How to Get Canadian Driving License -for Newcomers

[Leon]

If you are going to Ontario and you don't have a license or you have a brand new license, you will have to wait for a year before you can take a road test and get a license that allows you to drive by yourself (G2). If you go to a driving school, you can cut this down to 8 months. In Alberta, if you had no license, you wait for a year but if you have a foreign license, even if it is brand new, you can take a road test and get a probationary license (GDL) right away.

A car does not have to be an essential mode of transportation. It depends on where you live and you can choose where to live so that you do not need a car. Of course your job choices may also be affected as you would not be able to take a job in a neighbourhood where there is no public transport or shifts when no public transport is running. Still.. public transport in Canada is usually pretty good.

 

[Benjamin Sapkota]

If you are going to Ontario and you don't have a license or you have a brand new license, you will have to wait for a year before you can take a road test and get a license that allows you to drive by yourself (G2). If you go to a driving school, you can cut this down to 8 months. In Alberta, if you had no license, you wait for a year but if you have a foreign license, even if it is brand new, you can take a road test and get a probationary license (GDL) right away.

A car does not have to be an essential mode of transportation. It depends on where you live and you can choose where to live so that you do not need a car. Of course your job choices may also be affected as you would not be able to take a job in a neighbourhood where there is no public transport or shifts when no public transport is running. Still.. public transport in Canada is usually pretty good.

thanx leon, i plan to land in toronto, what do u suggest should i go to driving school and start learning driving here or altogather start there in toronto, pls suggest coz i still have plenty of time .. thanx in advance

 

[Leon]

If you have a long time before you plan to land and you can get a drivers license fast where you are, you would be better off doing it now because however many months you have your license before you come to Ontario will cut down on the waiting you have to do before you can take your test.

Say if you had your licence for 8 months when you land in ON, you would only have to wait 4 months before you can take the G1 road test to get the G2 license. If you do the driving school in ON which would normally cut your 12 month waiting time down to 8, they might even let you take it right away as you already have 8 months experience.

 

[khalid h]

Qorax

I have abudahabi license valid upto 2014, but now I am not living in Abudahabi, still can I take Lesson bayanat from their ?

 

[qorax]

Qorax

I have abudahabi license valid upto 2014, but now I am not living in Abudahabi, still can I take Lesson bayanat from their ?

Yes, u can. But the DL holder has to present himself@the counter. Or the company PRO can do the needful on behalf of the holder (in that case he needs to carry the original DL).

Qorax

 

[KB2Canada]

Hi All

I will be exchanging my UK DL in Calgary over the counter however!

My UK DL photocard expired in JULY 2010 the paper part does not expire but the photocard does.

Do i need to buy replacements of the UK photocard just to give them away to the Calgary DL peeps!?

thanks one and all great topic!

K-B

 

[singh092120]

Unfortunately No. As u don't get a duplicate of your older one, your L of A would mention the new one only; & that'd be of a lesser driving experience, isn't it? Thus, no joy here for the mandatory wait pd waiver. Your new DL along with the MTO letter has no consequence in applying for a Canadian DL.

If it was me, I'd have done all possible to locate at least a copy of the older one & get it's duplicate issued from the Indian MTO. Or leave no stones unturned @ their offices [by any means] to get that, rather than a new one -if u understood what I meant.

Qorax

Can anyone share the performa for driving experience letter ?

 

[aybee]

Can anyone share the performa for driving experience letter ?

Here is Mine...!!

Hello Qorax,

I today got the letter of authentication from my regional transport authority. I had my license issued 27/08/2002 but that was only for Motor cycle with gear. Then i got Light Motor Vehicle added to my license on 26/05/2008. Now i have the letter issued and this is what it says.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN​

Certified that driving License No. XXXXX dated 27/08/2002 has been issued in the name of Mr. XXXXX S/O Sh. XXXXX R/O XXXXX for MCWG(motor cycle with gear) and LMW(light motor vehicle), which is valid upto 26/08/2022. The Category of LMV has endorsed on dated 26/05/2008 with the above driving license. His date of birth as per our record is 19/05/1984.

The letter shows the date on which the letter itself is issued (11/06/2010).

I hope this letter will suffice the Ontario transport guys. My license is also in English so no need of translation.

This letter worked and now i have my G2 here in Toronto..!!

 

[singh092120]

hi aybee,
thanx for sharing the information in such a wonderful detail

 

[aybee]

Just an info from my side,

i've been here since 5th july 2010. It was all going well but traveling by Public transit was Turning out to be pain especially as i worked on weekends. So i decided to buy a car. Buying a car was not an issue but paying the insurance was a big headache. But Now i have a 1998 Saturn and the insurance is aslo quiet low. I have a G2 that i got on 3rd August. Earlier i got quotes from CAD390 upto CAD450. But fortunately i got much better quote. If anyone wants the name of the firm PM me. Maybe you can get a better quote.

i'm not advertising for this firm, Just helping forum members to get a good quote......

 

[coolguy001]

thanks for this useful information

 

[mooving2canada]

Finally i got class5 driving license in BC. But i had very bad experience with ICBC(the DL issuing authority) here is my experience:
I went to ICBC office 3 days after landing for the knowledge test. But they refused me to write the exam as they said that i should have PR card to write the exam. I wa having COPR and Indian passport as a ID, but they refused to consider COPR as a ID. So i waited for my PR card and i received it after 2 and half month. Then i again went to ICBC office and as i was having my indian driving license and in BC if you have driving license issued from any country and if its 2 yrs older u can directly get class 5 license. But they refused to consider my Indian license as the lamination was tempered. Then I arranged the authenticity letter issued by DTO from India. But that letter wasnt issued on the letter head of DTO, so ICBC again rejected to consider it. Then I arranged the authenticity letter issued on the letter head, and finally ICBC considered that and they allowed me to write the knowledge test for class5 and with the grace of got i passed in the first attempt. Then i booked my road test. I took 2 lessons prior to my road test and unfortunity i took those lessons from an Indian driving school, he charged me leser than other schools but all in vein. I got failed in first attempt. Then i rebooked my road test again and unfortunately again failed. Then i booked my road test in Burnaby reather than surrey and finally got passed. And yesterday i received my Class5 DL .

 

[Deeaar]

Sorry Binny,

I've no clue about that in India. But most RTAs should provide that... here [in Dubai] we go to the RTA main office.
-It costs AED 60/-
-and is called "Lesson Bayanat".
-Time to obtain it: 10 minutes.
-Docs required: Original D/license.

Hope some ND member replies to your call.
QORAX

Dear Captain,

I hold a Sharjah DL since May 2007 , can i request for this letter from abudhabi muroor or do i still need to go Shj Traffic Police. Any idea ????
Pls advice.

Thanx.

 

[Benjamin Sapkota]

hi friends,
i want to knw hw expensive is driving training school in toronto and is it worth getting admtted in such school...............

regards,
benjamin

 

[singh092120]

Pls help,
Do colorblind people face any problem for getting driving license in Canada?

Thanks in advance.