Take one Ukrainian category B licence and two provinces. In Ontario, Ukraine is on the exchange list, so an experienced driver passes a vision test and gets a full G licence with no road test. In British Columbia, Ukraine is not on ICBC's list, so the same driver takes a knowledge test and a road test.
The translation splits the same way. A translation that satisfies DriveTest in Mississauga can be refused at an ICBC counter in Surrey, because ICBC takes translations only from its own approved translators.
Below, from each licensing authority's own pages as of October 2026: deadlines, who exchanges and who tests, who may translate, and where a translation from a company such as Official Translations does not meet the rule.
How long can I drive on a foreign licence after moving to Canada?
Anywhere from none at all in New Brunswick to six months in Quebec, depending on the province. In most provinces the clock starts when you become a resident; after that you need a local licence.
| Province | Driving on your foreign licence after you move | Licence from an exchange-list country | Licence from any other country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 60 days | Vision test; full G with 2 years' experience or more, G2 with less | Vision and knowledge tests, G2 road test, then the G road test at least 12 months later |
| British Columbia | 90 days | Exchanged without knowledge or road tests | Knowledge and road tests |
| Alberta | 90 days | No knowledge or road test | Class 7 knowledge test, optional GDL exemption review, then a road test |
| Quebec | 6 months (Highway Safety Code, s. 89) | Exchange under an agreement, applied for within 12 months of settling in Canada | Licence held at least 1 year: knowledge and road tests, no learner stage |
| Manitoba | 3 months | No knowledge or road test | Knowledge and road tests |
| New Brunswick | Switch on taking up residence; permit holders may drive up to 6 months from landing | No testing for Class 5; Ukraine, vision test | Vision, written and road tests |
| Nova Scotia | Up to 180 days | Vision test only | Vision, knowledge and road tests |
| Prince Edward Island | 4 months | No written or road test | Written test, Novice Driver Course for Newcomers, road test |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 3 months | No written, vision or road test | Written, vision and road tests, graduated licensing |
Ontario changed its rules for non-exchange countries on July 1, 2026. Experience credit is now capped at 12 months, proved with a valid original licence and an official authentication letter from the issuing authority. These drivers pass the vision, knowledge and G2 road tests and, in Ontario's words, "wait at least 12 months before attempting the G road test." Since May 11, 2026, Class G and M applicants also declare that Ontario is their primary residence and that their presence in Canada is legal.
Which countries sit on which list is covered in our country-by-country exchange table.
Who is allowed to translate a foreign driver's licence in each province?
This is where most money is wasted. Each authority's rule, and whether a translation from a company outside its list meets it:
| Province | Who may translate | Translation from Official Translations |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario (DriveTest) | Foreign embassies, consulates and high commissions, or a translator who works or worked in translation, is or was in an association such as ATIO, or is clergy with translation experience; proof of credentials; dated within six months | Possible only if the translator's credentials satisfy DriveTest and the translator is not "from the country where the licence was issued"; DriveTest decides |
| British Columbia (ICBC) | An ICBC-approved translator, or a consulate in BC; Taiwan licences, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) only | Not accepted: we are not ICBC-approved |
| Alberta (registry agents) | Alberta's approved translator list of positions and named organizations; English only | Not accepted: we are not on the list |
| Quebec (SAAQ) | A French or English translation (Regulation respecting licences, s. 32); the regulation does not say who may make it | Confirm with SAAQ first; if it asks for a member of OTTIAQ, we do not qualify |
| Manitoba (MPI) | ATIM certified translator, Accueil francophone or an immigrant centre, the Translation Agency of Manitoba, a consulate in Canada, or a non-certified translator notarized by a Manitoba-based notary or commissioner | Not accepted as delivered: MPI requires Manitoba-based notarization |
| New Brunswick | "An official translation of the driver's licence (from a translation agency or an international driver's licence)" | Fits the stated rule |
| Nova Scotia | ATINS, CTTIC, the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS), or a consulate or embassy | Not accepted |
| Prince Edward Island | "A certified translation", or a translation by IRSA PEI | Fits the stated rule; confirm with Access PEI |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | An English translation; the province names the Association for New Canadians and translators approved by the Registrar | We are not Registrar-approved: confirm with Motor Registration first |
Ontario: credentials, and a six-month shelf life
Ontario asks for a translation "by a certified translator" and then defines who qualifies. Approved translators include "non-Canadian embassies, consulates, or a high commissioner's office, but do not include other translators from the country where the licence was issued." Translators "must provide proof of their credentials," and the translation "must be current", dated within six months of your application, so an older translation will not do.
Austrian, German and Swiss licences have a second route: bring the original with a supporting letter of authentication from the embassy, consulate or high commission instead of a translation.
British Columbia: ICBC's own list
ICBC says translations "are requested at ICBC's discretion and must be done by an ICBC-approved translator," and it holds your application until they are complete. Its approved-translator list (updated September 18, 2026) adds that consulates located in BC can translate a licence or driving record. Its country list (updated July 14, 2026) shows where a translation is usually needed: China, Japan and Mexico yes; India, the Philippines and Brazil no.
Alberta: a list of positions, and English only
Alberta's rule is "All documentation presented must be in English or accompanied by a written translation from an approved translator." The approved list is mostly positions (notary public, lawyer, judge, police officer, minister of religion, bank manager and others) plus named organizations such as ATIA and several immigrant-serving agencies. A French licence needs an English translation too, and Alberta's GDL exemption guide says an International Driving Permit is not accepted as an approved translation, because it is not word for word.
Manitoba: the most detailed rule
MPI wants an original translation, signed and dated on every page, covering every word near crests and logos, with a copy of the front and back attached. Family translations are refused "even if notarized or certified."
Can an International Driving Permit replace the translation?
Only in some provinces. New Brunswick accepts "an international driver's licence" in place of a translation, and Ontario accepts a Japanese consulate certificate or an IDP as the supporting document for Japanese licences. Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia say outright that an IDP cannot be used as a translation.
For visitors the IDP matters more. Ontario lets visitors drive on their home licence for under three months; for longer stays it requires an IDP from their own country, obtained before arrival. Alberta allows visitors up to one year and "strongly" recommends an IDP if the licence is not in English. Quebec allows non-residents up to six consecutive months. Going abroad instead? See driving abroad from Canada.
Do I need a driving record or letter of authentication too?
Usually, and it may need its own translation. Ontario's letter must come from the issuing licensing authority or its consulate, embassy or high commission, be "issued within the last 6 months," carry a letterhead or coat of arms, and be "original or electronically provided (no faxes, photocopies or scanned documents)". DriveTest refuses documents from insurers or "third-party verification websites."
ICBC asks for an original driver licence record or letter of experience showing your first issue date and licence class, and the translation must be made from that original or a copy stamped by a driver licensing office. Alberta wants extra verification for licences without an issue date, naming Fiji, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia, and a converted date where a licence uses a non-Gregorian calendar.
What must a licence translation show?
Everything on both sides, in the order of the card:
- Holder's name spelled as in the passport, date and place of birth
- Licence number and issuing authority
- Issue and expiry dates, with any non-Gregorian date converted and the original kept
- Every category with its own first-issue and expiry dates; on EU-format cards these are fields 9, 10 and 11 on the back
- Restriction codes, such as EU code 01 (sight correction) or 78 (automatic transmission only)
- Stamps, seals, holograms with text, and words around crests and logos
- The translator's signed statement, with the credentials or stamp the province asks for
First-issue dates matter most, because provinces use them to credit experience. See what a certified translation contains.
Why are licence translations refused at the counter?
- The wrong translator. A professional translation still fails at ICBC, an Alberta registry, MPI, Nova Scotia or Newfoundland and Labrador if the translator is not one they accept.
- An expired translation. Ontario refuses translations dated more than six months before the application.
- An IDP offered as the translation in Alberta, Manitoba or Nova Scotia.
- A translation made from a photocopy. ICBC requires the original or a stamped copy.
- A French translation in Alberta, which accepts English only.
- A Taiwanese licence without TECO's translation in BC, Manitoba or New Brunswick.
Checklist before your licensing appointment
Questions people ask
Can I drive in Canada with a foreign driver's licence?
Yes, for a limited time. Ontario lets visitors use a valid home licence for under three months, BC lets tourists drive for up to six months and Alberta up to one year. New residents must switch within their province's deadline, from immediately in New Brunswick to six months in Quebec.
How long can I drive on my foreign licence after moving to Ontario?
Sixty days. After that you need an Ontario licence, applied for in person at a DriveTest centre or ServiceOntario's Bay and College location in Toronto, with a translation dated within six months if your licence is not in English or French.
Does ICBC accept any certified translation of a foreign licence?
No. ICBC accepts translations only from ICBC-approved translators or consulates located in BC, and Taiwanese licences must be translated by TECO. A certified translation from a company ICBC has not approved will not be accepted.
Does a driver's licence translation need to be notarized?
Usually not. Nova Scotia says a notary stamp is not required, and Ontario and BC decide by who the translator is, not by notarization. Manitoba is the exception: a translator not certified by an accredited association must have every page notarized by a Manitoba-based notary public or commissioner for oaths.
Can I translate my own licence, or ask a relative?
No. None of the provinces covered here lists the applicant as an acceptable translator. Manitoba says plainly that translations by family members are refused, even if notarized or certified.
How recent does the translation need to be?
In Ontario, within six months of your application. The other provinces covered here state no limit for the translation itself, but driving records and authentication letters often have one: six months in Ontario, 30 days for PEI's unilateral-exchange documents.
Do I lose my foreign licence when I exchange it?
Usually. Ontario, BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador take it, although Japanese licences need not be surrendered in Ontario. New Brunswick stores surrendered licences for five years and, in rare cases, returns one to a driver who proves they are going home.
How much does a licence translation cost, and where can I use it?
Official Translations charges CA$39.95 per page, and a one-page licence is usually delivered within 24 hours as a signed PDF, with printed copies by courier on request. It fits the stated rules in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island; for ICBC, Alberta, MPI, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, use the translators those offices name.
