***Ontario Driving License***

[SeineToHumber]

Can the G1 test be taken while under a Temporary Resident Visa? Visa-exempt country, so nothing but a stamp in the foreign passport to show.

 

[Rossei]

Can the G1 test be taken while under a Temporary Resident Visa? Visa-exempt country, so nothing but a stamp in the foreign passport to show.

You can probably take G1 Written Test, however with that, you can only drive/learn when a G-licensed driver with minimum 4 years of experience is riding with you. To take G2 Road Test, you will have to wait minimum 8 months after G1 Written Test. Hence, a visitor normally doesn't apply for license here.

This is what MTO says,

• If you are a visitor to Ontario and want to drive while you are here, you must be at least 16 years old and have a valid driver's licence from your own province, state or country.
• If you are from another country and visiting Ontario for more than three months, you need an International Driver's Permit (IDP) from your own country.
• If you are taking up residence, you must get an Ontario driver's licence.

 

[pranab24]

Hi @Rossei .... Could you kindly help answer my below question ...

I have a driving license from US that expired in 2015 (it was valid for 3 years), and then currently I have a UK driving licence (since April 2017). I have always had an Indian driving licence since 2005 and valid till 2021.

Will these driving licences help me in getting my G1 and/or G2 test waiting time waived off?

 

[Rossei]

Hi @Rossei .... Could you kindly help answer my below question ...

I have a driving license from US that expired in 2015 (it was valid for 3 years), and then currently I have a UK driving licence (since April 2017). I have always had an Indian driving licence since 2005 and valid till 2021.

Will these driving licences help me in getting my G1 and/or G2 test waiting time waived off?

Yes provided you can produce driving abstract from issuing country and a valid license. Since your US license expired, you will have to bring driving abstract from India (UK one won't credit you anything as it's very recent).

Follow the table I posted at Post# 22 on Page 2.

 

[abo0286]

Hi @Rossei

I got my driving license from Bangladesh which is issued in 2010. Therefore, I can most probably sit for G license straight after G1. Now, some people telling me if I go for G license straight and skip G2 my insurance will be higher. Is that true?

Also suppose if I give the G2 license test and pass it then do I have to wait 12 months for the G license test?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Kinan_bm]

i have one question please , do they take the original driving license when applying for the credits or just see it and take a copy and giving it back to us ?

 

[Rossei]

Hi @Rossei

I got my driving license from Bangladesh which is issued in 2010. Therefore, I can most probably sit for G license straight after G1. Now, some people telling me if I go for G license straight and skip G2 my insurance will be higher. Is that true?

I'm not sure but it seems unlikely. However, the age of your Canadian license, whether it's G2 or G, has an impact on your insurance premium. The older the license, the more experience you got, the less you pay.

Also suppose if I give the G2 license test and pass it then do I have to wait 12 months for the G license test?

Again not sure. If you show your BD license+abstract after G2, they may allow you to take G anytime.

 

[Rossei]

i have one question please , do they take the original driving license when applying for the credits or just see it and take a copy and giving it back to us ?

They will probably make a copy of it and keep the original driving record.

 

[yodheydhara]

Does anyone know what is the procedure if you have a US license for 5 years?

In addition to what asnight mentioned, please try and get the driving history from your current auto insurance company as well. This will help in getting the auto insurance more smoothly. In my case they asked me both, the driving extract from the issuing authority as well as the experience letter from the auto insurance. It was after a few phone calls and explanations they realized that the driving abstract from the issuing authority from the US state should be more than enough. Usually they ask for atleast last 5 years, so if you have moved states in the US within last 5 years you might also want to get the abstract from the other states where you previously held the license in.

 

[yodheydhara]

Guys, I have a friend coming from India and he has more than 23 months of driving experience there. He has also got the abstract from the licensing authority in India. Couple of questions:
1) My friend plans to live with me and will be sharing my car until he gets settled. Can I get him added as a driver on my insurance? If yes, would there be any specific requirements apart from the Ontario license and the abstract?
2) Given the fact that myself and my spouse are already registered drivers for my car, would there be any restrictions on the no of drivers that you can have on a vehicle?

 

[yodheydhara]

Also, is there any specific format or specific content that is expected in the drivers abstract document?

 

[yodheydhara]

Guys any suggestions on my question above?

 

[GargiS]

In Ontario, one needs to be at least 16 years old to get the full “graduate” driving license. The process is divided in 3 parts: G1 Knowledge Test, G2 Road Test and G Road Test.

G1 Knowledge Test:
Usually, there are 20 questions from traffic rules and 20 questions from traffic signs. You need to correct 16 from each set of 20 to pass the test. There is no appointment required, one can just walk-in to the nearest drive test centre and take the test. It’s a pencil-paper based test at most locations, not time-limited and marked immediately. One can take the test as many times as he needs to pass. [certain restrictions apply to G1 license holder]

G2 Road Test:
After passing G1 Knowledge Test, one needs to wait minimum of 12 months (can be shortened to 8 months if taken MTO approved driving course) before taking G2 Road Test. These 12 months are meant for applicants to learn and practice driving under supervision of a G license holder who has at least 4 years of driving experience. G2 Road Test, otherwise called “City test”, is normally 20 min long which involves regular city driving, multiple left-right turns, lane changes, going through intersections, stopping at red signal/stop sign, emergency stop, 3-point turn, normal/parallel parking etc. The G2 license is 5-year valid within which you need to take G Road Test. [certain restrictions apply to G2 license holder]

G Road Test:
There is again a mandatory 12-month waiting period after G1 Road Test to qualify for G Road Test. This test is usually 30-min long which covers everything from G1 Road Test plus driving on highway.

Vision Test:
Each time you pass a test and apply for your certain level of license, your vision will be tested. It evaluates your visual acuity and peripheral vision. It only takes a few minutes and involve looking into a piece of equipment at a DriveTest Centre. If you need corrective lens/glasses, you may need to use them which will be imprinted on back of your license.


Foreign Exchange/Credits:
If you have valid driving license from certain countries, you may directly exchange for Ontario Driving License. The list of countries with whom Ontario has a license exchange agreement has: US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, France, Japan, Korea & Taiwan.
If your country is not in the above list but have a valid foreign license with some experience, you may be eligible for some credits provided you have:

• A valid driving license with an expiry date
• You’re over 16 years old
• Can show proper identification (i.e. passport, CoPR etc.)
• Can show official letter of authentication/ driver’s abstract (less than 6 months old) from your country’s licensing authority/embassy which clearly states number of years of experience
• Any document that is not in English/French needs to be translated by a certified translator

The credits will be determined basically on your foreign driving experience (number of years). The following table will make you understand better:

	< 12 months	12 – 23 months	> 23 months
G1 Test	Must	Must	Must
G2 Test	12 months waiting minus	Can be taken anytime post-G1	Can be waived
	any credited experience
G Test	12 months waiting post-G2	12 months waiting post-G2	Can be taken anytime post-G1
			(but if you fail, you will need to take both G2 & G)
Vision Test	Must	Must	Must

Ref:
1) Licensing process
2) License exchange/credits
3) All licensing fees
4) MTO Driver's Handbook
- Online version
- Downloable PDF version
5) Learning resources
6) MTO approved driving schools
7) Ontario Highway Traffic Act
8 ) Instructions for new drivers


Auto Insurance Discounts:

• Having G license
• Age over 25
• Experienced driver
• Accident-free, claim-free record
• MTO approved driving course
• Alumni from Canadian college/univ
• Member of certain professional associations
• Bundling auto with home/other insurances
• Certain vehicle type

- A family car will have low premium than a luxury/sports car
- Cars which are stolen more often will have high premium rate
- Most aftermarket mod done to the car will have high premium rate
- It’s commonly believed that newer vehicle will have high premium rate
- Extra security feature installed may benefit you with slightly lower premium

• Coverage type

- Full > Comprehensive > Liability
- High deductible amount
- If you lease/finance your car, you may have to get Full Coverage
- If you buy an older car, you may just want to have Liability Coverage
- Adding other family members to current insurance will increase premiums

• Individual driving routine

- Daily commute to work/school will have slightly higher premiums
- Parking conditions during day and night (closed garage, secured/monitored lot vs open/public space etc.)
- Shorter driving distance for daily commute and yearly mileage

• ***Location

- Major cities will have much higher premium as rate of accidents/vandalism/theft is high
- For example, insurance premium may double or more in Toronto than in Windsor[/color]


Note: Please follow official website of MTO and DriveTest for authentic information.

Hi @Rossei , Thanks for the detailed post. It really helps to understand DL procedures in Ontario.

I am planning to land in Toronto in April 18. I do have a driving license in my home country but I got it really really long back ( ie in 1999). However, I really haven't driven much as I was always lucky to get a driver. Looking at your post I can see that my country ie India is not in the list and I will have to probably work out the list of those documents enlisted by you , to see if I can get any time waiver for writing G1 and G2 tests.

I have 2 queries on the document list you have mentioned and few other queries as follows :

1) Among the list of documents that you have listed, could you pls clarify these 2 items :
a) A valid driving license with an expiry date : Does this DL need to have the address same as my passport or it could be my temporary address at the time of getting the DL long back?

b) What exactly is this document: "official letter of authentication/ driver’s abstract (less than 6 months old) from your country’s licensing authority/embassy which clearly states number of years of experience" . What is the exact content of these documents and what exactly the meaning? Also, Is there any format for these as per Canadian/Ontario requirement or is it given by local licensing authority as per their local formats? Can you pls help me understand this. I am getting a bit confused.

2) Other queries:
a) I heard there is something called "International Driving license". If I get this from my home country (India) , can I use it for driving in Canada? I am planning to land in end of April 2018.
b) Since I hardly have actually driven inspite of having a license for so many years in my home country, just wanted to take advise, if I should enroll for Ontario's driving classes properly ( however this seems like a long wait to get a G license ) or try to get some concession on time by arranging for these certificates/documents. Also, do have have any idea about the costs of taking full course in Ontario?
c) Also, is there any government link/website where I can read Ontario DL process in detail?

Thanks.

Regards,
G

 

[rnimk]

In addition to what asnight mentioned, please try and get the driving history from your current auto insurance company as well. This will help in getting the auto insurance more smoothly. In my case they asked me both, the driving extract from the issuing authority as well as the experience letter from the auto insurance. It was after a few phone calls and explanations they realized that the driving abstract from the issuing authority from the US state should be more than enough. Usually they ask for atleast last 5 years, so if you have moved states in the US within last 5 years you might also want to get the abstract from the other states where you previously held the license in.

I got the driving history in October 2017, but I did't get anything from auto insurance company. Since I have no car in my name, I think I should be okay on the front. I have had a license since December 2012. I think I just completed 5 years. But my NJ license was only from March 2013. I am in Toronto are and I still have to go to a service Ontario or which ever place they do this. My abstract is dated on Oct 2017. I just hope its not too old for them.

 

[yodheydhara]

I got the driving history in October 2017, but I did't get anything from auto insurance company. Since I have no car in my name, I think I should be okay on the front. I have had a license since December 2012. I think I just completed 5 years. But my NJ license was only from March 2013. I am in Toronto are and I still have to go to a service Ontario or which ever place they do this. My abstract is dated on Oct 2017. I just hope its not too old for them.

I believe that should be okay. My driving record was done in August 2017. I moved here in August end, and I applied to DL in September end.