Switching UK for Ontario License

[crazywriter]

I realise I should have checked this before I left the UK. We did it with a short time frame and managed to get everything but license sorted out. Now I'm worried that I've missed something, so would really appreciate any help.

I'm a returning Canadian citizen to Sarnia, ON. Looking at switching my UK license to an Ontario one. Have 9 years driving experience but don't have this letter from the DVLA that I keep reading about online. Don't even know where I'm meant to get it, as when I then search for it I can't find anything online.

Does anyone know what this is and how to get it? Also, can I get it while in Canada or am I now scuppered and will have to go through tests over here? Will I even need it?

It's the Civic holiday so I'm a bit stuck until tomorrow when I can get up to DriveTest to find out, but I just wanted to get a few answers from those who have done it recently (keep pulling up threads from 2013 and earlier) since it has likely changed with the lack of paper counterpart to the license.

Thank you in advance!

 

[zardoz]

I realise I should have checked this before I left the UK. We did it with a short time frame and managed to get everything but license sorted out. Now I'm worried that I've missed something, so would really appreciate any help.

I'm a returning Canadian citizen to Sarnia, ON. Looking at switching my UK license to an Ontario one. Have 9 years driving experience but don't have this letter from the DVLA that I keep reading about online. Don't even know where I'm meant to get it, as when I then search for it I can't find anything online.

Does anyone know what this is and how to get it? Also, can I get it while in Canada or am I now scuppered and will have to go through tests over here? Will I even need it?

It's the Civic holiday so I'm a bit stuck until tomorrow when I can get up to DriveTest to find out, but I just wanted to get a few answers from those who have done it recently (keep pulling up threads from 2013 and earlier) since it has likely changed with the lack of paper counterpart to the license.

Thank you in advance!

If you have the UK photo card and paper counterpart, you do not need a letter from DVLA. I obtained one and it was completely ignored, as the UK licence already has all the required information on it.

 

[crazywriter]

Thanks for the reply.

I don't have a paper counterpart anymore. The last one I had was in my maiden name, so it would have been invalid when I got the new photocard license. Just been though and I didn't need the letter Even had my 9 years of driving credited to my license. Not sure if that will take my car insurance costs down but at least it's there for hubby so he can learn to drive in our car once he gets his provisional sorted out here.

 

[zardoz]

Thanks for the reply.

I don't have a paper counterpart anymore. The last one I had was in my maiden name, so it would have been invalid when I got the new photocard license. Just been though and I didn't need the letter Even had my 9 years of driving credited to my license. Not sure if that will take my car insurance costs down but at least it's there for hubby so he can learn to drive in our car once he gets his provisional sorted out here.

My 35+ years of previous UK experience made no difference to the insurance premiums. I was treated as having no Canadian driving history for insurance purposes.

 

[jc94]

I realise I should have checked this before I left the UK. We did it with a short time frame and managed to get everything but license sorted out. Now I'm worried that I've missed something, so would really appreciate any help.

I'm a returning Canadian citizen to Sarnia, ON. Looking at switching my UK license to an Ontario one. Have 9 years driving experience but don't have this letter from the DVLA that I keep reading about online. Don't even know where I'm meant to get it, as when I then search for it I can't find anything online.

Does anyone know what this is and how to get it? Also, can I get it while in Canada or am I now scuppered and will have to go through tests over here? Will I even need it?

It's the Civic holiday so I'm a bit stuck until tomorrow when I can get up to DriveTest to find out, but I just wanted to get a few answers from those who have done it recently (keep pulling up threads from 2013 and earlier) since it has likely changed with the lack of paper counterpart to the license.

Thank you in advance!

I transferred mine while the paper part was still in operation, they gave it back to me and said they don't want it. They send the plastic photocard back to the UK in case you ever want to change it back I think.

If you are in, say BC, a proof of no claims can lower your premium. Here in ON it doesn't seem to help (and I had a right hassle getting one!).

Just head down to ServiceOntario with your license, $80 and just in case a CopR/PR Card/some sort of proof of address. And if you need them, glasses or contacts, they want you to prove you can see but that's about it.

 

[foodie69]

My 35+ years of previous UK experience made no difference to the insurance premiums. I was treated as having no Canadian driving history for insurance purposes.

Wow..that sucks. I changed my Swiss licence and got instantly 35% discount with 25 years of driving. Now I am on 43%.

 

[jc94]

Wow..that sucks. I changed my Swiss licence and got instantly 35% discount with 25 years of driving. Now I am on 43%.

Which province? If ON please share provider!

State Farm quoted me over $600 a month and said it'd drop to $572 after 3 years! I have since found better quotes, but still several hundred a month.

 

[foodie69]

Which province? If ON please share provider!

State Farm quoted me over $600 a month and said it'd drop to $572 after 3 years! I have since found better quotes, but still several hundred a month.

No, I'm in Vancouver.. pay $145.00 a month

 

[zardoz]

By careful planning, multiple policy discounts and using the family broker, we eventually managed to get it down to about $115 a month now. Still way more than the UK for a similar vehicle and cover.

 

[jc94]

Yeah, BC has a provincial system that's generally at least 50% of Ontario costs. I know people in BC paying < $100 while someone very similar pays double, even outside the GTA.

It's an Ontario issue for sure, though even BC is far above UK costs, I paid about £30 a month there.

 

[foodie69]

Yeah, BC has a provincial system that's generally at least 50% of Ontario costs. I know people in BC paying < $100 while someone very similar pays double, even outside the GTA.

It's an Ontario issue for sure, though even BC is far above UK costs, I paid about £30 a month there.

Oh, absolutely. When I lived down under, I paid $300 full cover for a year!!