You have 90 days after moving to B.C. to convert your valid driver’s licence to a B.C. driver’s licence.
If you meet the following criteria, the 90-day rule does not apply, and you may continue to drive on your existing licence:
- Are visiting for up to six months as a tourist
- Hold a valid student exemption because they are enrolled full-time at a designated educational institution in B.C.
- Are a temporary foreign worker with a federal work authorization under the seasonal agricultural Worker Program (SAWP). Workers in the SAWP can drive for up to 12 months if they have a valid driver’s licence from their home country. If you plan to stay under SAWP for more than a year and want to keep driving, you’ll need to obtain a B.C. driver’s licence.
Requirements for New Residents
New B.C. residents just need a valid driver’s licence from their prior nation of residency as of September 1, 2019.
Certain organizations are allowed to keep their current valid driver’s licence, such as:
- Tourists who will be staying for less than six months
- Full-time students with valid student exemptions at specified educational institutions in B.C.
- Temporary foreign laborers with valid federal work permits in the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP). If you plan to stay for more than a year, you’ll need to apply for a BC driver’s licence.
If you need a reliable and ICBC-approved driving/licensing program, Maple Driving School is the way to go! Our wonderful instructors will coach you precisely on how to drive through B.C. and how you can properly abide by the traffic rules.
Here’s How You Can Apply
This must be done at one of the province’s licensing offices in person. ICBC requires that you bring the following items with you:
- Photo identification is required.
- Obtain a copy of your current driver’s licence.
- The cost of obtaining your B.C. driver’s licence
- Evidence of prior driving experience
You must give your present driver’s licence to the ICBC while applying. Residents of British Columbia are only allowed to have one driver’s licence.
Your current licence will not be returned to you if you are compelled to take a road test and fail. To make sure that does not happen, Maple Driving School highly recommends you attend lessons with our professionally trained instructors.
Updating Your Driver’s License When Outside Canada
You can renew your licence up to 180 days before it expires if you are going to be out of the province when it ordinarily expires. In this circumstance, there are two options for renewing your licence, depending on how long your licence has been expired by the time you return to Ontario.
You can acquire a one-time temporary extension for your current licence that lasts 6 months if you return within 6 months and your licence was not suspended. You can apply for an extension online here; otherwise, you must mail a signed letter to the Ministry of Transportation along with the following items:
- The number on your driver’s licence
- How long have you been out of the province and why have you been out of the province? (Travel, business, etc.)
- While you are out of the province, your mailing address
- You should include a phone number and/or an email address where people can contact you.
- A photocopy of your driver’s licence or identification card
If you plan to stay in Ontario for more than 6 months after your licence expires, you must contact Service Ontario at 416-235-2999. They will walk you through the many alternatives for renewing your licence.
Updating Your Personal Information
You can do so for free if you need to update your personal information on your current licence card. You can modify your address online, but you’ll need to go to a ServiceOntario or DriveTest facility to change other sorts of information. If you want to update any of the following, you need to go to a ServiceOntario location:
- Your full legal name
- Date of your birth
- Your height
- Your gender
You must attend a DriveTest Centre and pass any relevant test if you want to change any condition or restriction on your licences, such as the requirement to wear corrective lenses or glasses. You must produce your current driver’s licence, as well as any supporting papers required for the specific alteration, for any change of information.
How to Apply for a Driver’s Licence In B.C. As A Beginner
If you don’t have a driver’s licence and want to get one in British Columbia, you must be at least 16 years old.
The following are the steps involved:
- Study the Learn to Drive Smart handbook ahead of time to prepare for the knowledge test.
- Make an appointment with a driver’s licence office at ICBC.
- Pay a 15 CAD charge.
- You’ll need to bring one primary and one secondary piece of genuine, original identification to your appointment, as well as a vision screening.
- Bring a signed and witnessed consent letter from a parent or guardian if you are under the age of 19.
- Answer at least 40 out of 50 questions on the multiple-choice knowledge test.
- You will acquire your learner’s licence and be termed a beginner driver once you pass.
- After that, you must wait a year before applying for a novice licence.
To prepare for this, Maple Driving School is one of the most reliable institutions for you to learn, practice, and master your driving skills per ICBC’s rules.
