If I move to Ontario, how long can I legally drive with my out-of-country licence?
If you move to Ontario, you have 60 days after arrival to apply for an Ontario Driver’s licence. You may simply exchange your valid driver’s licence for a G licence if you meet the following criteria:
- You hold a driver’s licence from a reciprocating jurisdiction such as Europe, the United States, Canadian provinces or territories, Great Britain, the Isle of Man, Korea, Japan, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Australia, etc (others can be found on the MTO website www.drivetest.ca)
- You have had the licence for more than 2 years within the last 3 years
- You can present acceptable original identification for proof of legal name, date of birth, and signature ( Find identification requirements at http://www.drivetest.ca/en/license/HowToApply.aspx
- You are willing to surrender your current licence
- Possibly be willing to provide an abstract of driving history (required in some districts, find out if it is needed in your district at http://www.drivetest.ca/en/license/ExchangeReciprocal.aspx )
- Take a vision test
- Pay a licensing fee
If you have a valid licence but have less than 2 years of experience in the last 3 years, you will be eligible for a G2 licence. The same conditions mentioned above apply. If you are from a non-reciprocating country, find out information about what you should do at https://drivetest.ca/licences/licence-exchanges/licence_exchange.html
March 7, 2026 by
Manish Kumar
