How long you can drive on your foreign licence
Ontario gives new residents 60 days. If you have a valid driver's licence from another province, state or country, you can use it for 60 days after you move to Ontario. To keep driving after that, you need an Ontario driver's licence.
Visitors are treated differently. Ontario's driver's handbook says a visitor needs a valid licence from their home province, state or country, and a visitor staying longer than 3 months also needs an international driver's permit from their own country. Visitors are not eligible for an Ontario licence. If you came as a permanent resident, worker or student and live here, plan on the 60-day rule.
Since May 11, 2026, anyone applying for a Class G or M licence must declare that Ontario is their primary place of residence and that their presence in Canada is legal.
Countries with a licence exchange agreement
Ontario lists these jurisdictions as eligible for a licence exchange. If your licence comes from one of them and you hold an equivalent class, the handbook says you can receive a full Class G licence.
- 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 and the Isle of Man.
- Japan, South Korea, Kosovo, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Switzerland, Taiwan and Ukraine.
| You hold | What Ontario says |
|---|---|
| Learner permit from anywhere | Cannot be exchanged |
| Motorcycle class from most overseas exchange countries | Cannot be exchanged (the list on ontario.ca names them) |
| Commercial class issued outside Canada | Cannot be exchanged; you may qualify for Class G or GM |
| Driving instructor or school bus licence (Class B or E) | Cannot be exchanged from any jurisdiction |
| Licence suspended or prohibited for Criminal Code offences | Cannot be exchanged |
Exchange with less than two years of experience
Coming from an exchange country does not always mean a full G on day one. The handbook says that if you have fewer than two years of driving experience, you may get credit for that experience and enter Level Two (G2) of graduated licensing. Once you reach a total of two years of driving experience, you can take the Level Two road test to earn full driving privileges.
Ontario also notes that you might need a knowledge or road test before a full licence, depending on how long you have been driving and where your licence was issued. If you applied for an Ontario licence before your jurisdiction signed its exchange agreement and failed a knowledge or road test, ontario.ca says you are not eligible for a Class G exchange until you have passed that test at the same level.
No exchange agreement: G1, G2 and credit for experience
If your country is not on the list, you enter graduated licensing. You show a valid foreign licence, provide acceptable proof of identity, pay the fees and pass a vision test and a knowledge test to get a G1.
Starting July 1, 2026, Ontario lets applicants from non-exchange jurisdictions claim a maximum of 12 months of driving experience by showing an original, valid foreign licence and an authentication document. Only experience within the past three years counts. The authentication letter matters most when your licence card is newer than your experience: for example, if the card was issued 6 months before you apply but you have been driving longer, the letter is what gets you credit for the full time, up to 12 months. The letter must be official, come from the issuing government or agency (the handbook names an embassy, consulate or licensing agency), confirm the licence is authentic and be in English or French.
- Pass the vision test and the knowledge test to get your G1.
- With at least 12 months of credited foreign experience, take the G2 road test right away. With 6 months, hold your G1 another 6 months (12 in total) first. A ministry-approved beginner driver education course reduces the 12-month wait to 8 months.
- Hold your G2 for at least 12 months.
- Pass the G road test to get your full Class G licence.
What to bring to DriveTest
Apply in person at a DriveTest centre or at the ServiceOntario location at Bay and College in Toronto. Bring originals, not copies.
- Accepted identity documents showing your legal name and date of birth.
- Your valid out-of-province or foreign driver's licence, with a visible expiry date.
- Documents that prove your driving experience, in English or French, including the authentication letter if your country has no exchange agreement.
- A completed application form stating how long you have been driving.
- Payment for the fees, and glasses or contact lenses if you need them to drive.
Getting your licence translated
Your licence must be written in English or French. If it is not, a certified translator must translate it, and the translation must be dated within six months of when you apply.
Ontario accepts translations from non-Canadian embassies, consulates or a high commissioner's office, and from translators who provide proof of credentials and either work in translation services or belong to a professional translation association such as ATIO. Check the list on ontario.ca before you pay anyone.
Tests, rules on test day and fees
Knowledge tests are taken at a DriveTest centre without an appointment, or at ServiceOntario Bay and College in Toronto by appointment only. Study the Official MTO Driver's Handbook first; ontario.ca lists it at $14.95 plus taxes.
Road tests must be prepaid when you book, online, by phone or in person. Cancel or reschedule at least 48 hours ahead, or the prepaid fee is not refunded. You must wait at least 10 days between tests. Arrive at least 30 minutes early in a vehicle in good working order. No passengers other than the examiner are allowed, so a friend, relative or translator cannot ride along, and you cannot use aids such as cruise control or a back-up camera during the test.
On fees: ontario.ca lists $90 for an original driver's licence (G1, G2 or G). The G1 fee includes the knowledge test, your first road test and a five-year licensing fee. For the current test amounts, check DriveTest; we only list what Ontario publishes.
Common mistakes newcomers make
Most problems come from waiting too long or bringing the wrong papers. Avoid these.
- Letting the 60 days pass. After that you are not covered by your foreign licence.
- Leaving the authentication letter at home, or bringing one that is not from the issuing government or agency, or not in English or French.
- Using a translation older than six months, or one from a translator Ontario does not accept.
- Assuming a learner permit or a foreign commercial licence can be exchanged. Neither can.
- Driving on a G1 alone or on the wrong roads. A G1 driver cannot use 400-series highways with a posted limit over 80 km/h or high-speed expressways, needs zero blood alcohol, cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m., and must have a fully licensed driver with at least four years of experience and a blood alcohol level under .05 as the only other person in the front seat.
- Forgetting the five-year limit: you must finish graduated licensing within five years or start over.
- We don't provide legal opinions; for advice on your file, contact an RCIC-verified consultant or a lawyer.