Which countries can exchange a licence without a road test? Province comparison

Exchange countries by province (October 2026)

✓ means the province exchanges a passenger-car licence from that country without a knowledge or road test (a vision test is usually still required). Conditions apply, such as a minimum licence class or 2 years of experience for a full licence.

ON Ontario, BC British Columbia, AB Alberta, QC Quebec, MB Manitoba, SK Saskatchewan, NS Nova Scotia, NB New Brunswick. Sources: each licensing body’s page listed below, checked October 5, 2026.

Each province’s official list

• Ontario (DriveTest): Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales), Hungary, Ireland, Isle of Man, Japan, Kosovo, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United States, plus all Canadian provinces and territories and Canadian Forces Europe. With less than 2 years of experience in the last 3 years you get a G2.
• British Columbia (ICBC): Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales), Guernsey, Ireland, Isle of Man, Japan, Jersey, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, United States, plus all provinces and territories. ICBC shows its list in a tab on its “moving from outside Canada” page; we checked it against BC Newcomer’s September 2026 copy. South Korea and Taiwan are for passenger licences only; Taiwan needs a translation from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office.
• Alberta: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales), Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United States. Northern Ireland: Class 5 and 6; England, Scotland and Wales: Class 5; Ukraine: Class B or BE.
• Quebec (SAAQ): Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Isle of Man, Japan, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, plus the U.S. and other provinces. Motorcycle licences need tests.
• Manitoba (MPI): reciprocal arrangements with Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Isle of Man, Japan, Northern Ireland, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, the U.K. and the U.S. and its territories; a simplified exchange for 26 European countries (added December 2, 2024) and Ukraine (Class B only).
• Saskatchewan (SGI): Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales), Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United States. SGI says it may accept licences from countries not listed; ask first.
• Nova Scotia: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales), Hungary, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Portugal, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United States, plus the U.S. and other provinces. A minimum class applies, for example Class B in most of Europe, Class 1 in Japan and New Zealand.
• New Brunswick: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Isle of Man, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine and Wales, plus the U.S. and other provinces.

Where the lists differ

• EU countries: Italy, Spain, Poland, Portugal and other EU states are exchanged in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, but not in Ontario, BC or Quebec. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick include some of them.
• Kosovo and Croatia are on Ontario’s list; Croatia is also in the Prairie provinces.
• Ukraine is on the lists of Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, but not BC or Quebec.
• Australia and New Zealand are exchanged in most provinces but not in Quebec.
• The Netherlands is exchanged in BC, Quebec and most other provinces, but not Ontario.

If your country is not on any list

Licences from India, the Philippines, China, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Vietnam and most other countries cannot be exchanged in any province we checked. You take the knowledge and road tests. Experience still matters:

• Ontario credits up to 12 months, which lets you take the G2 road test right away.
• BC lets you skip the novice stage with 2 years of proven non-learner experience.
• Quebec requires 1 year of experience for the foreign-licence route.

See our guide for Indian licence holders, or use the licence path finder for any country.

Conditions that apply even with an agreement

• Experience: Ontario, BC and Alberta give a full licence only with 2 or more years of experience. With less, you start partway through graduated licensing.
• Valid licence: most provinces need a valid licence or one expired only a short time (Quebec: less than 3 years; Ontario accepts Canadian and U.S. licences expired up to 1 year).
• Translation: documents not in English or French need an approved translation.
• Surrender: you usually hand in your foreign licence.
• Motorcycles and trucks often have different lists or need tests.

Ready to apply? Check the fees in licence costs by province and read the full driving guide.

Common questions

Sources

• DriveTest (Ontario): Licence exchanges, cars, trucks and vans (modified Sep 21, 2026)
• DriveTest (Ontario): Licence exchange
• ICBC: Moving from outside Canada
• BC Newcomer: How to exchange a foreign driver licence for a BC licence (verified Sep 26, 2026)
• Alberta: Exchange a licence from outside Alberta (Aug 4, 2026)
• SAAQ: Obtaining a driver’s licence (tourists and newcomers)
• SAAQ: Driver’s licence issued outside Québec
• Manitoba Public Insurance: Countries eligible for licence exchange
• SGI: Saskatchewan driver’s licence program
• SGI: Saskatchewan Driver’s Handbook 2026–27
• Nova Scotia: Exchange your non-Nova Scotian driver’s licence
• New Brunswick: Driver’s licences for new residents

Checked against these sources on October 5, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.