DriveInOntario.caIf you're moving to Ontario with a driver's licence from somewhere else, what happens next depends entirely on where that licence is from. Some jurisdictions let you exchange directly for a full Ontario licence. Others mean starting the graduated licensing system from scratch, though you may still get credit for your experience.
The 60-day deadline
Once you become an Ontario resident, you can drive on your existing licence for 60 days. After that, you need to apply for an Ontario driver's licence — you can't keep renewing on your foreign or out-of-province licence indefinitely. Once you get your Ontario licence, you have to use it; you can no longer drive on the old one.
Jurisdictions you can exchange directly
Ontario has direct licence exchange agreements with:
- Every Canadian province and territory, and the Canadian Armed Forces
- All U.S. states (this does not include U.S. territories or protectorates)
- Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Denmark, the Isle of Man, Japan, Kosovo, South Korea, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Ukraine
If your licence is from one of these places, you can usually skip Ontario's graduated licensing system entirely. To get a full Class G licence (rather than a novice one), you'll need to show at least 2 years of driving experience in a full, equivalent licence class within the last 3 years — a driver's abstract or letter of authentication from your issuing jurisdiction is often required to prove this. If you can't show that experience, you'll be issued a novice-class licence and have to complete graduated licensing here.
If your jurisdiction isn't on the list
You're not left with nothing. As of July 1, 2026, drivers from non-exchange jurisdictions can receive up to 12 months of driving experience credit based on their foreign licence (with a supporting letter of authentication for anything beyond what the licence itself shows). With that credit, you can take the G2 road test right away — but you still have to serve the full, mandatory 12-month wait between the G2 and G road tests; the credit can't shorten that waiting period.
Protected persons, refugee claimants, and people from Ukraine who can't produce their original foreign licence (for example, because it was seized during a border process) have additional options, including a self-declaration of driving experience — see the official DriveTest exchange page for the current documentation requirements.
Ready for the real thing?
Ready to see how this looks on the real test format?
What you can't exchange
A few things are never eligible for direct exchange, regardless of jurisdiction: a learner's permit, a licence that was cancelled for reasons like alcohol-related offences or a criminal-code suspension, and (from most non-Canadian jurisdictions) commercial, instructor, or school bus licence classes.
What to bring
At any DriveTest centre, or at ServiceOntario College Park in Toronto, you'll need original identification proving your legal name and full date of birth, your original valid foreign or out-of-province licence, and — if it's not in English or French — a translation from an MTO-recognized translator. If you're claiming extra driving experience beyond what your licence shows, bring a letter of authentication issued within the last 6 months by your original licensing authority.
Appointments are available at select DriveTest locations specifically for licence exchanges; walk-ins are accepted everywhere but may involve longer waits. Rules around exchange agreements and experience credits do change, so confirm the current details for your specific situation on the official DriveTest exchange page before your visit.