Licence Exchanges & Foreign Licence Applications

NEW: Starting July 1, 2026, drivers from jurisdictions that do not have driver’s licence exchange agreements with Ontario can get a maximum of 12 months of verified foreign driving experience and must complete the G2 road test followed by the G road test at least 12 months later.

Note:

Licence Exchanges & Foreign Licence Applications

Any new resident with a driver’s licence from another province or country must apply for an Ontario driver’s licence within 60 days.

When you move to Ontario and become a resident of Ontario, you can use a valid licence from another province, state or country for 60 days. After 60 days, you need to apply for an Ontario driver’s licence (DL). Once you obtain an Ontario driver’s licence you must use your Ontario DL and can no longer use your foreign licence to drive in Ontario.

To get a full licence, you must meet certain requirements. The process depends on:

• Where you were previously licensed and if your jurisdiction has a licence exchange agreement with Ontario
• The class of licence you currently hold
• How long you have been driving (your driving experience)

Visiting Ontario?

If you are visiting Ontario for less than 3 months, use a valid driver’s licence from your own province, state, or country. You do not need to visit a DriveTest Centre while you are here, but you must have a vehicle permit and insurance and must follow Ontario’s rules of the road. The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook explains Ontario’s traffic laws and driving customs.

If you are visiting from another country for more than 3 months, you should get an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) from your own country to accompany your driver’s licence before you arrive in Canada. DriveTest does not issue International Driver’s Permits.

You may exchange or apply for an Ontario licence at ANY DriveTest Centre on a walk-in basis.

Please note that appointments to exchange your driver’s licence from another province or country, or to apply for a G1 licence with foreign experience, are available at the following sites. To receive guaranteed service, you must schedule a licence exchange appointment at these locations. Walk-in wait times at these locations may be extended.

Overview – Licences for Out-of-Province and Out-of-Country Drivers

Ontario has licence exchange agreements with each Canadian province and territory, all U.S. States, the Canadian Armed Forces and certain foreign countries.

If you have moved from one of these jurisdictions, you may be eligible for a direct licence exchange without entering into the graduated licence system. However, if you have a learner’s permit or a licence from a jurisdiction which does not have an exchange agreement, you will be required to enter the graduated licensing system. Effective July 1, 2026, if you are a driver from a jurisdiction that does not have an exchange agreement with Ontario you may get up to a maximum of 12 months of non-reciprocal driving experience credits. You will be required to complete both the Class G2 and G road tests. Your experience cannot be used to reduce the mandatory waiting period between the G2 and G road tests.

You can exchange an out-of-province licence for an Ontario licence, if you are re-locating from:

• any Canadian province or territory
• Canadian Armed Forces
• U.S. States (does not include U.S. protectorates or U.S. territories)
• Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Denmark, the Isle of Man, Japan, Kosovo, South Korea, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine.

When You Can’t Exchange

You cannot exchange:
• a learner’s permit from any jurisdiction
• a licence from a jurisdiction not noted above
• a licence cancelled for specific reasons such as but not limited to alcohol related offences or demerit points, a prohibited licence or licence under suspension for Criminal Code offences
• a motorcycle licence class from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britian, Hungary, Isle of Man, Japan, Kosovo, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Korea, Taiwan, Ukraine.
• a commercial licence class issued outside of Canada (you may be eligible for a Class G/GM based on the class you hold and the jurisdiction you are from)
• A driving instructor or school bus (Class B or E) licence from any jurisdiction

You may get credit for your previous driving experience if you are not able to exchange your driver’s licence. Experience credits vary based on the length of time you have held your licence.

Note: Eligibility if you applied before an exchange agreement

If you applied for an Ontario driver’s licence before your jurisdiction entered into a driver’s licence exchange agreement with Ontario, you are not eligible for a Class G licence exchange if:

• you failed a knowledge test or road test
• you still have not passed that same class of test

You are eligible for a Class G licence exchange if:

• you later passed any failed knowledge or road tests
• you meet all of the other licence exchange requirements

Eligibility

The driver’s licence application process for new residents of Ontario varies depending on:

• Where you are relocating from
• The type of licence you currently hold
• The documentation and/or identification you can provide
• The number of years of experience you have driving

The application process will include the following eligibility requirements for ALL drivers:

• In Ontario, you must be at least 16 years of age to drive legally. It is strongly recommended that all new residents and new drivers read The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook prior to driving on Ontario roads. Each driver’s handbook contains information on the rules of the road and safe driving practices for that vehicle type.

• All drivers must meet basic medical standards to operate a motor vehicle. You will be asked to declare your medical fitness during your application. If you are applying for a commercial (truck or bus) driver’s licence you must meet Medical, vision and hearing standards for commercial drivers and submit a valid Medical Report Form completed by a physician, specialist or nurse practitioner licensed to practice in Ontario before being granted a commercial licence.

• There are mandatory vision standards you must meet in order to drive. You will need to pass a vision test when you apply for your licence.

Where to Visit to Complete an Exchange

You may exchange or apply for an Ontario licence at any DriveTest Centre or ServiceOntario College Park, located at 777 Bay Street Lower Level, Toronto, ON M7A 2J3, because of the tests required.

Alternate ServiceOntario locations do not issue licences for new Ontario residents and will not be able to process your request.

Exchange Requirements

The documents requested during your visit include:

• an original acceptable identity document(s) proving your legal name and complete date of birth including the day, month and year. If there is any variation in the names on the legal identification you present and the name that appears on your licence, you will need to provide acceptable ID or documentation (e.g., marriage certificate; change of name or divorce certificate; or court order) to link your records.

• an original acceptable identity document(s) proving your legal name and complete date of birth including the day, month and year

• an original, valid out of province/foreign driver’s licence

• a supporting document, authentication letter or abstract showing additional driving experience (if required)

• a translation from an MTO-recognized translator of your driver’s licence and/or supporting documents if not in English or French and not accompanied by a Consulate, Embassy or High Commissioner’s Office authentication document

All original supporting documentation related to your driving experience such as driving history/abstract/authentication letters or translations will be retained. Please photocopy for your records prior to your visit, if required. DriveTest does not offer photocopying or fax services.

Canadian military DND 404 permit holders (both active and retired members) may have driver’s licence testing requirements waived. Drivers with a DND 404 permit and a valid licence (within the last 3 years) issued by another Canadian licensing jurisdiction may be eligible, with appropriate documentation, for Ontario licence classes A, C, D, F, G, and Z endorsement without testing and without surrendering their permit. See the Waived Testing Requirements for DND 404 Holders page for details.

Commercial Licences – Restrictions and Equivalency

Ontario only exchanges commercial classes A, C, D and F licences with other Canadian jurisdictions. Class B or E (school bus) licences do not have an equivalent class in Ontario, and will be exchanged for the next highest class you are entitled to hold. Air brake endorsements from Quebec are also not exchanged in Ontario, the driver must take the applicable testing here to obtain an airbrake endorsement. U.S. and foreign countries that have an exchange agreement with Ontario are only eligible for Class G or GM licences, depending on the jurisdiction.

To obtain a commercial licence from these jurisdictions requires additional testing is required once your exchange application is processed.

Effective July 1, 2017, applicants who wish to exchange their Class 1 licence from another Canadian jurisdiction for an Ontario Class A licence, must provide proof that they have held the Class 1 licence for at least 24 months in the last three years or provide proof of completion of Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador or Saskatchewan. Proof can be provided by showing a driver’s licence card with the Class 1 issue date clearly listed or a driver’s abstract with Class 1 information and/or MELT completion. DriveTest may be able to obtain MELT information directly from your jurisdiction’s database by completing an Interprovincial Record Exchange (IRE) enquiry during your visit. However, in the event you are unsure if your MELT training notation is listed on your record, contact the issuing jurisdiction prior to your visit to avoid being turned away.

See the Licence Exchanges – Commercial Vehicles page for more information.

Proof of Driving Experience

When you visit a DriveTest Centre to apply for a licence, you must bring your current driver’s licence, acceptable ID, and possibly a letter of authentication or a driver’s abstract issued within the last six months to confirm the status of your licence and length of driving experience.

To be eligible for an exchange or credit towards an Ontario licence, an out-of-province or out-of-country driver’s licence needs to be in English or French, original, and valid. If your driver’s licence is not in English or French, regardless of jurisdiction, it must be accompanied by a written translation from a qualified translator.

Ideally, your licence will also display an issue date or visible expiry date; and for a licence exchange applicant to receive a Class G or higher, must show at least 2 years of driving experience in a full class equivalent in the last three years. An applicant wishing to obtain driving credit from a foreign licence (non exchange) who does not have an issue date or an expiry date (not both) is still able to receive up to 12 months of driving experience credit upon application.

Jurisdictions without an Exchange Agreement

Drivers from jurisdictions where Ontario does not have an exchange agreement can receive up to a maximum of 12 months of driving experience credit by presenting a valid, foreign driver’s licence. Drivers with at least 12 months of credited experience may take the Class G2 road test immediately followed by a mandatory minimum 12month waiting period between the G2 and G road tests. The mandatory waiting period cannot be reduced for drivers from jurisdictions that do not have an exchange agreement with Ontario.

Drivers looking to obtain credit for more driving experience than what appears on their foreign driver’s licence (up to a maximum of 12 months) must also provide acceptable documentation, an official letter issued within the last six (6) months by the licensing jurisdiction, the Consulate, Embassy or High Commissioner’s Office representing the jurisdiction. The letter and licence must be in English or French or accompanied by a translation from an MTO-recognized translator. The letter of authentication must contain specific features and details related to your driving experience in order to be accepted.

For example, if a driver’s foreign licence was issued only 6 months before they apply for an Ontario licence, but they have more than 6 months of total driving experience in that jurisdiction, they must provide an acceptable letter of authentication to receive credit for their full driving experience (up to a maximum of 12 months).

Jurisdictions with an Exchange Agreement

For Canadian jurisdictions and many U.S. states, DriveTest can retrieve information from the issuing authority during an Interprovincial Record Exchange enquiry (IRE). This information may not always reflect the first date licensed and in some cases a driver’s abstract or authentication document may be required to obtain a Class G/M licence or higher and complete the exchange. To avoid repeat visits, reach out to the issuing jurisdiction to obtain a letter of authentication outlining your previous experience. Drivers can also provide their previous (expired) driver’s licence cards to satisfy the requirement of continuous licensing experience. To use previous driver’s licence cards there must not be a gap of more than 12 months from the issue and expiry date of each previous card.

Drivers from certain eligible jurisdictions and those with U.S. records that are not accessible using an Interprovincial Record Exchange enquiry (IRE) will be required to provide a letter of authentication outlining their previous experience based on their jurisdictions licence exchange agreement.

We do not accept documentation from insurance companies or third-party verification websites.

Driving Experience for Protected Persons, Refugees and People from Ukraine

Ontario will credit a maximum of one year of foreign driving experience for protected persons, refugees, and people from Ukraine who cannot provide an original and valid driver’s licence to help them get their driver’s licence sooner.

Protected persons and Refugee claimants who are unable to present their foreign driver’s license because it was seized by the Canada Border Services Agency may present a certified true copy of their seized driver’s license stamped by the Canada Border Services Agency. If they are unable to present their foreign DL or photocopy of their DL, they may also complete a self-declaration to state the amount of their foreign driving experience, which will be applied to their new Ontario driver record. Drivers that complete the self-declaration may receive up to a maximum of 12 months driving experience credit and must complete all testing, including vision, knowledge and both G2 and G road tests. The experience declared cannot be used to reduce the mandatory waiting period between the G2 and G road tests.

If the foreign driver’s licence, or the stamped photocopy is used to apply experience, it can be expired up to one year at the time of application and must be in English or French or must comply with current document translation requirements. The foreign driver’s licence must be from the country of citizenship.

At the time of application, the applicant must provide one of the following original documents in order to be eligible to present a stamped photocopy of their foreign driver’s licence or self-declaration:

• Acknowledgement of Claim and Notice to Return for Interview
• Refugee Protection Claimant Document
• Notice of Decision
• Verification of Status
• All other identification requirements proving the applicant’s legal name and date of birth must still be met.

Individuals from Ukraine who cannot provide a foreign driver’s licence are also eligible to complete the self-declaration to state the amount of their foreign driving experience, which will be applied to their new Ontario driver record. Drivers that complete the self-declaration may receive up to a maximum of 12 months driving experience credit and must complete all testing, including vision, knowledge and both G2 and G road tests. The experience declared cannot be used to reduce the mandatory waiting period between the G2 and G road tests. Experience credits vary based on the length of time you have held your licence.

At the time of application, the applicant must provide their Ukrainian Passport and valid Visa, and all other identification requirements proving the applicant’s legal name and date of birth must still be met.

Identification, Drivers’ Abstracts, and Letters of Authentication

An acceptable driver’s abstract or letter of authentication must have the following features. The document may have various titles when requesting an appropriate letter so be sure it includes all of the following:

• Issued within the last 6 months (issue date must be included on document)

• Issued by the licensing authority, Consulate, Embassy or High Commissioner’s Office representing the jurisdiction

• Must be original or electronically provided (no faxes, photocopies or scanned documents). If sent electronically, the document must be printed and given to staff as a paper copy.

• The letter and licence must be in English or French or accompanied by a translation from an MTO-recognized translator.

• Must contain the driver’s full name OR licence number for licences from an exchangeable jurisdiction

• Must contain a letterhead, logo, emblem or coat of arms from the issuing government body or licensing authority

• Date first licensed

• Date of birth (if field exists on abstract)

• Licence class(es)

• Licence status

• Expiry date

To receive a full class G /M licence on exchange from the applicable list of countries and Canadian provinces, you must show at least 2 years of driving experience in a full class equivalent in the last three years. If you do not have proof of the required time, your licence will be exchanged as a novice class, and you will be required to complete graduated licensing in Ontario. Wait times for testing may apply depending on your driving experience credits.

If you are from a country without an exchange agreement, Ontario may credit you with up to a maximum of 12 months of driving experience based on the experience you can provide at the time of application.

Applicants with less than 12 months of credited driving experience must complete Ontario’s graduated licensing requirements and serve the applicable waiting periods before becoming eligible for the G2 and G road tests. Experience credits vary based on the length of time you have held your licence.

For details:

The application process varies for those pursuing a car, motorcycle, or commercial licence:

Licence Exchanges for Drivers of Cars, Vans, and Small Trucks

Licence Exchanges for Drivers of Motorcycles

Licence Exchanges for Drivers of Commercial Vehicles

Foreign Licence Experience Credits