Hi there - I lived in Ontario with an Ontario license, but now had to move back to my home country to look after family. I intend to return to Ontario in a few years. I do not wish to give up my Ontario license because other than my passport it is my only form of photo id. Do I have to give it up?
Hello There,
Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.
We appreciate your interest in this type of information.
You may not necessarily have to give back your Ontario License for moving abroad. Since you will be out-of-province for longer than 6 months, Service Ontario recommends that you call them at 416-235-2999 or toll-free at 1-800-387-3445 (within Canada) to discuss your options.
Here is an excerpt from their article, Renew a driver’s licence: outside Ontario, about moving outside Ontario.
According to a representative at Service Ontario, the renewal process for a G or GM level license is as follows:
Less than 1 year: You may be eligible to renew online.
Between 1 and 3 years: You will need to visit a DriveTest centre or Service Ontario for a vision test.
Between 3 and 10 years: You will need to take a vision test, a written knowledge test, and both road tests. (G1 and G2)
More than 10 years: You will need to re-apply as a new driver.
For both your G1 and G2, you will have to re-apply as a new driver once your license expires.
You can find more information about the following process in the article, Renew an expired driver’s licence. We also have more information about Driver’s Licences on the Settlement.Org website.
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here.
We hope this information is helpful.
Settlement.Org Team