Driving Tests

Moving to Newfoundland and Labrador: Exchange Your Licence in 3 Months

informational·how to guide·Published May 11, 2026

When must I exchange my driver's licence after moving to Newfoundland and Labrador?

In Newfoundland and Labrador, you must exchange your licence within three months of becoming a resident, and you need an appointment with the Motor Registration Division (MRD). If you are 17 or older and hold a valid licence from another province, territory or the United States, you take no written, vision or road test. A Class 5 licence costs CAD 125 for 5 years.

Where these rules come from

This guide uses the MRD licence application process page, the MRD pages Have You Moved to NL, Identification Documentation, Translation of Foreign Driver Licences and Locations and Contact Information, the Driver's Handbook and the MRD Fees Policy (updated December 21, 2023). The rules are as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Motor Registration Division (gov.nl.ca/motorregistration) before you drive.

Who must exchange, and by when

When you take up residence in Newfoundland and Labrador, you must exchange your licence for a Newfoundland and Labrador licence within three months of becoming a resident. Each licensed driver in your household must exchange too. You need an appointment, so book one before you go to a Motor Registration office. Once you take up residency, you must also register your vehicle in the province.

Which tests will you take for a licence exchange?

You moved from another province or territory, you are 17 or older, and your licence is valid and non-expired (not suspended, cancelled or revoked)

You exchange without a written, vision or road test. Bring the required identification documents.

You moved from the United States and meet the same conditions

You exchange without a written, vision or road test.

Your licence comes from a country with a reciprocity agreement, and you meet the same conditions

You exchange without a written, vision or road test, for the class that the table below shows for your country.

Your licence comes from any other country

You must be at least 16, pass a written, vision and road test, and join the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program.

Moving to Newfoundland and Labrador from another country

The MRD lists 14 countries with reciprocity agreements. The class you can exchange depends on the country, as the table shows. If your licence is in a language other than English or French, you need an English translation. The Association for New Canadians in St. John's provides translation services in over 60 languages. Confirm your country and class with the MRD before you book. The guide to exchanging a foreign licence covers this case in more detail.

Countries with reciprocity agreements

Countries with reciprocity agreements
Class you can exchange	Countries
Class 5 (passenger vehicle and light trucks) only	Germany, Austria, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Republic of Korea, Ukraine, Denmark
Class 5 and Class 6 (motorcycle)	France, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, Belgium

If your country has no reciprocity agreement

You must be at least 16, bring the required identification documents, pass the written, vision and road tests and join the GDL program. If you surrender your valid foreign licence when you get a Class 5I permit, you can be exempt from the mandatory wait between Class 5I and Class 5II. If you keep the foreign licence, you must complete the full GDL program, with all wait periods, before you can take the Class 5 road test.

If you are 16 with a GDL licence from another jurisdiction

If you are 16 with a GDL licence from another jurisdiction
Your situation	Where the MRD places you
You hold a valid GDL licence	Class 5, Level I (Class 5I)
You also took an approved driver education course	A four-month credit, and Class 5, Level II (Class 5II) when you reach 16 years and eight months
You did not take a driver education course	Level I until you turn 17, then Level II. No road test is needed, because you passed one in another jurisdiction.

What happens to your old licence

You must hand in your old licence when you apply for the Newfoundland and Labrador licence. It is illegal to hold more than one driver's licence. If you want a record of the old licence, ask for a certified copy of the original. The MRD returns the old licence to the issuing jurisdiction, or destroys it at that jurisdiction's request.

Documents to bring for a licence exchange

Proof of identity: at least 2 documents that together show your full legal name, date of birth, legal presence in Canada and a photo. Show originals or certified copies. Photocopies are not accepted.
A driver's licence or identification card from a Canadian jurisdiction does not count as identification on its own, so bring other original identity documents too.
Proof of address with your full name and address, for example a utility bill no older than two months, a bank statement or void cheque, mortgage documents, personal taxes filed in the previous year, a property tax bill, or a residential lease signed by the landlord and the tenant.
Employment Insurance or Income Support documents, an employment confirmation or pay stub, and Canada Child Benefit documents also count as proof of address.
No address document? A Guarantor Application may be accepted. Contact the MRD at mrd@gov.nl.ca or 1-877-636-6867.

How to exchange your licence in Newfoundland and Labrador

1
Check the conditions
Make sure that your licence is valid and non-expired. If you are 16, use the table for 16-year-olds above.
2
Gather your documents
Collect your identity documents, your proof of address and, if needed, an English translation of your licence. The guide to ID documents for a licence in the province lists them in more detail.
3
Book an appointment
Call the MRD booking line at 1-877-636-6867 (Option 1), 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Book early, so that you can exchange within three months of becoming a resident.
4
Hand in your old licence
Give the old licence to the MRD at the appointment. Ask for a certified copy if you want one.
5
Pay the licence fee
The MRD Fees Policy (updated December 21, 2023) lists CAD 125 for a Class 5 licence valid for 5 years, and CAD 60 for a Class 5I licence valid for 2 years. Ask the MRD to confirm the amount when you book.

Key takeaways

Exchange your licence within three months of becoming a resident, and book an appointment first.
A valid licence from another province, territory or the United States needs no written, vision or road test if you are 17 or older.
Hand in your old licence at the appointment, and ask for a certified copy if you want one.
Bring at least 2 original or certified identity documents and a proof of address. A Class 5 licence costs CAD 125 for 5 years.
Next step: practise on the free Newfoundland and Labrador Class 5I practice test.

Exchanging a licence in Newfoundland and Labrador: common questions

I am only visiting Newfoundland and Labrador. Do I need a local licence?

Not for a visit of up to three months. A visitor who is at least 16 and holds a valid driver's licence from another province can drive for up to three months without a Newfoundland and Labrador licence. When you become a resident, you must exchange your licence within three months.

Where can I exchange my licence?

At a Motor Registration office, after you book an appointment. The MRD has offices in Mount Pearl, Bay Roberts, Clarenville, Corner Brook, Gander, Grand Falls-Windsor, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador City, Marystown, St. Anthony and Stephenville. The offices are open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Can I exchange a commercial licence, such as Class 1?

Yes, from another province, territory or the United States. From another province or territory, you also complete a Routine Medical Form, which shows that you meet the medical standards for commercial drivers. From the United States, you complete a medical report. With less than two years of Class 1 driving experience, you must also show proof of a Class 1 Entry Level Training program.

Can I transfer a commercial licence from another country?

No. A foreign licence cannot transfer commercial driving credentials. If you bring a driver's abstract with your foreign licence, you get credit for your non-commercial driving experience and can apply for a commercial class of licence immediately. You must complete the required steps for that class before the MRD issues the commercial licence.