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Elige tu idioma

Ordered by where most newcomers to Canada come from. English is the default.
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Exchanging your driver's licence

Updated 2026-10-20Original en inglés
Published 2026-10-20Last checked 2026-10-30Language English
Aún no traducido. Se muestra el original en inglés.
If this page and the official page differ, the official page is right.

It depends on your province and your country

Driver's licences are issued by provinces, not by the federal government. Each province has a list of countries whose licences can be exchanged without a road test.

What to expect

  • If your country has an agreement, you can often exchange your licence after a vision test.
  • If not, you may need a knowledge test and road tests. Driving experience from abroad may count toward the full licence.
  • You can usually drive on your foreign licence for a short time after you arrive. The time limit depends on the province.

Bring

Your foreign licence, a certified translation if it is not in English or French, your immigration document and proof of address.

Read next

Elige tu zona

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Ontario
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Quebec · Quebec immigration programs are not covered
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