Driving Tests

Foreign Driving Experience in B.C.: How Much Counts for a Class 5?

informational·how to guide·Published October 5, 2026·Updated October 20, 2026

Can my driving experience from another country count in B.C.?

Yes. British Columbia (B.C.) counts the time you held a full licence, not a learner's licence, in another jurisdiction. With a licence from an ICBC exchange jurisdiction, 24 months (25 or older) or 36 months (under 25) gets you a Class 5 (passenger vehicle) licence. Less experience gets a Class 5 with restrictions, and the least gets a Class 7 novice licence. Other drivers must complete testing.

Where these rules come from

The age-based totals are on ICBC's page for people who plan to move to B.C.. The proof rules are on ICBC's page on proving your driving experience. The law is in Order in Council 350/2026, which changes the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP) rules in Division 30 of the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations. Fees and exchange details come from the ICBC fees page and the ICBC page for people who move from outside Canada (as of 2026). The age-based totals apply from October 19, 2026. Some older ICBC pages still give one 2-year total for everyone; this guide uses the age-based totals. Confirm the rules with ICBC (icbc.com) before you apply.

Months of experience and the B.C. licence you get (first six rows: licence from an ICBC exchange jurisdiction)

Months of experience and the B.C. licence you get (first six rows: licence from an ICBC exchange jurisdiction)
Your age	Experience on a full licence	B.C. licence you get
25 or older	24 months or more	Class 5
25 or older	12 to 24 months	Class 5 with restrictions
25 or older	Less than 12 months	Class 7 novice (N). Upgrade to a Class 5 with restrictions when your total reaches 12 months.
Under 25	36 months or more	Class 5
Under 25	24 to 36 months	Class 5 with restrictions
Under 25	Less than 24 months	Class 7 novice (N). Upgrade to a Class 5 with restrictions when your total reaches 24 months.
Any age	Licence from outside the ICBC exchange program, or no proof of experience	All testing: a vision screening and, depending on your years of experience, a knowledge test and a road test

Which foreign licences are in the ICBC exchange program?

The first six rows apply to a licence from a jurisdiction in ICBC's licence exchange program. B.C. waives knowledge and road testing for every Canadian province and territory, and it waives testing for passenger and motorcycle licences from most U.S. states. It also waives the knowledge test for passenger licences from Austria, Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands (not its former Antilles territories), New Zealand, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. A licence from Taiwan exchanges for a passenger vehicle licence only, with a verification certificate and a translation from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Vancouver.

What counts as driving experience in B.C.

Time on a full licence from another jurisdiction counts when ICBC decides that the licence is similar to a B.C. Class 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 licence.
Time does not count while your licence was suspended or surrendered, or while you were prohibited from driving.

Documents ICBC accepts as proof of your driving experience

Licence card: an original, current licence printed by the issuing authority. It must show the experience you need, or the issue date of your first licence.
Record or letter: a driver licence record or a letter of experience. It must be an original (photocopies and email printouts are not accepted), or a copy that the licensing body approved and stamped. It must show your name, birth date, licence number (or another unique identifier), the classes you held and the date your licence was first issued.
Translation: a record or letter that is not in English needs a translation by an ICBC-approved translator.

How to prove your experience at an ICBC office

1
Count your months on a full licence and find your age group in the table above.
2
Book an appointment at an ICBC driver licensing office. Do it early: the 90-day period to switch a valid licence starts when you move. The guide to switching your licence when you move to B.C. covers the other documents.
3
Bring accepted ID, your current driver's licence, the licence fee and proof of how long you have held a full licence. If ICBC needs extra verification, it puts your application on hold until the check is complete.
4
If you qualify, you surrender your previous licence and ICBC issues your B.C. licence. If not, you take the tests in the last row of the table.

When do you have to take ICBC tests?

Your licence is from a country or jurisdiction outside the exchange program

You can still apply. Book a knowledge test appointment first: ICBC collects your ID and driving experience at that visit. The test has 50 multiple-choice questions on road signs and rules of the road, and you need 40 correct answers to pass. Then book the Class 5 road test. Start early: all of this must fit in your 90 days.

You never held a B.C. licence, your out-of-province licence expired over three years ago and you cannot prove you drove on a valid licence anywhere in the last three years

You take a knowledge test and a road test.

What the main steps cost in B.C. (as of 2026)

What the main steps cost in B.C. (as of 2026)
Item	Fee
First 2-year licence for a non-learner driver moving to B.C.	CAD 31
Knowledge test, each attempt	CAD 15 (free at 65 or older)
Class 5 road test	CAD 50 (free at 65 or older; a licence fee can also apply)

Upgrading from a Class 7 novice licence

Since October 19, 2026, a Class 7 novice driver with a clean driving record does not take a second road test to get a Class 5 licence with restrictions. Instead, ICBC checks your record in a Driving Record Assessment at a driver licensing office, by appointment or as a walk-in. You need no convictions for excessive speed or electronic device use, and no prohibitions or suspensions, during your months of safe driving.

Zero alcohol and drugs for some new residents with a Class 5

If you switch a licence from another jurisdiction to a B.C. Class 5 with less than 36 months of experience (under 25) or less than 24 months (25 or older), the law sets a zero-tolerance period. During it, you must not drive under any class of licence with alcohol, cocaine or THC in your body. Under 25 with at least 24 months, the period ends when your total reaches 36 months. At 25 or older with more than 12 months, it ends at 24 months. The total is your experience before the switch plus your driving after it with no listed prohibition or suspension.

Does your foreign experience count for ICBC insurance?

Yes. ICBC credits up to 15 years of driving experience to lower your premium. Learner's licence time does not count, and experience beyond 15 years does not change your premium.
Each year you stay crash-free, your insurance discount increases.
Premiums for new residents are adjusted for the first three years of driving in B.C., because driving in a new area carries more risk.

Key takeaways

Time on a full licence from another jurisdiction counts in B.C. Time on a learner's licence does not.
Your age sets the totals: 12 and 24 months at 25 or older, 24 and 36 months under 25.
Bring original proof, translated by an ICBC-approved translator when it is not in English.
Next step: if you need the knowledge test, practise on the free British Columbia Class 7 practice test.

Foreign driving experience in B.C.: common questions

Can I drive in B.C. on my foreign licence?

Yes, for a short time. After you move, you have 90 days to switch a valid licence to a B.C. licence. A tourist who stays up to six months, and a student with a student exemption, do not need to switch.

What if my driver's licence is not in English?

It depends on the country that issued it. For some countries, ICBC asks for a translation only if your licence has non-English characters, has no pictures of the vehicles you may drive, or is a paper licence with written vehicle descriptions. The translation must come from an ICBC-approved translator, made from the original or a stamped copy. ICBC holds your application until the translation is complete.

Can I email my foreign driving record to ICBC?

After ICBC issues your B.C. licence, you can send more proof of your experience by email or fax. Only the licensing body can send it, and only from Canada, the U.S., Austria, Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Guernsey, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Japan, Jersey, New Zealand, the Netherlands, South Korea, Switzerland or the United Kingdom. ICBC can take up to 30 days to enter it. From other countries, take the record to a driver licensing office.

Do I need proof of my old car insurance in B.C.?

No. As a new B.C. resident, you give ICBC only your driver's licence history for insurance. You do not need proof of your previous car insurance. ICBC uses the original date you got your licence to credit your driving years, so bring a record or letter that shows it.

What happens if I fail the road test in B.C.?

You get a B.C. learner's licence, and ICBC does not return your previous licence. B.C. law allows only one driver's licence. Bring another qualified driver with you to the road test in case you do not pass.