Canadian Driver's License

[nooni]

Hi, folks!

I understand that US and Canadian driver's licenses are valid in the opposite countries, and I know that the US is one of the countries from which Canada accepts licenses for exchange (with an eye test and verification of identity / driving experience, etc.). What I can't seem to find is whether or not provinces require the applicant to be a resident in Canada.

As a US citizen, could I turn in a New York or Michigan license for a CA license without having an address in Ontario? If not, could I stay in CA (visa-free) for 4-5 months and obtain a CA license during that time without having permanent resident status?

 

[Copingwithlife]

Hi, folks!

I understand that US and Canadian driver's licenses are valid in the opposite countries, and I know that the US is one of the countries from which Canada accepts licenses for exchange (with an eye test and verification of identity / driving experience, etc.). What I can't seem to find is whether or not provinces require the applicant to be a resident in Canada.

As a US citizen, could I turn in a New York or Michigan license for a CA license without having an address in Ontario? If not, could I stay in CA (visa-free) for 4-5 months and obtain a CA license during that time without having permanent resident status?

You have to have an address . Where do you think the license is mailed too ? And what would be the point ?
The Ontario DL has the address on the very front , it's not blank

 

[nooni]

You have to have an address . Where do you think the license is mailed too ? And what would be the point ?
The Ontario DL has the address on the very front , it's not blank

Sure. My question is whether a Michigan address would be accepted, and if not, whether a CA address that I'm staying at temporarily would work even if I'm not planning to stay in the country long-term.

 

[Bs65]

If you are only a visitor to Canada why do you think need a Canadian licence ?

 

[Copingwithlife]

Sure. My question is whether a Michigan address would be accepted, and if not, whether a CA address that I'm staying at temporarily would work even if I'm not planning to stay in the country long-term.

A Michigan address would not be accepted
Just as a address in another province would not be accepted . You’re talking about another country
As for a temp address you’d have to go see someone at Service Ontario
As noted above , why would you need a Ontario DL ? What you’re proposing doesn’t make sense

 

[nooni]

As a member of the Commonwealth, Canada has a number of licensing reciprocity agreements with other countries that the US doesn't, making it a stronger license internationally. To exchange for a Canadian license the applicant must surrender their US license, so I'm not trying to cheat anyone. Because it seems to make no difference which country's license I have driving across the border, I'm honestly just wondering what the provincial rules allow, and I was having trouble finding information about residency requirements on the official websites.

 

[k.h.p.]

Take a look at this website to see the kind of acceptable identity documents you would need to be able to exchange for an Ontario drivers license: https://drivetest.ca/licences/id-documents.html

Just appearing with a US passport with no temporary resident permit or other immigration paperwork would not suffice to get an Ontario drivers' license.

If you're trying to trade up to another Commonwealth jurisdiction's driving license, you're going to need permission to be in Canada for some reason.

 

[nooni]

Take a look at this website to see the kind of acceptable identity documents you would need to be able to exchange for an Ontario drivers license: https://drivetest.ca/licences/id-documents.html

Just appearing with a US passport with no temporary resident permit or other immigration paperwork would not suffice to get an Ontario drivers' license.

If you're trying to trade up to another Commonwealth jurisdiction's driving license, you're going to need permission to be in Canada for some reason.

Thank you, k.h.p.!! This is what I was looking for. I hadn't been able to get the drivetest.ca website to load, so I'll try the link from a different browser.

 

[k.h.p.]

Be aware that simply wanting a "stronger driver's license" and surrendering a US license isn't likely going to get you a Canadian drivers' license. You still need to be ordinarily resident in Ontario to get an Ontario license.

Much the same way, your "home" jurisdiction will likely require that you maintain their drivers' license after a certain period of residency time.

So, while it won't matter which drivers' license you have when crossing the border, Ontario will require you to be a resident in Ontario to get your license, and your home jurisdiction (Michigan) will require a Michigan's license. As a resident of BC, I don't qualify for an Ontario driver's license without being a resident of Ontario.

I'm still really not sure what you're trying to do.

 

[nooni]

Be aware that simply wanting a "stronger driver's license" and surrendering a US license isn't likely going to get you a Canadian drivers' license. You still need to be ordinarily resident in Ontario to get an Ontario license.

Much the same way, your "home" jurisdiction will likely require that you maintain their drivers' license after a certain period of residency time.

So, while it won't matter which drivers' license you have when crossing the border, Ontario will require you to be a resident in Ontario to get your license, and your home jurisdiction (Michigan) will require a Michigan's license. As a resident of BC, I don't qualify for an Ontario driver's license without being a resident of Ontario.

I'm still really not sure what you're trying to do.

This makes perfect sense. I had been looking at https://www.ontario.ca/page/exchange-out-province-drivers-licence and couldn't see anything about residency there. A few years ago, the US introduced a new driver's license that is valid at federal facilities like airports. In order to get this license, you need to prove your right to live in the US (proof of citizenship, green card, etc.) and prove where you live in the US (two pieces of official mail with your name and address). I was struggling to find who was eligible in Ontario if it was not restricted to citizens, documented immigrants and residents like in the US.

At the above link, it lists who has exchange agreements with Canada. Let's pick Great Britain, which has an agreement with Canada but not the US. So in theory if I moved to the UK, I could drive on a US license at first but eventually I would have to re-test as a beginner to get a UK license. If I had a Canadian license, I would be eligible for a straight exchange. That's what got me started down the research rabbit-hole, and I appreciate the confirmation that that option is closed to me!

 

[steaky]

This makes perfect sense. I had been looking at https://www.ontario.ca/page/exchange-out-province-drivers-licence and couldn't see anything about residency there. A few years ago, the US introduced a new driver's license that is valid at federal facilities like airports. In order to get this license, you need to prove your right to live in the US (proof of citizenship, green card, etc.) and prove where you live in the US (two pieces of official mail with your name and address). I was struggling to find who was eligible in Ontario if it was not restricted to citizens, documented immigrants and residents like in the US.

At the above link, it lists who has exchange agreements with Canada. Let's pick Great Britain, which has an agreement with Canada but not the US. So in theory if I moved to the UK, I could drive on a US license at first but eventually I would have to re-test as a beginner to get a UK license. If I had a Canadian license, I would be eligible for a straight exchange. That's what got me started down the research rabbit-hole, and I appreciate the confirmation that that option is closed to me!

Does that mean people with foreign driver license will not be able to drive in US airports?

 

[nooni]

Does that mean people with foreign driver license will not be able to drive in US airports?

No, a valid driver's license lets you drive wherever it has jurisdiction.

The Real ID has a new set of verifications to acquire in order for an American to use the license as an ID card at secure federal facilities. The TSA, which screens fliers, is a federal agency and Americans have to have the new Real ID to use their driver's license as ID to get on a flight. A passport was and still is valid as identification in that case, but few Americans use that for domestic, interstate flights. An American can also opt-out of the additional requirements and get the old version, but they wouldn't necessarily be able to access other secure federal facilities like military bases.

The big difference with this card is the verification of citizenship / immigration status. Undocumented immigrants have been issued regular driver's licenses at states' discretion up till now.

 

[usdrewbc]

My question on this topic is that I have a US issued real ID.
I'm a US citizen that recently moved to Vancouver BC and they require that I exchange my driver's license to receive a BC driver's license.
I only have a real ID, which is more than a driver's license, it's a federal ID.
Must I forfeit my federal government ID in order to get a lower value driver's license in Canada?

 

[bellaluna]

No