Photo: Adam Moss, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If you move to Ontario, you can drive on your valid licence from another province or country for 60 days. After that you need an Ontario licence. Whether you can simply exchange it, or must test, depends on where it was issued. From 1 July 2026, people from countries without an exchange agreement can also claim up to 12 months of foreign driving experience.
Key facts
- 60 days on your old licence after you move to Ontario.
- Exchange with no tests (other than vision) from any Canadian province or territory, any U.S. state and 19 other countries and territories.
- Everyone else: vision and knowledge tests for a G1, then road tests, with up to 12 months’ experience credit from 1 July 2026.
- Apply in person at a DriveTest centre or ServiceOntario at Bay and College in Toronto.
- Since 11 May 2026 you must declare that Ontario is your primary residence and that you are in Canada legally.
Visiting or moving? Which rules apply
| You are | What you need |
|---|---|
| A visitor staying under 3 months | A valid licence from home, insurance for the vehicle, and the vehicle permit (original or exact copy). You must be at least 16. |
| A visitor from another country staying over 3 months | An International Driver’s Permit from your home country. You cannot get one once you are in Ontario. |
| A new Ontario resident | Your valid licence for 60 days, then an Ontario licence. |
Can I exchange my licence in Ontario?
Ontario has exchange agreements with:
- every Canadian province and territory, and the Canadian Armed Forces
- U.S. states (not U.S. territories or protectorates)
- Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, the Isle of Man, Japan, Kosovo, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan and Ukraine
With an equivalent class of licence from one of these, you get a full Class G. If you have less than two years of total driving experience, the handbook says you get credit for your experience and enter Level Two (G2). Once you reach two years you can take the G road test.
What cannot be exchanged
- Learner’s permits from anywhere.
- Licences cancelled for reasons such as alcohol-related offences, demerit points or a prohibition, or suspended for a Criminal Code offence.
- Motorcycle classes from several listed countries, including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Ukraine.
- Commercial classes issued outside Canada (you may get a G or GM instead).
- Driving instructor and school bus (Class B or E) licences.
If you applied before your country signed its agreement and failed a test, you are not eligible for a G exchange until you pass that test at the same level.
Licences from countries without an agreement
- Bring your valid foreign licence and ID, and pay the fees.
- Pass a vision test and a knowledge test. You get a G1. Study with the G1 knowledge test guide.
- Claim experience credit (below) to shorten your G1 wait.
- Pass the G2 road test.
- Hold your G2 for at least 12 months, then pass the G road test.
The foreign experience credit from 1 July 2026
Since 1 July 2026, applicants from a jurisdiction without an exchange agreement can claim up to 12 months of driving experience by showing an original, valid foreign licence. Only experience from the past three years counts.
| Experience credited | What happens |
|---|---|
| 12 months | Take the G2 road test straight away. Then wait 12 months as a G2 before the G road test. |
| 6 months | Hold your G1 until you reach 12 months in total before the G2 test, or 8 months with an approved beginner driver education course. |
When you need a letter of authentication
Your licence card may show a recent issue date even though you have driven for longer. Example from ontario.ca: your licence was issued 6 months ago but you have more than 6 months of experience. To get full credit (up to 12 months) you need an authentication letter that:
- comes from your embassy, consulate or the licensing agency that issued the licence
- confirms the licence is authentic
- is dated within the previous 6 months
- is in English or French
What to bring to DriveTest
- Your original, valid out-of-province or foreign licence, with a visible expiry date.
- Original ID showing your legal name and date of birth, such as a passport, citizenship card or certain immigration documents. Photocopies and expired documents are refused.
- Original documents proving your driving experience, in English or French.
- A completed application form stating how long you have been driving.
- Payment for fees. Check the current amounts with DriveTest.
You also take a vision test. If your licence is not in English or French, bring a certified translation dated within six months. Ontario.ca lists who may translate; check it before you pay for one.
Common questions
How long can I drive in Ontario on my foreign licence?
As a new resident, 60 days. As a visitor, up to 3 months on your home licence, or longer with an International Driver’s Permit.
Do I have to take a road test to exchange a UK licence?
Great Britain and Northern Ireland are on Ontario’s exchange list, so an equivalent licence exchanges for a G. You still take a vision test. Less than two years’ experience puts you in Level Two.
My country is not on the list. Do I start from zero?
You start with the G1 knowledge test, but since 1 July 2026 you can claim up to 12 months of experience from the past three years, which can let you take the G2 road test straight away.
Can I exchange a learner’s permit?
No, not from any jurisdiction.
I have a novice licence from another province. What happens?
Ontario.ca says no authentication letter is needed for a novice licence from another province. Ask DriveTest which Ontario level you will enter.
Can I get an International Driver’s Permit after I arrive?
No. It must come from your home country before you travel.
Ontario guides: learning to drive in Ontario, booking a DriveTest road test, Ontario signs. Moving between provinces: exchanging a licence in Canada.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, “Exchange an out-of-province driver’s licence” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: Getting your driver’s licence” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “Get a G driver’s licence: new drivers” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “Drive in Ontario: visitors” (ontario.ca)