Driving Tests

Moving to PEI: Exchange Your Driver's Licence From Another Province

informational·how to guide·Published July 23, 2026

How long can I drive on my old licence after I move to PEI?

You can drive in PEI on a valid licence from another province, territory, state or country for up to four months after you come or return to PEI. The Highway Traffic Act sets this limit. You must be 16 or older, carry the licence and drive only the class it allows. A valid licence from another province, territory or U.S. state is exchanged at Access PEI without tests.

Where these rules come from

The four-month limit is in the PEI Highway Traffic Act, current to May 29, 2026. The exchange rules come from the Driver's Licenses Regulations (current to December 2, 2019), the Highway Safety Division's Driver License Reciprocity sheet (October 2022) and the Driver's Handbook (the 2011 file and its 2021 print). The document list is on the Access PEI Know before you go page. This guide is as of 2026, and where the Driver's Handbook words a rule differently from the law, it follows the law. Confirm the rules with Access PEI (princeedwardisland.ca) before you drive.

The four-month rule for new PEI residents

The four months count from the date you come or return to PEI.
You must be 16 or older and have the valid licence with you when you drive.
You may drive only the vehicle classes that your own licence allows.
The rule does not cover you if you are prohibited from driving in PEI or in any other province, state, territory or country.
To keep driving after the four months, you need a PEI licence, so start the exchange inside that time. The free practice question on what a new PEI resident must do about a licence covers this step.

Do I need tests to exchange a licence from another province or U.S. state?

No, not for a valid licence. A valid licence from another Canadian province or territory, or from a U.S. state, is exchanged for a PEI licence without written, vision or driving tests. PEI has reciprocal licence arrangements with every province, territory and U.S. state. Under the Driver's Licenses Regulations, the Registrar may issue a PEI licence of the same class to the holder of a valid out-of-province licence, so the Registrar decides each case. If your licence has expired, ask Access PEI before your visit. For a Class 1 to 4 licence, get a Highway Safety Medical submitted and approved before the exchange.

Nova Scotia and New Brunswick: is the licence exchange free?

Yes, for a Class 5 licence. The Driver's Handbook says a former Nova Scotia or New Brunswick resident who holds a valid Class 5 licence and now lives in PEI can exchange it at no charge. The PEI licence is then issued for up to the full term that a PEI driver's licence allows. Confirm the no-charge rule with Access PEI before your visit.

What to bring to Access PEI for a Canadian licence exchange

Your current Canadian driver's licence card (the most recent copy).
Any work or study permits that you hold.
Two documents that show your current address in PEI, such as a formal lease or rental agreement; a letter of employment on company letterhead, or a pay stub, with your name and address; federal or provincial government mail, such as tax or GST mail; or a bank document with your name and address, such as a personal cheque, mortgage document, or credit card or bank statement.
For a Class 1 to 4 licence: the approved Highway Safety Medical.
With a U.S. licence, ask Contact PEI which documents to bring before your visit.

Can I exchange a learner's permit from another province?

Yes, if it is a valid Canadian Class 7 instruction permit and you live in PEI. The 2021 print of the Driver's Handbook sets these rules. Only a permit from Atlantic Canada gets a straight exchange. With a permit from a province or territory outside Atlantic Canada, you must pass a written test and a vision test, and fees apply. You hand in the permit from your home province. Waiting periods and required courses may apply before the road test. If you did not complete a driver education program, you must take the Novice Driver Course. For a permit from outside Canada, ask Access PEI.

Licences from other countries

PEI exchanges licences from some countries under reciprocal agreements, and other countries follow separate rules. Ask Access PEI about your country before your visit. An international licence is not proof of a previous licence, and it cannot be exchanged. If you come to PEI to study, read the guide for international students who drive in PEI.

Which exchange path fits you

Your licence is valid and from another Canadian province or territory or a U.S. state

Exchange it at Access PEI within the four months, without tests.

Your Class 5 licence is from Nova Scotia or New Brunswick

Exchange it at no charge.

Your licence is for Class 1 to 4

Get the Highway Safety Medical approved first, then go to Access PEI.

Your licence has expired, or it is from outside Canada and the U.S.

Ask Access PEI which rules apply to you before your visit.

You hold a learner's permit from another province

A permit from Atlantic Canada gets a straight exchange. A permit from elsewhere in Canada needs a written test and a vision test.

Key takeaways

Drive on your valid out-of-province licence for up to four months after you come or return to PEI.
Exchange a valid licence from another province, territory or U.S. state without written, vision or driving tests.
Bring your licence card, any work or study permits, and two documents that show your PEI address.
A Nova Scotia or New Brunswick Class 5 licence is exchanged at no charge.
Next step: practise the PEI road rules on the free Prince Edward Island Class 7 practice test, in English.

Moving to PEI: common questions

Do I keep my old licence after I get a PEI licence?

No. You hand in your out-of-province licence when your PEI licence is issued. Until that day, keep the old licence with you when you drive, because the four-month rule covers only a licence that you have with you.

What if I cannot finish the exchange within four months?

The Highway Traffic Act lets you drive on your old licence for up to four months. Start the exchange at Access PEI inside that time. If you think that you cannot finish it in the four months, ask Access PEI before the four months end which options apply to your case.

I am moving to PEI to study. Do I have to exchange my licence?

Not while you study. A person who is enrolled in a university, college or school in PEI may drive on a valid licence from elsewhere, in the class it allows, until that licence expires. The four-month limit does not apply to you, but the licence must be current and valid each time you drive.

Do I need to tell PEI when I change my address?

Yes. A licence holder must tell the Registrar about each change of address within 30 days, each time they move. This applies after you get your PEI licence. The free practice question on reporting an address change covers this rule.

I was born outside Canada. What extra documents do I need?

The Driver's Handbook says an applicant who was born outside Canada shows an immigration visa and a passport for the exchange. If your previous address was outside Canada, you also show a Canadian Immigration Identification Record of Entry form and a passport when you apply.

Who can I call about the documents?

Call Contact PEI at 1-833-734-1873 or email contactpei@gov.pe.ca with questions about documents or requirements. Check the Access PEI document list before you go, so that you do not need a second visit. There are ten Access PEI locations across PEI.