Driving Tests

Ontario Licence Exchange Countries: Which Licences Qualify?

informational·how to guide·Published August 4, 2026

Which countries can exchange their driver's licence for an Ontario licence?

Ontario exchanges licences from every Canadian province and territory, the Canadian Armed Forces, U.S. states (not U.S. territories) and 19 countries and territories, including Australia, Germany, Japan and Ukraine. You can drive on a valid licence from another province, state or country for 60 days after you move to Ontario. After that, you need an Ontario licence.

Where this list comes from

The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) publishes the exchange list on its exchange an out-of-province licence page and in the Official MTO Driver's Handbook. This guide is current as of 2026 and follows the newer ontario.ca page where the two differ. Confirm the rules with the Ministry of Transportation (ontario.ca) before you drive.

Provinces, states and countries on the Ontario exchange list

Provinces, states and countries on the Ontario exchange list
Region	Places on the list
Canada	Every province and territory, and the Canadian Armed Forces
United States	U.S. states. U.S. territories and protectorates are not on the list
Europe	Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, the Isle of Man, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Switzerland and Ukraine
Asia and the Pacific	Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan

How to exchange your licence in Ontario

1
Check your licence
Your place must be on the list above. The licence must be valid and show a visible expiry date. It must be in English or French, or you need a certified translation (see the rules below).
2
Gather your originals
Bring your accepted identity documents showing your legal name and date of birth, your valid licence, and papers that show your driving experience in English or French. All must be originals.
3
Apply in person
Go to a DriveTest centre or to the ServiceOntario Bay and College location in downtown Toronto. Ask the DriveTest centre or ServiceOntario about fees, and about which Ontario class matches your licence, before you go.
4
Complete the application
Take a vision test, fill out the application form (you state how long you have been driving) and pay the applicable fees. For a class G or class M licence, you also declare that Ontario is your primary place of residence and that your presence in Canada is legal.
5
Take any tests you need
You might need a knowledge test or a road test before you get a full licence. It depends on the class of your licence and on how long you have driven.

Which rule applies to your licence?

Your licence is from a place on the list and is an equivalent class

The Driver's Handbook says you receive a full Class G licence. With fewer than two years of driving experience, you may get credit and enter Level Two (G2). At two years in total, you may take the Level Two road test to earn full driving privileges.

Your licence is not in English or French

Get a translation from a certified translator, dated within six months of your application. Approved translators include non-Canadian embassies, consulates and high commissioner's offices, but not other translators from the country that issued the licence. A translator who proves credentials, for example a member of the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO), also qualifies.

You applied for an Ontario licence before your place had an exchange agreement, and you failed a knowledge or road test

You are not eligible for a Class G exchange until you pass that test at the same level. After you pass every failed test and meet all other requirements, you are eligible.

You are a protected person, a refugee or a person from Ukraine without a valid, original licence

Special exemptions exist. The exchange page from the source note links to the details.

Licences Ontario will not exchange

A learner's permit from any place.
A licence from a place that is not on the list above.
A licence cancelled for certain reasons, including, but not limited to, alcohol-related offences, demerit points, a prohibited licence or a suspension for Criminal Code offences.
A motorcycle class from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, the Isle of Man, Kosovo, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, South Korea, Taiwan or Ukraine.
A commercial class issued outside Canada. Depending on the class and the place, you may be eligible for a Class G or GM licence.
A driving instructor or school bus (Class B or E) licence from any place.

What if your country is not on the list?

A licence from a place that is not on the list (a place without an exchange agreement) cannot be exchanged, but you might still get credit for your driving experience (see the next section). You start at the G1 level: you show your valid foreign licence and acceptable proof of identity, pay the fees, and pass a vision test and a knowledge test.

What changed on July 1, 2026?

From July 1, 2026, a driver with a licence from a place without an exchange agreement can get credit for up to one year of driving experience. You show a valid, original foreign licence and an authentication document. The steps are: pass the vision test, the knowledge test and the G2 road test, wait at least 12 months, then pass the G road test. The Driver's Handbook sets the wait before the G2 road test by the experience you show (see the table below). For more detail, read the guide to credit for foreign driving experience.

How credited experience changes your tests (place not on the list)

How credited experience changes your tests (place not on the list)
Experience you show	What happens next
12 months or more	You can take the G2 road test right away. Then you wait at least 12 months before the G road test.
6 months	You hold the G1 for another 6 months, 12 in total, before the G2 road test. A ministry-approved beginner driver education course cuts the total to 8 months. See the G1 to G2 wait time.

What you need to claim up to 12 months of credit

A valid, original foreign driver's licence.
An authentication document: an official letter from the foreign government or agency that issued your licence. The letter must confirm that the licence is authentic, and it must be written in English or French.
Proof for your full experience. Example: your licence was issued 6 months ago, but you have driven there for more than 6 months. You need the letter to get credit for all of it.
The Driver's Handbook adds two rules: the letter must be from the previous 6 months, and only experience from the past three years counts.

Key takeaways

Ontario exchanges licences from every Canadian province and territory, the Canadian Armed Forces, U.S. states and 19 countries and territories.
A valid licence from another province, state or country works for 60 days after you move. After that, you need an Ontario licence.
Apply in person at a DriveTest centre or ServiceOntario Bay and College with original identity documents, your original licence and proof of driving experience.
If your place is not on the list, you start at G1. From July 1, 2026, you can get credit for up to 12 months of driving experience with an original licence and an authentication letter.
Next step: if you must start at G1, practise on the free Ontario G1 practice test.

Ontario licence exchange: common questions

Can I exchange an Indian driving licence for an Ontario licence?

No. India is not among the 19 countries and territories on Ontario's exchange list, and a licence from a place that is not on the list cannot be exchanged. You start at G1. From July 1, 2026, your original licence and an authentication letter from the authority that issued it can earn credit for up to 12 months of driving.

Can I exchange a UK driving licence in Ontario?

Yes, because Great Britain and Northern Ireland are both on the list. With an equivalent class, you receive a full Class G licence. With fewer than two years of driving experience, you may get credit and enter Level Two (G2). A motorcycle class from Great Britain cannot be exchanged.

Do I have to take a driving test to exchange my licence?

It depends on where your licence is from. From a place on the list with an equivalent class, the Driver's Handbook says you receive a full Class G licence. With fewer than two years of driving experience, you may get credit and enter Level Two (G2). From a place not on the list, you start at G1, and the wait before the G2 road test depends on the experience you show.

Can I exchange a learner's permit for an Ontario licence?

No. Ontario does not exchange a learner's permit from any province, state or country, even when the place is on the list. You might still get credit for your driving experience.

Can I exchange a U.S. driver's licence for an Ontario licence?

Yes, if it is from a U.S. state. Ontario does not accept licences from U.S. territories or protectorates. You apply in person at a DriveTest centre or at ServiceOntario Bay and College in Toronto. Bring your original, valid licence and original identity documents.