If you have just moved to Ontario with a driver's licence from another country, the first question is usually the simplest: can I just swap it for an Ontario one? The honest answer is it depends on where your licence is from. Some newcomers walk out of a DriveTest Centre with a full Ontario G licence after a single visit and an eye test. Others have to work through Ontario's graduated licensing system — knowledge test, road tests, and all — just like a brand-new driver.
This guide explains exactly which situation you're in, what documents to bring, and how your foreign driving experience translates into an Ontario licence. Every fact here comes from the official ontario.ca exchange page and DriveTest — no assumptions, and anything that varies by case is flagged as such.
First, the 60-day rule
Before anything else, know the clock. When you become a resident of Ontario, you can keep driving on your valid foreign licence for 60 days. After that, you need an Ontario driver's licence. So the exchange isn't optional paperwork you can put off indefinitely — start gathering documents early, because some of them (authentication letters from your home country, for example) can take weeks or even months to obtain.
The one question that decides everything: is your country on the list?
Ontario has licence exchange agreements with a specific set of jurisdictions. According to ontario.ca, an exchange agreement means "that a jurisdiction's licensing processes are secure, similar to Ontario's, and in alignment with Ontario's road safety goals."
Whether your home jurisdiction is on that list is the single fact that determines your entire path. So let's answer it directly.
Jurisdictions Ontario has an exchange agreement with
Per ontario.ca, Ontario has car/small-truck/van licence exchange agreements with:
- Every Canadian province and territory, plus the Canadian Armed Forces
- All U.S. states (not U.S. territories or protectorates)
- Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, the Isle of Man, Japan, Kosovo, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Ukraine
If your licence is from one of these, you are on the exchange path (below). If your country isn't listed, you are on the graduated licensing path — skip ahead to that section.
Path A: Your country has an exchange agreement
Good news — you don't have to redo Ontario's knowledge test or road tests. But what licence you receive still depends on your driving history. Here's the rule, straight from DriveTest:
"The type of licence you receive varies depending on how much driving experience you have. If you do not have at least two years of Class G equivalent driving experience, you may receive a Class G2 licence instead of a full Class G licence."
So the two-year mark is the dividing line:
| Your experience (agreement country) | What you typically receive |
|---|---|
| 2+ years of full-class driving experience | Full Class G licence |
| Less than 2 years | Class G2 licence |
In both cases you'll take a vision test, surrender your current foreign licence, and present documentation proving your identity and experience. An exchange normally spares you the G1 knowledge test and the road tests — but ontario.ca is careful not to promise that in every case. Its exact wording is that you "could need to take certain driving tests" and "might also need to take a knowledge or road test, before you get a full licence," and that "it depends on your circumstances" — namely how long you've been driving and which jurisdiction issued your licence. Treat the vision test as guaranteed and any further test as case-by-case.
Documents you'll need (agreement countries)
Requirements vary slightly by country, but across the board DriveTest asks for:
- Your original, valid foreign driver's licence (an expired licence is not accepted) — it will be surrendered during the exchange
- Acceptable identification proving your legal name and complete date of birth
- For many countries, an authentication letter or driver's abstract issued within the last 6 months by the licensing authority, consulate, embassy, or high commission
- If your licence or letter isn't in English or French, a translation from an MTO-recognized translator
- Applicable fees
A few country-specific notes from DriveTest: U.S. applicants have a mandatory Interprovincial Record Exchange (IRE) search; France requires an abstract from the issuing licensing authority (consulates can't supply it); Great Britain drivers who've lost their licence need a DVLA Certificate of Entitlement. Check your specific country's row on the DriveTest page.
Path B: Your country is not on the list
If Ontario has no exchange agreement with your home jurisdiction, you can't do a straight swap. Instead, you enter Ontario's graduated licensing system — the same G1 → G2 → G path a new driver follows — but your foreign experience can shorten the wait.
Per ontario.ca, without an agreement you must complete these steps, in order:
- successfully complete the vision test, knowledge test and G2 road test
- wait at least 12 months before attempting the G road test
- successfully complete the G road test
That knowledge test is the G1 test — the two-section, multiple-choice exam on road signs and rules of the road. So even experienced drivers from non-agreement countries have to pass it.
How experience credit works
Here's where your background helps. Starting July 1, 2026, a driver from a non-agreement jurisdiction can claim a maximum of 12 months of driving experience credit. DriveTest breaks it into two cases:
| Your credited experience | What it does for you |
|---|---|
| 12 months or more | Take the G2 road test immediately, then wait 12 months before the G road test |
| Less than 12 months | Wait 12 months minus your credit before the G2 road test, then 12 more months before the G road test |
In both cases you still pass the vision test, the knowledge (G1) test, and both road tests. The credit only reduces wait time — it doesn't waive any test.
Documents you'll need (non-agreement countries)
- Your original, valid foreign driver's licence (expired won't do)
- Acceptable identification for legal name and date of birth
- A letter of authentication if you want credit beyond what your licence shows
- A translation from an MTO-recognized translator if documents aren't in English or French
- Fees for each test and the licence
Where you actually do this
Licence exchanges and foreign-experience applications are done in person. You can exchange at any DriveTest Centre on a walk-in basis, but DriveTest recommends booking an appointment at participating locations to avoid long waits. ServiceOntario's Bay and College location in Toronto also handles exchanges.
Frequently asked questions
Can I exchange my foreign licence for an Ontario one without any tests?
Only if your country has an exchange agreement with Ontario — and even then you take a vision test, and ontario.ca notes you "could" still need a knowledge or road test depending on your circumstances. An exchange usually skips those, but it isn't guaranteed. If your country isn't on Ontario's agreement list, there is no straight swap: you must pass the vision test, the G1 knowledge test, and the G2 and G road tests, though your experience can reduce the wait times.
Which countries can exchange a driver's licence in Ontario?
Per ontario.ca: all Canadian provinces and territories, the Canadian Armed Forces, all U.S. states, and Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, the Isle of Man, Japan, Kosovo, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Ukraine.
Will I get a full G or a G2 when I exchange?
If your country has an exchange agreement and you have at least two years of full-class driving experience, you typically receive a full Class G. With less than two years, DriveTest says you may receive a Class G2 instead. Bring proof of your experience (an abstract or authentication letter) if your licence doesn't show a first-licensed date.
My country isn't on the exchange list. Do I really have to take the G1 test?
Yes. Ontario.ca states that drivers from non-agreement jurisdictions must complete the vision test, knowledge test, and G2 road test, then wait 12 months and pass the G road test. The knowledge test is the G1 exam. Your foreign experience can shorten the waiting periods, but it does not waive the tests.
How much driving experience can I get credit for?
As of July 1, 2026, drivers from non-agreement countries can claim a maximum of 12 months of experience credit toward a Class G. With 12 months credited, you can take the G2 road test immediately; with less, your pre-G2 wait is reduced by however much you're credited. Claiming more than your licence shows requires an authentication letter.
How long can I drive on my foreign licence after moving?
60 days. Once you're a resident of Ontario, you can drive on a valid foreign licence for 60 days, after which you need an Ontario licence.
Do I need to translate my licence?
If your licence (or supporting letter) isn't in English or French, yes — it needs a translation from an MTO-recognized translator. In some cases, providing your original licence with an authentication letter from your embassy or consulate in English or French removes the need for a separate translation.
If you're on the graduated licensing path, start with the G1
If your country has an exchange agreement, you're set — book your vision test and bring your documents. But if you're a newcomer from a non-agreement country, everything begins with the G1 knowledge test. It's a two-section, multiple-choice exam — road signs and rules of the road — scored against an 80% pass mark, all drawn from the Official MTO Driver's Handbook.
The reliable way to pass on the first try is to test yourself before test day. We built two free 20-question mock exams in the same two-section structure, scored against the same 80% mark, with instant results and explanations:
If you want more reps, the Ontario G1 practice test app has 300+ questions organized by handbook topic, road sign flashcards, and smart review that resurfaces the questions you miss — so you clear the knowledge test on the first attempt and get your Ontario licence sooner.