3.10.08 Ontario Driver's Licence

Policy

Clients originating from Ontario (ON) who are lawfully entitled to be or to remain in Canada and have now established residency in Alberta may exchange their valid ON driver’s licence for an Alberta driver’s licence of an equivalent class.

  • See Table 1 - Driver Licence Equivalencies to determine Alberta’s equivalent driver's licence class.
  • See Table 2 – Class 1 Equivalencies for Class 1 Learning Pathway; see 3.20.06 Class 1 Learning Pathway.
  • See Table 3 - Code Equivalencies to determine Alberta’s equivalent condition/restriction codes.
  • When an ON driver’s licence has not been valid within the last three years, full testing is required; see 3.15.02 Out of Province Operator First.
    • When a client has passed their vision and Class 7 knowledge test and has had the Class 7 licence issued, the client may take a road test for the class of licence (or lower class) that they held at the time their licence expired (this does not apply to the Class 6 motorcycle licence category).  The client must meet all applicable licensing requirements, including passing the knowledge test for that class of licence; see 3.00.01 Driver Licence Classifications. 
      • If the client fails the knowledge or road test for a Class 1 they must complete the Class 1 Learning Pathway to retain that Class of licence; see 3.20.06 Class 1 Learning Pathway.
  • Clients have a 10-day waiting period when reclassifying their Alberta non-GDL Class 5 or 6 to an Alberta Class 1, 2, 3, or 4 driver’s licence.
    • During this period Alberta confirms the client’s ON driver’s information.

Medicals

The following clients must submit a current medical report before exchanging their ON driver’s licence:

  • Clients with a medical condition or physical disability that may affect their ability to drive. 
  • Clients exchanging for an Alberta 1, 2 or 4 driver’s licence. 
  • Clients who are 75 years of age or older.

Licensing Requirements

A client must:

  • Provide acceptable identification; see 2.05.02 Acceptable Identification/Enrolment.   
  • Be 18 years of age or older.
  • Meet all licence class requirements for the class of driver’s licence being applied for; see 3.00.01 Driver Licence Classifications. 
  • Pass a vision screening and disclose all medical conditions/physical disabilities that may affect their ability to safely operate a motor vehicle; see 3.05.05 Medicals/Visions. 
  • Provide proof of date first licenced or length of time licenced to determine if they should be placed in the GDL Program; see 3.20.02 Graduated Driver Licence (GDL) Program  and 3.05.04 Date First Licenced (DFL).
    • Clients exchanging an ON Class 1, 2, 3 or 4 driver’s licence are not subject to the GDL Program.
    • Clients exchanging a non-GDL licence with less than two years of driving experience or have been suspended/received a traffic contravention in the past year are automatically placed in the GDL Program.
  • For Class A drivers who have completed a ELT program from Ontario and would like the ELT1 designation on their Alberta Class 1 driver’s licence, provide an Ontario three year driver abstract indicating MELT.
    • Prior to issuing an Alberta Class 1 driver’s licence, see Table 2 – Class 1 Equivalencies for Class 1 Learning Pathway below.
  • Surrender their ON driver’s licence (including valid temporary/interim licences).
    • When a client has lost their driver’s licence, an official document (such as a confirmation letter or a driver’s abstract), not dated more than 90 days, from ON’s licensing authority detailing the content of the driver’s licence, may be accepted in place of the lost driver’s licence.

A registry agent must securely retain surrendered out of province licences for one week, then shred them.

Additional Requirements

In addition to the licensing requirements, the client may also have to successfully complete a knowledge and/or road test when special restrictions are indicated on their ON driver’s licence such as: area, speed or hours of operation.

MOVES Processing

A registry agent must:

Amendments to a Client File

When amendments or corrections are made to a client file, a registry agent must immediately send copies of the relevant support documents to Motor Vehicles. Examples:

  • Proof of date of birth is required if the date of birth is different on the CCMTA search results and surrendered ON driver’s licence.   
  • Proof of airbrake endorsement when adding a Condition Code Q.
Note:
A client must be created using the exact name and date of birth as it appears on their ON licence.
  • If the client identifies that a name change is required; a registry agent must complete a tracked change to the MOVES client file.  
  • If the client identifies that a DOB change is required; a registry agent must contact Registries Assurance to complete a DOB correction to the MOVES client file.     

Table 1 – Driver Licence Equivalencies 

The below table displays the Alberta licence class equivalencies for licence classes from ON.

 ON Classes   A B, C D  E, F G, G2 M, M2  G1, M1 
AB Equivalent 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
  • An ON Class A with an airbrake endorsement "Z" must be exchanged for an Alberta Class 1 driver’s licence. 
  • An ON Class A without an airbrake endorsement "Z" must be exchanged for an Alberta Class 3 driver’s licence.
    • The client is allowed to later upgrade to an Alberta Class 1 when an air brake endorsement is presented within 1 year of a licence exchange without having to complete a knowledge and road test.
  • An ON Class A with a condition code G must be exchanged for an Alberta Class 1 driver’s licence with a condition code R (must also have an airbrake endorsement “Z” to qualify for an Alberta Class 1).

Table 2 – Class 1 Equivalencies for Class 1 Learning Pathway

Jurisdiction Class Length of Time Licenced in Class Class 1 Knowledge and Road Test? Class 1 Learning Pathway?
ON A N/A No No
  • A driver who holds an ON Class A, regardless of the length of time licensed, is not required to complete a Class 1 knowledge or road test, or the Class 1 Learning Pathway.
  • For Class A drivers who have completed a MELT program from Ontario and would like the ELT1 designation on their Alberta Class 1 driver’s licence, provide an Ontario three year driver's abstract indicating ELT.
    • When a driver’s abstract indicating ELT completion is provided, a registry agent must add the OOPELT1 milestone in the MLSTN field, which will result in the ELT1 designation being printed on the Alberta driver’s licence. A copy of the driver abstract must be sent for imaging.
    • When the client has not provided a driver’s abstract indicating ELT completion in ON, a registry agent must enter the MANLOOP1 milestone in the MLSTN field. The Alberta driver’s licence will print with no designation.

Table 3 – Code Equivalencies

The following table shows the Alberta equivalent for condition/restriction codes that may appear on a ON driver’s licence. When the ON driver’s licence has a condition/restriction code, an equivalent Alberta condition/restriction code must be placed on the Alberta driver’s licence.

When no Alberta Equivalent code appears in Table 3 – Code Equivalences for a specific endorsement/restriction/condition code on a client’s ON driver’s licence, the registry agent must question the client to determine the reason/purpose of the code.

For more information on the Alberta equivalent codes, including requirements for adding and removing, see QR 3.3 Condition Codes / Endorsements. 

 Ontario Condition Codes  Alberta Equivalent
G – Restricted to Class A vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission.  Condition Code - R
 L - Limited speed motorcycles & mopeds not exceeding 80 km/h  No Equivalent
 X - Corrective lenses  Condition Code - A
 Z - Airbrake endorsement  Condition Code - Q
 2 - Hand controls  Condition Code - L
 9 - Other  To be determined according to condition/restriction noted.

For condition/restriction codes that may appear on the CCMTA IRE search, see 3.10.20 Interprovincial Record Exchange Searches & Close Outs for Driver’s Licences (CCMTA) and QR 3.6 CCMTA Condition Code Equivalencies.

Imaging

All supporting documents, including documentation from other jurisdiction showing driver record information (such as confirmation letters/driver’s abstracts) must be sent for imaging; see the appropriate sub-section in 1.15 Imaging.

 


Date Originally Issued: Feb 08, 2011
Date Last Revised: Apr 01, 2025