Ontario's RIDICULOUS driver's license exchange program

I am 37 and have an expired USA license (2 yrs expired, I was working in USA). Then I left for overseas and therefore didn't renew it cause of my own oversight. When I came back to Canada and applied for exchange of out-of-province license I am told that since my license is expired for 2 years I have to do ALL the tests and wait 1 more year for road test like a 16 year old, before I have full previleges!!

Now I DO have the option of going back to Florida (God bless them) and renew my license (since they require me to be there personally as my license is expired over 2 yrs and the only restriction is I can not renew it online!!). NOW THE DILLEMA LIES IN THAT I must provide a florida address. So now I must rent a place or find some address for about a month (WHICH TRANSLATES INTO MORE MONEY SPENT). When I get the temporary permit and then the final license, I can now exchange it for an Ontario license, FINALLY.

My dear Ontario Transportation Minister and colleagues - DO U SEE HOW RIDICULOUS THIS IS???? I'm 37, have been licensed and I am made to go through this procedure like a teen?! Now I have to buy a $550 air fare and renew my florida license in person then fly back to Ontario and exchange it for Ontario license. WOULD U CARE TO REVIEW AND AMMEND YOUR LAWS for the benefit of us Ontarians??!!!!

Frustrating. Will they not do an exchange for an Indian drivers licence? John

how IN lORD'S NAME can I be considered a NEW DRIVER when I am 37 and driving since I was 16? Ontario law requires me to wait 2 whole years to get full driving privileges! I wonder, does the Govt. of Canada train its workers to create as much as possible obstacles for its citizens?

No, this is the definition of ridiculous:

If a Canadian moves to the Netherlands with a work permit, s/he can exchange their licence. If they move there for any other reason, they have to do all the tests, the driving lessons (a friend isn't allowed to take you driving and the school determines the number of lessons at €40/hour; they make a mint off non-EU expats!) the final examination (which few people pass the first time, even experienced drivers).

Unless you are from Quebec; they made "special" arrangements with the Dutch government. They can all exchange their licences regardless of the reason they moved to Holland.

I'm in my mid-40s and just can't be arsed to enter into this money-making scam.Luckily the public transit system is better than back home.and most employers will fully refund your costs travelling to and from work.

.and when I move to the UK, I can exchange my licence no problemo -- even though they drive on the other side of the road!

Part of me says you should give yourself a kick though for your oversight.I've learnt to research everything prior to moving now (thank gawd for the internet).and then REresearch, because countries change their laws more often than their underwear.*rolls eyes*

Sometimes it helps to get an international drivers licence (based of course on a still valid licence somewhere). You can drive on that for a year but I think they then expire. Meanwhile it gives you time to find another solution.

Bear in mind you are lucky that it is a Florida licence that you have; if it was almost any other State (with the possible exception of Texas and New Mexico) you would be SOL as you would not be qualified to renew it. Florida will grant a one-year DL to Canadian citizens, but nearly all other jurisdictions in the US require you to have an I-94 which is clearly valid for over six months.

Florida actually bothered to read the law rather than the rather crap DHS guidance and wrote their law to take into account that you are not required to get an I-94 if you are granted or renew TN-1 status.

Only New Mexico used the "alternate" provisions in the Real ID Act which allow them to issue DLs which are purely that and are not considered ID under federal law.

The other problem with Canadian and US DLs is that because the issuing jurisdiction is the State or Province then that specific State or Province has to enter into an agreement with the other country to recognize their licenses.

So you end up with these weird variations because one Province has a slightly different arrangement than another, hence the problem in the Netherlands.

I got an international DL at one point but I found it wasn't a great help as insurance companies don't recognise them. At least none that I could find.

I made sure I had an international driver's licence from CAA before I moved to Holland, but from what I remember, it was only good for six months.

Apparently the reason behind the wonky laws is that those with work permits are considered "visitors" to the Netherlands and only here temporarily. Those moving here for partners are assumed to be here forever and therefore require assimilation, which includes their "foreign" driving habits I guess, lol.

The special agreement with Quebec, however, kills credibility that theory has though, in my opinion.

These lawmakers don't have sense????????????? People with 10 and 20 years driving experience who unfortunately went overseas n came bak with expired license are basically screwed(some places don't even have a license system n in asia or S. America u just drive n bribe police all the time!!). Bak in the old days US, Canada did not allow exchange or credits to many foreign driver license holders.

This is an old post, and i looked it up via the net, because i am in this situation now, and are fuming.....I am in my mid-forties, with over 20 years driving experience....I too moved to the USA, to follow my husbands career. Left my home network, a good job, my oldest daughter who was going off to college, (like who does this to their first nest leaver?) and my family to go off to sunny California. Our time was short. I call it a Two Year Staycation. Had to undergo a road test again as Cali does not have a licence exchange with anyone. And the klincker, i found out i was expecting a baby AFTER i gave notice at my job, and my truck was on the way south. So before i even wanted to i was going to be introduced to US Health Care. Thankfully i had a beautiful baby and our stay was a mixed bag of blessings and headaches. The problem however is that my Ontario licence expired when i was there, 3 days before my baby arrived. So needless to say i wasn't up to going for my road test. So here i am in 2011, and trying to get my Canadian Identity back. So the kicker is i made the mistake of being honest, (when i should have feigned laziness and just showed them and expired Ontario LIcence). Because there is a 3 mos gap, from when my licence expired and when i passed my road test, LOL (i failed the first on a stupid technicality) i do not have 24 months concurrent driving. They do not take into account my 20 some years of driving, and will not exchange the licence. Now had i lied and just said i was stupid and let it expire, because it is less than 3 yrs all i would have to do is a vision test and pay 75 dollars. Because i showed them my current valid California licence i am caught in this rediculous red tape. I must get a letter from the DMV faxed and certifying that i have been driving in California for 24 months...or it is GO BACK JACK to a G2. Yes i have tried logic and the like but the minds who made the rules cannot be appealed to. They have a box and you must fit their criteria or else.....Beware! Beware! and do not let your licence expire if you are from Ontario! Would i move away again? Not for a short term time...cost too much and the hassles are mind boggling. But the weather was fine and i could use a little sun here!!

I know the original post was for Ontario but here`s the policy in Alberta:

"When an application is being made for an Alberta licence,
the licence from any other jurisdiction or country must be
surrendered.

Alberta will take in consideration a person's previous driving
experience from Alberta and any other Canadian jurisdiction
or country. You must be able to prove consecutive driving
experience, to be exempt from retesting. If you have been
unlicenced for 3 or more years since holding a Canadian
licence, retesting would be required."