New residents

When you move to Ontario, you can use a valid licence from another province, state or country for 60 days. After 60 days, you need to switch to an Ontario driver’s licence.

To get a full licence, you need to 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)

Exchange a driver’s licence

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, South Korea, Kosovo, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Switzerland, Taiwan or Ukraine

When you can’t exchange

You cannot exchange:

  • a learner's permit from any jurisdiction
  • a licence from a jurisdiction not noted as eligible
  • a licence cancelled for certain specific reasons including, 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, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britian, Hungary, Isle of Man, Kosovo, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Korea, Taiwan or Ukraine
  • a commercial licence class issued outside of Canada (you may be eligible for a Class G or 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 might still be able to fast-track and get credit for previous driving experience.

You need to provide the right documents, when you apply for an Ontario driver’s licence.

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 test at the same level

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

Learn more about:

Proof of driving experience from countries without exchange agreements

Effective July 1, 2026, you can can obtain credit for up to one year of driving experience, by showing a valid, original foreign driver’s licence and authentication document.

The authentication document must:

  • be an official letter from the foreign government or agency that issued the driver’s licence
  • confirm that the driver’s licence is authentic
  • be written in English or French

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

If your existing licence is from a jurisdiction that does not have a driver’s licence exchange agreement with Ontario you will need to:

  1. successfully complete the vision test, knowledge test and G2 road test
  2. wait at least 12 months before attempting the G road test
  3. successfully complete the G road test

You do not need a letter if you are exchanging a novice licence from another province.

How to apply

To switch your licence for an Ontario driver’s licence, you need to apply in-person at:

You need to:

  • take a vision test
  • bring originals of your accepted identity documents showing your legal name and date of birth
  • bring your original, valid out-of-province/foreign driver’s licence
  • bring any original supporting documents that show proof of your driving experience in English or French
  • pay the applicable fees
  • fill out an application form (where you will state how long you have been driving)

You might also need to take a knowledge or road tests, before you get a full licence. It depends on your circumstances. Learn more about exchanging a foreign driver’s licence at DriveTest.

As of May 11, 2026, when you apply for your class G or class M licence, you will need to declare that:

  • Ontario is your primary place of residence
  • your presence in Canada is legal

Driving tests

You could need to take certain driving tests before you get a full driver’s licence. It depends on:

  • how long you have been driving
  • if the valid driver’s licence you have was issued in a country, province or state that does or does not have an exchange agreement in place with Ontario

Learn more about licence exchanges for drivers of:

Valid out-of-province or foreign driver's licences

An out-of-province or foreign driver’s licence needs to:

  • be valid
  • display a visible expiry date
  • be written in either English or French. If it is not, you need to get it translated by a certified translator. The translation must be current – dated within six months of when you apply for an Ontario licence.

Get a foreign driver’s licence translated

You need to bring your out-of-country driver’s licence to an approved translator.

Approved translators include: non-Canadian embassies, consulates, or a high commissioner’s office, but do not include other translators from the country where the licence was issued.

Translators must provide proof of their credentials.

A translator is qualified for clients in all Ontario regions to use, if they meet one of these requirements:

  • They have credentials that prove they are, or have been employed in translation services
  • They are, or have been a member of a professional association that provides translation services (such as ATIO, the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario)
  • They are a clergy member with experience as a translator