BC driver's licence for newcomers: exchange your licence or take the ICBC tests

How long you can drive on your foreign licence

ICBC says you have 90 days to switch your valid licence to a BC driver's licence. During that time your current licence is valid for driving in BC. You must be a BC resident to apply for or hold a BC licence.

The 90-day rule does not apply to everyone. ICBC lists these exceptions.

• You are visiting as a tourist for up to six months.
• You hold a valid student exemption while studying full time at a designated BC institution.
• You are ordinarily resident outside BC.
• You are a Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program worker, who can drive for up to 12 months on a home licence.

Where you can exchange your licence

ICBC waives knowledge and road testing for licences from every Canadian province and territory, and for passenger and motorcycle licences from most U.S. states. It also lists the countries below as licence exchange jurisdictions and says it waives knowledge testing for passenger licences and most motorcycle licences from them.

• Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany and Ireland.
• Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey.
• Japan, New Zealand and Switzerland.
• The Netherlands, except the former Antilles territories (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten).
• South Korea and Taiwan (not motorcycles).
• The United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) and the United States (including Washington DC and Puerto Rico).

The two-year rule and graduated licensing

Exchanging is only part of the picture. ICBC needs proof of at least two years of driving experience with a full-privilege, non-learner licence to exempt you from BC's Graduated Licensing Program (GLP). If you do not have two years, or cannot prove it, you can still get a Class 7 (novice) or Class 8 licence with graduated licensing restrictions.

For insurance, ICBC credits up to 15 years of driving experience once it receives an acceptable driving record showing the date you were first licensed. Your premiums are adjusted for your first three years of driving in BC.

Proving your driving experience

At your ICBC appointment, bring one of these: an original, current driver's licence from the issuing authority that shows at least two years of experience or the date of your first licence, or an original driver licence record or letter of experience showing at least two years. You can combine documents from more than one country to reach two years.

• Originals only. Photocopies and email printouts are not accepted, unless the licensing body has approved and stamped the copy.
• The letter must be signed by, or on the letterhead of, a licensing body ICBC can verify, with its name, address and phone number.
• It must show your name, birth date, licence number or other unique identifier, licence class or classes, and the date your licence was first issued.
• Emailed records cannot be used for a GLP exemption. Records sent later to adjust insurance credit are accepted by email or fax only from certain countries, directly from the licensing body, and can take up to 30 days.

Translation of your licence and documents

Translation rules depend on the country that issued your licence. For some countries, ICBC may only ask for a translation if your licence has non-English characters, has no pictures of the vehicles you are allowed to drive, or is a paper document with written vehicle descriptions. ICBC decides when a translation is needed.

Translations must be done by an ICBC-approved translator, from the original document or a stamped approved copy, and you present both at the office. Translator fees vary, so contact the translator directly. If a translation is needed, ICBC puts your application on hold until it is done.

No exchange: knowledge test, road test, L and N

If your country is not on the exchange list, you can still apply, but you take a knowledge test and a road test. Book a knowledge test appointment; at the same visit ICBC records your ID and driving experience. Bring accepted ID, your current licence, the fees and your proof of experience.

1. Knowledge test: 50 multiple-choice questions on road signs and rules of the road; you need 40 right to pass. Class 5 to 8 tests are offered in 12 languages, and ICBC offers free phone interpretation in 170 languages. Study the Learn to Drive Smart guide first.
2. Road test: once you pass the knowledge test, book your road test (the ICBC steps for newcomers describe the Class 5 road test). Bring another qualified driver in case you do not pass. If you fail a required road test, ICBC issues you a BC learner licence and does not return your previous licence.
3. Without two years of experience, you go through graduated licensing: a learner (L) licence with a supervisor and the L sign, then the Class 7 road test for your novice (N) licence. The minimum learner period differs between ICBC pages: Get your L says 12 months if you are under 25 and 9 months if you are 25 or older, while Get your N still says 12 months. Confirm with ICBC before you book.
4. Since October 19, 2026, N drivers with a clean record no longer take a second road test. A Driving Record Assessment replaces it: at least 24 months of safe driving if you are under 25 (18 months with an approved GLP course), or 12 months if you are 25 or older, with no excessive speed or electronic device convictions and no prohibitions or suspensions. You then hold a Class 5 licence with a 12-month restriction period.

ICBC fees for newcomers

These amounts come from the ICBC fee table. Offices accept cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, debit and personal cheques.

Common mistakes newcomers make

Most delays at ICBC come from timing and paperwork. Watch for these.

• Waiting until day 80. You need to pass the knowledge test first and then wait for a road test slot.
• Bringing a photocopy or an email printout instead of an original letter of experience.
• Forgetting that every licence you hold is surrendered, and that a failed road test leaves you with a learner licence.
• Getting a translation from someone who is not an ICBC-approved translator.
• Driving as an N while touching a phone. N drivers cannot use electronic devices except to call 911.
• We don't provide legal opinions; for advice on your file, contact an RCIC-verified consultant or a lawyer.