Simultaneously Possess US and BC Driving Licenses?

[mierl]

Hello,

I am a Permanent Resident from the US living in BC. I am applying for jobs and many require or prefer people with a BC License and driving record. I have my US license from Texas, I can trade it in for a BC one. However, I need my US license for many practical reasons. For example, when voting from Canada in US elections, I have to use my Driver's license number to prove I belong in my voting district. In the US, most places don't recognize Canadian ID cards, so I would have to carry my passport with me at all times. When I contact my US bank by phone, they often ask my DL number for security. If it is possible, I would like to have both.

My family still resides in Texas. Is it possible that I surrender my US DL to get a BC DL? Then contact the Department of Motor Vehicles (basically ICBC for the US) in Texas and ask them to send a new license to my family in Texas?

Has anyone else done this, or knows a way around this problem?

Thanks a lot!

Lewis

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hello,

I am a Permanent Resident from the US living in BC. I am applying for jobs and many require or prefer people with a BC License and driving record. I have my US license from Texas, I can trade it in for a BC one. However, I need my US license for many practical reasons. For example, when voting from Canada in US elections, I have to use my Driver's license number to prove I belong in my voting district. In the US, most places don't recognize Canadian ID cards, so I would have to carry my passport with me at all times. When I contact my US bank by phone, they often ask my DL number for security. If it is possible, I would like to have both.

My family still resides in Texas. Is it possible that I surrender my US DL to get a BC DL? Then contact the Department of Motor Vehicles (basically ICBC for the US) in Texas and ask them to send a new license to my family in Texas?

Has anyone else done this, or knows a way around this problem?

Thanks a lot!

Lewis

Hi

BC law only allows you to hold one license. If ICBC finds out you got another license, they could probably revoke your BC DL. Also note that if you cause an accident and ICBC finds out about the Texas license, they may try to argue that you invalidated your BC license and therefore you never qualified for to be insured and are responsible for all costs related to the accident.

 

[mgnlky]

Hello,

I am a Permanent Resident from the US living in BC. I am applying for jobs and many require or prefer people with a BC License and driving record. I have my US license from Texas, I can trade it in for a BC one. However, I need my US license for many practical reasons. For example, when voting from Canada in US elections, I have to use my Driver's license number to prove I belong in my voting district. In the US, most places don't recognize Canadian ID cards, so I would have to carry my passport with me at all times. When I contact my US bank by phone, they often ask my DL number for security. If it is possible, I would like to have both.

My family still resides in Texas. Is it possible that I surrender my US DL to get a BC DL? Then contact the Department of Motor Vehicles (basically ICBC for the US) in Texas and ask them to send a new license to my family in Texas?

Has anyone else done this, or knows a way around this problem?

Thanks a lot!

Lewis​

You cannot have both. When you go to obtain a BC licence, they keep your USA licence. You do not need your US driver's licence to absentee vote in the US; if you live in Canada, thus voting from outside the USA, states are well aware you will not have a US licence.

To say the US does not recognize Canadian ID cards/drivers licence is patently false. You do not have to carry your passport on you except for the obvious crossing the border. And a bank using your DL# for security is one of the worse ideas ever. Say you lose your wallet. You are now potentially a victim of theft as someone now has access to both your banking information and...your driver's licence number.
​

 

[Buletruck]

Holding a license from 2 different jurisdictions in Canada is illegal. And you could always use a passport for ID. I would also think that if you are living in Canada, you can’t vote in a in a Texas election, whether you have a Texas drivers license or not. That sounds suspiciously like voter fraud.

 

[mgnlky]

Holding a license from 2 different jurisdictions in Canada is illegal. And you could always use a passport for ID. I would also think that if you are living in Canada, you can’t vote in a in a Texas election, whether you have a Texas drivers license or not. That sounds suspiciously like voter fraud.

US Citizens can vote in US elections while living outside of the US. It's perfectly legal.

 

[PMM]

Hi

US Citizens can vote in US elections while living outside of the US. It's perfectly legal.

1. As well as Canadian citizens residing outside Canada, can vote in Canadian Federal Elections.

 

[mierl]

Thanks for all your feedback! So I will check if I can use a Texas ID card instead of a DL number to vote, or if it is possible to write my DL number on the absentee ballot without actually possessing it anymore.

Just to clarify some things. Yes, I can vote from abroad. I have done it before.

Perhaps it's just the attitude of American personnel like police officers, security guards, bank tellers, who don't always ask to see a passport and don't trust my Canadian ID. Maybe they honestly have never seen Canadian ID before and don't know if its legitimate or not. Carrying an American ID makes it much easier to travel around the States.

The bank only asks for my DL number when I call in as one of the many random security questions.

I don't have a car and don't plan to get one, I would be driving the Company's car.

Thanks again!

 

[mgnlky]

Perhaps it's just the attitude of American personnel like police officers, security guards, bank tellers, who don't always ask to see a passport and don't trust my Canadian ID. Maybe they honestly have never seen Canadian ID before and don't know if its legitimate or not. Carrying an American ID makes it much easier to travel around the States.

Again, I challenge this notion. I had to return to the US many times over the last few months to handle family situations and never once have I encountered issues with having a Canadian driver's licence. I've used it to buy alcohol, rent a car, rent a hotel room, etc. Never once has it been questioned.

 

[Wyfarer]

Don't drive while Canadian in the States:

 

[Wyfarer]

Ha, change of heart? The mo' fo' is just shouting out BS...what a wankfest.

To the officer's credit, he probably has to deal with a lot of the entitled (monied, celebrity, et al) in Beverly Hills. When he realized this guy really has his $hit together, the officer should have just bowed out gracefully.

US city cop: You need an international driver's license.
Canadian: No I don't, you don't know the law...we have a treaty...
US city cop: I can tow your car...

*rolls eyes*

 

[Wyfarer]

I disagree Andy in some respects and in the States; it's all about jurisdiction. I wouldn't want the Feds in the US managing all of that. It's just that here it kinda goes, Fed, State, County, City. And to a large extent, the "quality" of professional is mostly in that order. If you get pulled over in California by a "CHIP" (California Highway Patrol) it's all pretty above board, not necessary "by the book" but manageable. Then you get into City and County, and depends just on that--the City and County.