Exchanging an Out-Of-Province Driver's Licence
If you have a driver's licence from another Canadian province or territory or from another country, your previous driving experience may help you to get an Ontario driver's licence sooner. If you hold the equivalent of a learner's permit or novice licence from another jurisdiction, you may get credit for your driving experience, however, your licence will not be valid for exchange unless you hold a Level 2 novice licence from British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick or the Yukon. These novice licences may be exchanged for an Ontario Level 2 novice licence.
Please Note effective January 23, 2006: applicants requesting an exchange with a driver's licence issued by a Canadian or U.S. jurisdiction are now required to provide documentation to satisfy all three (3) identification requirements. Driver licences issued by a Canadian or U.S. jurisdiction are only acceptable for signature purposes. However, the licence is still used for the purpose of experience for jurisdictions with reciprocity and must be surrendered at time of application, excluding Japan.
Fee Table
Exchanging an Out-of-Province Licence Cost
Knowledge Test $10.00
90 Day (M1) Licence $7.50
Five Year Licence $75.00
Class G1 or M1 Road Test $40.00
Class G2 or M2 Road Test $75.00
Note: The above charges are Net. No additional taxes are collected.
We accept all major Credit Cards, Travellers Cheques, Debit Card, Money Order and Bank Drafts. Certified Cheques are accepted.
If you are a new resident of Ontario and have a valid driver's licence from another province or country, you can use that licence for a maximum of 60 days in Ontario. If you want to continue to drive after 60 days, you must get an Ontario driver's licence.
Drivers from other Canadian provinces, Canadian Forces-Europe, U.S.A., Japan, Korea, Switzerland, Germany, France, Great Britain, Austria and Belgium.
2 or More Years of Driving Experience Within the Last Three Years
If you are a licensed driver with two or more years of driving experience from one of these jurisdictions you may get full class licence privileges without taking a knowledge or road test. However, you must pass a vision test and show acceptable proof of your previous licence status and driving experience.
If you hold a controlled class licence (A,B,C,D,E,F) from a Canadian province or territory, you may exchange your licence for the equivalent Ontario class of licence (a class B or E licence will be exchanged for a class C or F licence respectively).
Visit a DriveTest Driver Examination Centre or contact the MTO Driver & Vehicle Licensing Call Centre at (416) 235-2999 or toll free at 1-800-387-3445.
Less than 2 Years of Driving Experience Within the Last Three Years
If you have less than two years of driving experience, you may get credit for your experience for graduated licensing and be issued a Class G2 or M2 licence. Once you have a total of two years of driving experience, you may take the G2 or M2 road test to earn full driving privileges.
If you hold a controlled class licence from a Canadian province or territory, once you are eligible to attempt the G2 road test, you must pass the road test within one year of the licence exchange to be issued the equivalent controlled class licence. If you pass the G2 road test after one year from the date of exchange, you will be issued a class G licence.
If you are a licensed driver with two or more years of driving experience from one of these jurisdictions, you may get full Class G licence privileges without taking a knowledge or road test. However, you must pass a vision test and show acceptable proof of your previous licence status and driving experience.
Note: These conditions also apply to licensed motorcycle riders from other Canadian provinces, from the United States, Switzerland and Canadian Forces - Europe. However there is currently no exchange agreement for motorcycle riders from the remaining jurisdictions.
The ministry is clarifying its policy regarding recognizing driver's licence experience for applicants from: jurisdictions that do not have a reciprocal licence exchange agreement with Ontario; or, a U.S. state that is not part of the Inter-provincial Record Exchange, and are unable to provide written authentication of their driving experience.
Effective May 1, 2006, driving experience for Out-of-Country applicants will be recognized as follows:
(NOTE: See below for further information effective May 10, 2006 regarding driver's licence applicant who had applied for their driver's licence in the period from May 1, 2005 to May 10, 2006)
Requirements for all driver's licence applicants:
All applicants for an Ontario driver's licence are required to present a valid foreign driver's licence (if it is not in English or French, it is to be accompanied by a written translation from a qualified translator), pass a vision test and a written knowledge test regarding Ontario's traffic rules, pay all applicable fees, and provide acceptable proof of identity.
Applicants who fulfil these requirements can obtain a G1 licence.
All applicants must declare their driving experience on the driver's licence application form.
Applicants are required to provide adequate proof of foreign driving experience. However, if that is not possible, the ministry will accept applicants' declaration of their foreign driving experience on the driver's licence application for up to a maximum of 12 months experience.
This policy only applies to applicants for Class G licences.
Applicants declaring less than 12 months driving experience within the preceding three years:
The ministry will recognize the amount of driving experience declared on the driver's licence application.
Applicants must have 12 months driving experience before attempting the G1 road test.
If an applicant successfully completes a ministry-approved Beginner Driver Education course, the mandatory waiting time, prior to taking the G1 road test, will be reduced from 12 to 8 months.
The 8-12 months may be a combination of driving experience in the foreign jurisdiction and experience in Ontario.
Applicants declaring more than 12 months driving experience but less than 24 months within the preceding three years:
The ministry will recognize the amount of driving experience declared on the driver's licence application.
Applicants declaring more than 12 months driving experience but less than 24 months within the preceding three years will receive 12 months driving experience and may proceed to take the G1 road test without having to fulfill the mandatory 12-month G1 wait period.
If the applicant passes the G1 road test, they will be issued a G2 licence and will not be subject to the six restrictions of the G1 licence, including the requirement to have a fully licensed driver accompany them in the vehicle and prohibition from driving on 400-series expressways.
To obtain recognition for more than 12 months driving experience, applicants are required to obtain written authentication of their foreign driving experience from the originating licensing agency, or from the Embassy, Consulate or High Commissioners' offices representing the jurisdiction. The authentication letter must be on official letterhead and be written in either English or French. It must be dated and cannot be more than 6 months old.
The ministry will recognize the applicant's foreign driving experience as certified on the authentication letter.
Recognized driving experience will be applied towards the G2 12-month waiting period prior to taking the G2 road test.
If applicants do not provide a letter of authentication, applicants must fulfil the 12-month mandatory waiting period prior to taking the G2 road test.
Applicants declaring a minimum of 24 months driving experience within the preceding three years:
To obtain recognition for more than 12 months driving experience, applicants are required to obtain written authentication of their foreign driving experience from the originating licensing agency, or from the Embassy, Consulate or High Commissioners' offices representing the jurisdiction. The authentication letter must be on official letterhead and be written in either English or French. It must be dated and cannot be more than 6 months old.
The ministry will recognize the applicant's foreign driving experience as certified on the authentication letter.
Applicants have, pending a letter of authentication of a minimum of 24 months of foreign driving experience, the option of attempting the G1 or G2 exit road tests (mandatory waiting times are waived).
If the applicant chooses to attempt the G1 road test and successfully completes it, the applicant will then be eligible to attempt the G2 road test.
Upon successfully passing the G2 exit road test, applicants will be issued a G licence.
If applicants do not provide a letter of authentication, applicants must pass the G1 road test and must fulfill the 12-month waiting period prior to taking G2 road test.
Who does the policy affect?
The policy applies to all applicants coming from either a foreign jurisdiction that does not have a driver's licence reciprocal agreement with Ontario, or a U.S. state that is not part of the Inter-provincial Record Exchange
Effective May 10, 2006, applicants who applied for a G1 licence on or since May 1, 2005 are eligible to re-declare their licensed driving experience at a DriveTest Centre.
Applicants who applied in the period from May 1, 2005 to May 10, 2006 may return to a DriveTest Centre and re-declare their experience. Applicants who declare 12 months or more experience will be eligible for recognition of that experience against the G1 12-month mandatory waiting time and may apply to take the G1 road test.
This policy does not apply to drivers from the following jurisdictions:
Canadian provinces and territories;
Canadian Forces Europe;
U.S. States (with the exception of Illinois, New Jersey and Vermont);
Austria, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Korea, and Switzerland.
Questions & Answers
"To Do" Checklist
Exchanging an Out-of-Province Licence
1 Be at least 16 years of age
2 Provide one or more pieces of acceptable ID to satisfy all 3 requirements - Legal name, date of birth and signature. (See section “How to Apply”)
3 Complete an application for Ontario Driver's Licence
4 Present your out of country/province driver's licence verifying previous driving experience or written confirmation about your previous driving experience from the licensing authorities
5 Pass a vision test
6 Pass a knowledge test and a G1 or G2 road test as required
7 Pay the applicable fees (see Fee Table for list of fees)
Customer Service Options
Below are the service channels where you can purchase/order this service. Click on the underlined titles below for an address/location.
DriveTest
Driver Exam Centre
Licence Issuing Office (link to MTO Web site) Service Ontario Kiosk (link to MTO Web site) Mail Phone Order Online
Exchanging an out-of-province licence Driver Exam Centre
For additional information, please follow the link to Ready for the Road: Newcomer's Guide to Graduated Licensing.
