Driver's licence in Canada

In Canada, driver's licences are issued by the government of the province or territory in which the driver is residing. Thus, specific regulations relating to driver's licences vary province to province, though overall they are quite similar. All provinces have provisions allowing non-residents to use licences issued by other provinces and territories, out-of-country licences, and International Driving Permits. Many provinces also allow non-residents to use regular licences issued by other nations and countries. Canadian driver's licences are also valid in many other countries due to various international agreements and treaties.

Age of eligibility

Canada's driving age is determined on a province-by-province basis. The age to begin learning is 16 in most provinces. The notable exception is Alberta, where a Learner's Permit may be obtained at 14 years of age.

The driving age in the various Canadian provinces is:

Alberta[1][2]

Endorsement

British Columbia[4][5]

British Columbia has been using a graduated licensing system since August 1998.[7] The program was last revised in October 2003, which involved large changes in the time it took to acquire a licence (previously, a person could complete the Class 7L stage in as little as 3 months, and the Class 7N in 12, and no passenger limit was enforced above Class 7L). Except for people holding a valid driver's licence from other Canadian jurisdictions, Austria, Australia, France, Germany, Guernsey, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, British Columbia requires all new residents to take a driving knowledge test and a road test in order to get a BC driver's licence.[8]

Manitoba[7][9][10]

New Brunswick[11]

Level 1 – Learners licence authorizes a person who is receiving instructions in the operation of a motor vehicle to drive a motor vehicle. Level 2 - authorizes the holder to a class 5 license with the exception of: Zero BAC (Blood Alcohol Level), a maximum of 4 people in the vehicle (Including driver) and may not drive between the hours of Midnight and 5AM. (Exemptions made for Work/Education -- must be accompanied by a Class 5 licensed driver with 3+ years of driving Experience.)

- any vehicle from Class 9 - any two-axle motor vehicle except an ambulance, a taxicab or a bus, - any three-axle motor vehicle, other than a truck, of a type designed for use in the construction, maintenance and repair of highways, whether or not the vehicle is to be so used, and - to tow a towed vehicle which is registered up to and including 4,500 kg gross vehicle mass behind a motor vehicle or motor home referred to herein but not equipped with air brakes.

- any vehicle from Class 5 - an ambulance, - a taxicab, and - bus with a capacity of less than 25 passengers.

- motor vehicle which the holder of a Class 5 licence may operate - two-axle motor vehicle towing a towed vehicle, the towed vehicle being registered for over 4,500 kg gross vehicle mass but not equipped with air brakes, - motor vehicle with three or more axles, and - motor vehicle with three or more axles, towing a towed vehicle not equipped with air brakes.

- motor vehicle which the holder of a Class 3 or 4 licence may operate.

- motor vehicle which the holder of a Class 3, 4 or 5 licence may operate, and - bus with a capacity of more than 24 passengers

- motor vehicle which the holder of a Class 2, 3, 4 or 5 licence may operate, - truck tractor, - truck tractor towing a semi-trailer, - truck tractor towing a semi-trailer and a trailer, - any truck towing a trailer equipped with air brakes, and - truck tractor towing a trailer equipped with air brakes. -truck

All applicants for Class 1, 2, 3, and 4 must have completed the Graduated Licence Program and have a completed medical.

In addition to a class, a driver's licence may be endorsed with a letter to expand on the types of vehicles that can be driven by the holder of the licence. The endorsements are as follows:

A - valid for all motorcycle B - valid for school bus C - valid for motorcycle and school bus D - valid for motorcycle with engine size exceeding 50 cubic centimetres, but not exceeding 550 cubic centimetres E - valid for vehicles equipped with air brakes F - valid for vehicles equipped with air brakes 21 - valid for motor driven scooters not exceeding 50 cubic centimetres

Newfoundland and Labrador[12]

In Newfoundland and Labrador, one can apply for a learner's licence for Class 5 vehicles (passenger car or light truck) at the age of 16 and cannot obtain their licence until turning 17,(unless you are a graduate of Young Drivers of Canada) as well as Class 6 vehicles (motorcycles).[13] Upon completion and pass of a written knowledge test and a vision test, a Class 5 Level I licence will be issued. This licence, commonly referred to as a "learner's permit" restricts holders to one passenger in the vehicle, a licensee of no less than 4 years, a blood alcohol level of 0% and no driving between 12am and 5am. A "novice driver" sign must also be placed on the rear windshield. Parental consent is required for applicants under the age of 19.[14]

After 12 months in Level I, or 8 months with the completion of a government-approved driving school program containing both classroom and in-car training, a road test can be taken to advance to Level II. Upon successful completion of the road test, one is advanced to Level II of the graduated licensing program. Level II lasts for 12 months and carries less restrictions than the initial stage. Passengers are permitted during the day but between 12am and 5am, the Level II driver must be accompanied by a licensed driver with 4 years driving experience and cannot have any other passengers in the vehicle. The drivers' Blood Alcohol Content must remain at 0% in this stage.

After 12 months in Level II, the driver is automatically advanced to a full Class 5 licence (unless their licence was suspended in the learners stage).

Newfoundland and Labrador uses a demerit point system. In two years, a driver can accumulate a maximum of 12 points, although in the novice stage, a maximum of 6 points can be accumulated.[15]

The classes in Newfoundland and Labrador are as follows:[13]

Nova Scotia[16]

Ontario[18]

Graduated Licensing System for Passenger Vehicles

Graduated Licensing System for Motorcycles:

Additional Licensing Types for Ontario:

Licensing Restrictions/Endorsements:[21]

All licences in Ontario can carry any of the following restrictions/endorsements excluding some which are vehicle class specific. Some are related to person(s) health or law enforcement penality.

Ontario has used a graduated licensing system since 1994. A driver can take as little as 20 months to get a full licence, however a driver must have a full (G) licence within five years of obtaining a learners permit (G1).

In 2006, Ontario passed legislation that would allow a court to suspend the licence of high school dropout until they turn 18. But the Act did not receive royal assent until December 2009 and is now in effect.[22][23]

Traffic violation convs usually come with demerit points against your licence. While the demerit points have no official impact on insurance rates, most insurance providers will increase the rate charged to a driver in response to demerit points. The demerit points are used by the Ministry of Transportation to determine licence suspensions due to repeated traffic violations (Effects on Ontario insurance rates and eligibility are typically measured by the number of tickets received in recent years, rather than the associated points).

Drivers from out of province must obtain an Ontario driver's licence if staying more than 90 days. New residents of Ontario may only apply after residing in the province for 60 days.

Starting June 2009, Ontario began issuing Enhanced Drivers Licences (EDLs) as an option to residents upon request. These licence while almost visually identical to regular drivers licences contained 2 distinct differences. The first being a machine readable code printed on the back of the card (visually similar to the same coding on a Canadian Passport). The second: an embedded RFID microchip. These changes were made in response to the heightened security precautions at US land border crossings. The changes allow for quicker procedures at a border crossing as well as a cheaper alternative to a Canadian Passport ($40 vs. $100).

Prince Edward Island[24]

If you are 16 years or older, you may apply for an Instruction Permit. A instruction permit allows you to drive under supervision to receive instruction. This type of licence is valid for two years. Testing Requirements for a Driver's Licence are a written or oral exam, road sign, driving, vision test and Novice Driving or Driver Education Course is required for first-time drivers. An eye test is required if your licence is expired more than one year. An odd addition with the eastern provinces licences, is they are shown fogged and/or rearranged through certain camera lenses. The classes of licence that can be obtained with appropriate training and required testing are as follows:

Quebec[25]

During the Learning period the applicant must have held a Class 3 learner's licence for 3 months OR for 1 month if the applicant is aged 25 or over; or has 60 months cumulative experience as a holder of a Class 5 licence.

During the Learning period the applicant must have held a Class 2 learner's licence for 3 months OR for 1 month if aged 25 or over; or has 60 months cumulative experience as a holder of a Class 5 licence. Note: For an applicant who meets one of these three requirements, the one-month period may be substituted by a training program that includes at least 20 driving hours on the public roadway with a vehicle covered by a class 2 licence. An additional 'certificate of competence' is required in the case of a school bus, and there are endorsements for Air brake system (F endorsement) Manual transmission (M endorsement)

During the Learning period the applicant must have held a class 1 learner's licence for 3 months OR for 1 month if the applicant is aged 25 or over; or has 60 months cumulative experience as a holder of a class 5 licence; or is registered in the truck driving training program which leads to the Diploma of Vocational Studies issued by the Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport and has successfully completed all mandatory sections of the program required to drive on the road without an accompanying rider; or already has a class 2 or 3 driver's licence.

Saskatchewan[26]

Classes

Endorsements

Class 5 - Novice 1 (6 months)

Class 5 - Novice 2 (12 months)

Class 6 - Motorcycle learner

Class 7 - Learner (9 months)

Department of National Defence

The Department of National Defence issues a special driving licence known as DND 404 to Canadian Forces military personnel driving CF vehicles or vehicles rented by DND, and the issue is contingent on possession of a provincial driving licence and passing of a defensive driving course.[27] Between 2011 and 2012, all DND 404 permits were replaced with modern photo ID cards.[28] Provincial law enforcement agencies do enforce highway traffic laws against such permit holders, and DND 404 permits can be accordingly suspended.[29][30]

Enhanced driver's licences

Along with numerous U.S. states, several provinces have implemented their own Enhanced Driver's Licence (EDL) programmes for Canadian citizens that includes proof of citizenship to comply with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative for entering the United States. Provinces issuing EDLs include Manitoba,[31] Quebec,[32] British Columbia [33] and Ontario.[34] [35]

Licence suspensions and revocations

Although licence suspensions and revocations are generally a matter for the territorial and provincial government departments of motor vehicles, some driving offences (e.g. dangerous driving and impaired driving) are criminal offences, set down in Canada's Criminal Code. Prison sentences are often given to repeat offenders and to drivers convicted of causing death or grievous bodily harm via Criminal Code driving offences.

External links

References

  1. Service Alberta:
  2. Service Alberta:
  3. http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/1909.htm
  4. Getting licensed
  5. classes
  6. ICBC's page on the novice stage of licensing
  7. 1 2 Best Practices for Graduated Driver Licensing in Canada
  8. Getting a B.C. driver's licence when moving from certain countries
  9. 1 2
  10. Nova Scotia Registry of Motor Vehicles - Graduated Driver's Licence System
  11. MTO
  12. Licence Classes in Ontario
  13. "Driver's Licence - Renewals". ontariolicences.com. 2007-10-31. Retrieved 2010-05-24. Driver Licences must be renew [sic] every 5 years on or before your birthday.
  14. http://www.cvsa.org/members/documents/2013/Canadian-Drivers-Licence-Reference-Guide-Revised-01-13.pdf
  15. Education Act (Ont.), s. 30(5.5)
  16. http://cal2.edu.gov.on.ca/Bill52Implementation.pdf
  17. SAAQ
  18. SGI
  19. "DND 404 DRIVER/OPERATOR PERMIT- POLICY". 2000-05-18. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
  20. "DND 404 to get new look". The Maple Leaf. 2011-05-04. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
  21. "Re: Department of National Defence New Issued Driver Licence (DND 404)" (PDF). Government of Alberta - Solicitor General and Public Security. 2012-03-12. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
  22. "DND 404 Driver's Licence" (PDF). Government of Alberta - Solicitor General and Public Security. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
  23. Manitobans wait for one-piece driver's license continues
  24. New Quebec licence good for U.S. travel
  25. B.C's enhanced driver's licence for U.S. border use goes public
  26. Enhanced driver’s licence
  27. Enhanced Driver's Licence Applicant's Guide
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