How to get a Canadian Driver's License - Tips for Indian International Students

Dear Readers

Here, in this post, I would like to share with you some information regarding the means to obtain a Canadian Driver's License. The information that follows is meant to be of specific use to Indian students who have successfully reached Canada for their education.

This post is taken from my other blog at http://sambathkumaar.blogspot.ca/2014/11/canadian-drivers-license-procedure-for.html

Before going ahead and reading the post, I would strongly recommend you go through some of these links to get a basic idea about driving in Canada and the licensing procedure in Canada.

1. http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/subjects/cards/drivers_licence.shtml - Driver's License
2. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/after-transportation-driving.asp - Driving in Canada
3. http://canadasafetycouncil.org/home - Canada Safety Council
4. http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/acts-regulations/acts-1993c16.htm - Motor Vehicle Safety Act

Okay, so, if you are from India, driving in Canada is something really exciting and painstaking. Coming from India, most of us are not used to being strict about following the rule of the land nor being sensitive and careful on the road. Although most of us, Indians, do know that road accidents are one of the major causes of death in India, we hardly give due importance to road manners.

A Typical Road Intersection at Brampton, Ontario

Heads Up!
Canadians drive this way

1. Pedestrians are important
2. No matter what you should always be on the lookout for pedestrians
3. Common road rules are very important
4. You are going to regret for a very long time (in Canada) if you break the rule and get caught
5. Its not just fine but you lose points on your license which will increase your insurance amount
6. Speed limits are to be adhered to strictly
7. Many more you will know once you are here

Before going ahead to the required documents you might need. Some basics about the different phases of Canadian Driver's License program.

For general drivers who wish to drive cars, there are 3 phases named as follows

• G1
• G2
• G

The G1 is the preliminary step towards obtaining the license. Possession of G1 is equal to the Learner's License we get in India. Possession of G1 does not allow you to drive a vehicle without someone who has a G. To get G1, a passing grade for a written test is required.

G2 and G are the next phases. In order to get these 2 licenses, you need to take a driving test. With G2 you can drive anywhere in the country/province but with certain limitations. 2 seperate tests should be taken for G2 and G. Although if you posses enough experience driving in India, you have the chance to just take G directly skipping G2.

What you have to do in India before leaving to Canada?

Prior to leaving Canada, ensure you have the following documents with you. These documents are for those who already posses driver's license in India. It doesn't matter, at least for most cases as to how many years you have possessed the license in India. 

• Original Driver's License
• Genuineness Letter from your Regional Transport Office (RTO) [Look below for a sample Genuineness Certificate or Letter]

Image: Just for Sample

These 2 documents are the primary requirements for you to apply for a G2 directly. Generally, if you do not have a license in India or you do not possess the Genuineness Letter, you need to wait for 8 months time between your obtaining G1 and taking the G2 driving test. Possession of the original license from India and the Genuineness Letter helps you to skip the wait and take the G2 immediately. You can also take G directly with these documents. As there have been several failures form students who took G directly without G2, it is my recommendation that you go through G2 and then G.

Of course, there are several rules here that you need to remember and follow. In order to make sure you are not missing out anything specific, it is recommended you take a driving class and learn all the required rules and procedures to be followed while driving in Ontario, Canada. The driving rules change based on what province you are in. Ensure you know all the rules of the province before you enter the province and drive.

All the pictures published on this post are taken by me.

DISCLAIMER: Every word in this post are taken from my experiences and any consequences, good or bad, cannot be credited to this post.

DRIVE SAFE!