Driving Licences in Canada – What do you need?
I did my research on driving in Canada before I left the UK and the conclusion was that I needed to get an international drivers license. This provides an extension on my UK driving license and allows me to drive for the whole time away. Each license lasts 1 year for Canada, so initially expecting to be here for 2 years, getting 2 would cover me for the whole time right? Wrong.
International Driving Licences
I arrive in Canada (having lost my UK driving license whilst on the journey to get the international driving licenses- typical!) and am told to check I’m covered with the driver services at the insurance company. They state that international drivers licences are not recognised as a legal document here and are therefore worthless. There is no point in getting an international drivers license- at least not for BC, Canada!
The Rules
If you are on a 6 month tourist visa then you are able to just use your UK driving license and will be fully covered with insurance in an accident.
If you are on a temporary resident visa you are only able to use your UK driving license legally for 3 months. After that it is considered void and if you get pulled over or in an accident then it will not be good news for you.
You can swap your UK driving licence with a BC driving licence for $30, however you are not able to hold 2 driving licences at the same time for 2 different countries. The BC Licence will be considered valid in the UK if you return to visit and need to drive for any reason, however I’m sure there is also a time frame in the UK which you are limited to before needing to swap back, especially if you are there long term.
Top Tip
The Driving licences, Laws and rules are different in each province so make sure you are researching the right province for where you will be driving. Also, people from some countries are required to take exams or tests before they are issued with a Canadian driving licence so make sure you are aware of this too.
Where to get information about Canadian Driving Licences
If you are in Whistler and have more questions, pop in to Westland Insurance Group Ltd in Marketplace. They are extremely helpful and will be able to answer all of your questions!
You can also check out the government website for information on driving in Canada.
Do you have any experiences of having issues with your driving licence? Let me know in the comments below or send me a message 🙂
Check out this post for more about moving to Canada and the IEC Visa!