an application form which includes 'Have you held a driver's licence outside of Ontario?'" MTO spokesman Bob Nichols said in an email statement. "Under provincial legislation, the penalty for making a false statement may include a fine and/or imprisonment and/or a driver's licence suspension."

Vulcanoid

I'm confused. How many drivers licences do you have? As has been noted, it is illegal in Canada (and any developed country?) to hold more than one.

If you now live in Ontario, you should swap any, and all licences. If these are US and UK, it is a straight swap process. If you move back to Britain, you can retrieve the old UK licence entitlements by filling in a D1 form from any post office (free, takes about 2 weeks). If you visit, your Ontario licence will be valid for up to a year.

time_for_a_cuppa

Thanks for the replies.. I didn't know you weren't allowed two licenses? Just figured as a dual resident/citizen it was acceptable.

I have two licences; UK as I am a Brit and was living and working there.
I moved to California briefly and there were no questions asked about exchanging or swapping my existing UK license at the time.. so hence why I hold two.

The Ca license is of no use to me now so hence me wanting to swap that, now that I reside in Ontario..

Thanks for the clarification!

dbd33

If you are a shabby sort of person you may find it convenient to hang on to the CA or UK license and to use it to rent cars in the US. I have good reason to believe that, if you then pay any speeding fines on the spot, points related to those tickets will not find you in Ontario. Such conduct is, of course, reprehensible and in breach of various laws. It doubtless exposes one to a shocking range of liabilities.

Vulcanoid

Law section


12805.
(a) The department shall not issue a driver’s license to, or renew a driver’s license of, any person:
(6) Who holds a valid driver’s license issued by a foreign jurisdiction unless the license has been surrendered to the department, or is lost or destroyed.

Pizzawheel

Unlike the good old days, they definitely do inform DVLA these days. As motorcycle entitlement does not transfer, I cheekily tried to get my UK license back just for the motorcycle portion, so I could rent a Harley in San Francisco. DVLA knew my Canuck address.

It does only apply to countries which keep records. I still have my Botswana license (bit of cardboard) and posh Nigerian one which happens to be full commercial. That one might have expired thinking about it.

Aviator

For those coming to BC, a MC license can be exchanged for a BC one with the same requirements as a class 5.

Bobrovsky

In case when somebody moves from the UK to Ontario (or another jurisdiction with reciprocal agreement on driving/driver licence exchange) the process is more or less clear.

1) Use your UK licence (Great Britain licence, more accurately) during allowed 60-90 days in Canada
2) Exchange UK licence to Canadian licence. Irritating moment is that in case of British Columbia and Ontario you need to pass a driving test if you have less than 2 years driving experience. UK does not require 2 years experience for exchanging driver licence from Ontario. So, the exchange is not entirely honest.
3) If you decided to return back to the UK, use you licence 0.5 - 1 year and exchange Canadian licence to the UK licence. As far as I know, DVLA require to surrender only EU licences. I may be wrong, but probably it is simpler to request a UK licence and retain a Canadian one (maybe it is not legal).


But there are several interesting questions relating residency in the UK and using a UK driving licence.
- If somebody moved to Canada (or any other Country) and did not apply for local driving licence (it is not always needed). Or maybe somebody did a round-the-world trip during the year. This person returns to the UK and he is not allowed to drive for 180 days (because he is not a resident of the UK)? This is a bit weird. What if the address is the same (actual and on the licence)? The only problem could be with insurance company in case of an accident? They will found out that the person did not reside for 180 days in the UK?

- Similar situation. Only one UK driving licence, but not a resident of the UK. For example the resident of Canada or the USA. Can this person hire a car in continental Europe using his UK driving licence?

Bobrovsky

A bit off topic. However, I think that Canadian and US system, when each province, territory, or state has its own driver licence authority and traffic rules, is inefficient and outdated. DVLA manages to deal with 60 million population of Great Britain and in Canada there are 13 authorities for 35 million population.

Vulcanoid

You have made a number of errors/assumptions. It would be more accurate to say:
(1) Exchange your licence within the allowed time. This might require waiting for documents, eg for a PR card in BC.
(2) If you decide to return, swap back with a D1 form within 1 year.

BC and Ontario require new drivers to fulfill their driving requirements, in the exact same way GB does. There is no 'dishonesty' in the exchange. Canadian Provinces choose to operate graduated licensing, where driving privileges accrue over time and experience. If GB has chosen not to, that's GB's doing.

DVLA certainly require the surrender of a foreign licence at the time of the exchange. If you previously held a GB driving licence, you fill in a free D1 form with name, date of birth & driver licence number (if known), enclose the Canadian/other national licence, and have your GB licence re-issued in about a week.

You've misunderstood. A UK citizen resident in GB can drive on a GB licence. If the address is the same, the licence is unquestionable. UK citizens are deemed ordinarily resident if they're in the UK. They may be later shown to be only visiting, but the default presumption is one of permission. A non-UK citizen has the reverse burden (so when my Canadian partner & I moved back to the UK for a while, he couldn't exchange his licence until he'd been resident in Britain for a year, while I could change mine immediately).

Insurance is another question, and policies may vary, I've not needed to look at a UK car insurance policy for many years, I don't know if they normally have recent residency requirements.

You have two different questions in there. May they? No. Will they get away with it? Probably.

dbd33

I recently hired a car in continental Europe and wondered what document should best be used. I obtained a translation of my Ontario license, the so-called International license in case it helped. In the event no one asked for any form of license and the hire company representative advised me not to bother with the seat belts. I liked continental Europe very much.

Bobrovsky

It was just a thought. This graduated licensing program does not make roads safer in comparison with the UK.
Wikipedia: List of countries by traffic-related death rate


I do not fully agree here.
If you want to exchange a foreign driving licence from a designated country, you need to send this licence to DVLA. But there are several points.
1) DVLA will not exchange Canadian licence for GB manual licence unless you provide the document that the test was passed on manual. It is unlikely, since majority of cars in Canada are automatic. If you want to drive manual in the UK you will need to pass a driving test. In this case it could be simpler to retain a Canadian licence and pass theory and practice in the UK as a novice driver.

2) If you have a licence from a non-designated country like USA, Russia, or China than you can drive up to 12 months in Great Britain.
After that you should apply for a provisional driving licence and pass theory and driving tests.
gov.uk states You can't exchange your licence but you can drive for up to 12 months on your foreign licence.
There is no requirement to surrender "non-designated" driving licence when you apply for provisional UK licence. You cannot use "non-designated" driving licence after 12 months, but you can hold it.

3) Another scenario. The person has got a US driver's licence. After that they moved to Canada and exchanged US licence for a Canadian licence. Then, they moved to the UK. This person will not be able to exchange a Canadian licence for UK licence, since the tests were passed in the non-designated country. In this case the person will start from provisional GB licence. And DVLA will not ask to send a Canadian licence.


In Canada there is a clear requirement that prohibits to retain other driver's licences when you apply for a Canadian one.
I did not find the same strict requirement for the UK. I assume that it is illegal to hold UK + some of EU licences in the UK. But it is not illegal to hold UK + US licences. Not sure about UK + Canadian licences.

Thus, validity of driving licence is defined by the place (country) where you live, but not by the place place where you passed the tests?