Photo: Derek Hatfield, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Can international students drive in Canada? Usually yes, on a valid licence from home, for a limited time or for as long as you study. The rules are provincial, so they change at each border. This guide sets out how long a home licence and International Driving Permit (IDP) last in each province, when you have to switch, and how to start a learner’s licence if you have never driven.
Key facts
- Several provinces let full-time students keep driving on their home licence while they study, including BC (with a student exemption), Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec.
- Ontario lets visitors drive on a valid home licence for up to 3 months. After that, a visitor from another country needs an IDP from home, which cannot be obtained once you are in Canada.
- If you settle as a resident, you must exchange your licence within the deadline: 60 days in Ontario, 90 in BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
- Whatever licence you use, the car must be insured for you to drive it.
How long can you drive on a foreign licence? Province by province
| Province or territory | Visitors | Full-time students | New residents must exchange within |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Up to 3 months on a valid home licence. Over 3 months, carry an IDP from your home country as well | No separate student rule published; the visitor rules apply | 60 days |
| British Columbia | Up to 6 months as a tourist | Can keep driving on your licence with a valid student exemption (full-time at a designated BC institution) | 90 days |
| Alberta | Up to one year. Carry an IDP if your licence is not in English | Can keep your home licence while studying at an accredited Alberta institution or in a co-op program | 90 days |
| Saskatchewan | Same privileges as at home, except Class 1 | Full-time students at approved institutions (and their immediate family) do not have to exchange | 90 days |
| Quebec | Check with SAAQ | SAAQ material says students and trainees can drive on a valid licence of the right class during their studies, and should be able to prove student status if asked. Confirm with SAAQ | Up to six consecutive months of driving on a valid licence |
| Prince Edward Island | Check with Access PEI | Check with Access PEI | Up to 120 days |
| Northwest Territories | Check with Driver and Vehicle Services | Students at NWT institutions are exempt from the rule that Canadians staying over 90 days must switch | 30 days |
| Other provinces and territories | Ask the licensing office | Ask the licensing office | Ask the licensing office before you arrive |
As of November 2026. Your licence must be valid and of the right class for the vehicle. A licence that is not in English or French may need a translation or IDP.
When do you have to switch to a provincial licence?
- Your status changes to resident. For example, you get permanent residence, finish your studies and stay to work, or stop studying full time. The new-resident deadline then applies.
- Your home licence expires. Renew it at home, or apply for a provincial licence.
- You want a licence for ID or for insurance reasons. Many students choose to exchange anyway. You surrender your home licence when you do. You cannot hold two.
Whether you exchange without tests depends on your country. Ontario, BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec each keep a list of countries they have agreements with. If yours is not on the list, you take the knowledge and road tests, and you may get credit for past experience. Since 1 July 2026, Ontario lets applicants from countries without an agreement claim up to 12 months of foreign driving experience. Details: exchanging a foreign or out-of-province licence.
Never driven? Getting a learner’s licence as a student
You enter graduated licensing like anyone else: pass a knowledge and vision test, then drive under learner rules. Immigration documents are usually accepted as ID:
- Ontario: a study or work permit is listed as acceptable ID for the G1 test.
- British Columbia: most Government of Canada immigration documents count as primary ID, but you also need secondary ID.
- Saskatchewan: your licence can be set to expire when your immigration documents do.
- Everywhere: bring originals, not copies, and check the current ID list before you go.
Minimum learner stages still apply, so a one-year program may not be long enough to reach the road test. Plan with your province’s timeline in learning to drive in Canada.
Insurance and renting a car as a newcomer
- Driving someone else’s car: the owner’s insurer must know you drive it. Insurers rate each driver separately, and some may treat foreign experience differently. Ask before you drive.
- Bringing a car to BC: students with a vehicle registered and insured in another Canadian province or the US apply for ICBC’s student exemption within 30 days of arriving. The fee is $30, and you need an enrolment letter and proof of insurance.
- Buying a car: you register and insure it in your province. In BC, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, basic insurance comes from the public insurer. See car insurance for new drivers in Canada.
- Renting: rental companies set their own minimum age and licence rules. Check the terms before you book, and carry your IDP if your province expects one.
Common questions
Do I need an International Driving Permit in Canada?
It depends where you are. Ontario requires one for visitors from another country staying over 3 months. Alberta recommends one if your licence is not in English. Get it in your home country before you leave.
Can I drive in Canada on my home licence for my whole degree?
In BC (with a student exemption), Alberta, Saskatchewan and, per SAAQ material, Quebec, generally yes, while you remain a full-time student. In Ontario, the visitor rules apply. Check with your province.
Can I get a G1 in Ontario on a study permit?
Yes. A study permit is on Ontario’s accepted ID list for the knowledge test, and then the normal G1 rules apply.
Will my driving experience from home count?
Sometimes. Countries with an exchange agreement can skip tests, and Ontario now credits up to 12 months for other countries. Bring proof of experience, such as a driving record from home.
Can I drive in the US on my Canadian learner’s licence?
See driving in the US on a Canadian learner or novice licence.
What if I move to another province mid-degree?
Check the student rules in the new province. Your licence stage may be treated differently there: see driving in another province on a learner or novice licence.
Related: new to Ontario, moving to BC, exchanging a foreign licence in Quebec.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, “Drive in Ontario: visitors”, updated 14 May 2021 (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “Exchange a foreign driver’s licence” and “Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: getting your driver’s licence” (ontario.ca)
- ICBC, “Moving from outside Canada” (icbc.com)
- ICBC, “Moving to B.C.” (icbc.com)
- ICBC, “Insurance for students, military personnel and tourists” (icbc.com)
- Government of Alberta, “Exchange non-Alberta licences” (alberta.ca)
- SGI, “Saskatchewan Driver’s Handbook: driver’s licence” (sgi.sk.ca)
- Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec, “Canadian or foreign student or trainee” and “Valid driver’s licence” (saaq.gouv.qc.ca)
- Government of Prince Edward Island, “Driver’s Handbook”, February 2022 (princeedwardisland.ca)
- Government of the Northwest Territories, “NWT Driver’s Manual” (inf.gov.nt.ca)