Renewing your Ontario driver’s license can be daunting, but this article will guide you throughout the entire process. If you’re wondering about how to renew an Ontario drivers license, keep on reading.
Many drivers want to know how to renew an Ontario drivers license. After all, it’s illegal to drive if your licence is expired, cancelled, or suspended. Those who are caught driving without a licence could face a fine from $200 to $1000.
An Ontario drivers licence expires every 5 years. Drivers usually receive a notification via email 2-3 months before their licence’s expiry date.
When thinking about when and how to renew an Ontario drivers license, drivers should sign up for digital reminders from ServiceOntario.
Doing so helps them be on top of it as ServiceOntario has stopped sending paper renewal notices for products that expired past February 2022 (unless you are one of the exemptions). Drivers may also choose to get reminders by text messages or automated voice calls.
If you want to know how to renew an Ontario drivers license, you should start your research beforehand. If you wait for more than a year before renewing your licence, the Government will require you to undergo various tests.
It’s better to take note of your licence’s validity and come up with a plan to renew it weeks before it expires. Doing so will give you peace of mind as you’ll have time to prepare all your documents and go through the process.
Ontario driver’s license renewal is available online if your licence has expired on or after March 1, 2020. However, if it has expired or was cancelled before the said date, you cannot renew it online.
If you want to know how to renew an Ontario drivers license online, make sure to check first if you are eligible. You can only renew your licence online if you:
Before you renew a drivers license online, you must first know these following requirements:
If you want to renew an Ontario drivers license but found out that you’re not eligible for online renewal, you may follow the steps below.
If you possess an expired commercial licence and need to undergo tests, you must visit a DriveTest Centre. However, if you have a Class M or G licence that’s expired for less than a year, you must go to a ServiceOntario office.
You may also book an appointment online.
If you have your expired licence with you, you may show it to the authorities. Make sure that the name on your licence is consistent with the names on your other legal identification.
If, however, there’s a variation in the names across your identification, you’ll need to show an acceptable ID to link the names.
For those wondering how to renew an Ontario drivers license, one must know that they should undergo various tests, such as vision, knowledge, or road and practical tests.
This step is only needed if it’s required by the Government. A customer service agent will take a picture of you, which they’ll use on your new licence card.
Drivers license renewal in Ontario costs $90. This excludes the costs for the tests that one must go through if the Government requires them.
The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is the one that sets the fees, which are subject to change.
After meeting all the requirements, you will receive your temporary driver’s licence from a customer service agent. This licence allows you to drive legally for only 90 days.
Within these 90 days, you can expect your permanent licence in the mail. However, if your permanent licence isn’t yet available after your temporary one has long expired, you may seek support from ServiceOntario.
If you want to renew a drivers license in Ontario that expired more than a year ago, you may find the process a little bit different.
Below are the requirements on how to renew an Ontario drivers license that has expired for over a year:
1 to 3 years: You will have to undergo a vision test.
3 to 10 years: You must take a vision test, a written knowledge test, and road tests for G2 and G level licence.
10 years or longer: You must attend the whole Graduated Licensing Program from the beginning.
For drivers who want to know how to renew an Ontario drivers license that has been lost or stolen, they can renew it provided that they pay a replacement fee.
You must visit a ServiceOntario office and present an acceptable ID that shows your legal name, birth date, and signature. The office will then provide you with a temporary driver’s licence while waiting for the licence replacement.
If you are thinking of how to renew an Ontario drivers license that was lost or stolen while you were outside of Ontario, you must go through a different process.
If you plan on returning to Ontario within 6 months, you should ask ServiceOntario to mail you a temporary driver’s licence. Once you get back to the province, you must visit a ServiceOntario location and ask them to issue a new licence for you.
However, if you plan to return to the province later than 6 months, you must pay ServiceOntario through the mail before they could mail you a new licence card.
Suspended driver’s licence in Ontario are serious cases, and they happen for several reasons:
If you are wondering how to renew an Ontario drivers license that has been suspended, here are the three steps you need to do:
Step 1: Pay all the fines you owe, whether your licence suspension was due to medical or non-medical reasons.
Step 2: Undergo all court processes and programs to clear your suspension.
Step 3: Gather all the legal documents that prove your licence is cleared of suspension.
Once your driver’s licence is cleared of suspension, you can then go to ServiceOntario for a drivers license renewal.
Updating your personal information on your licence card is free online. However, other types of information require you to go to a DriveTest or ServiceOntario office.
If you need to make changes to restrictions or conditions on your licence, such as the need to wear glasses or corrective glasses, you will have to go to a DriveTest location. This will require you to pass several tests.
Meanwhile, you will need to go to a ServiceOntario location if you want to change the following:
To change any type of information, you must show your current driver’s licence as well as other supporting documents that DriveTest and ServiceOntario offices require of you.
If you are a commercial driver, you should learn how to renew an Ontario driver’s license before yours expires since it is crucial for your work.
Before you can apply for a commercial licence (Class A, B, C, D, E, F) you will need a full class G licence. Therefore, if your commercial licence is expired, that means your Class G licence needs to be renewed as well.
A commercial driver’s licence that has been invalid for more than 3 years will require the driver to reapply for a Class G licence. That means you have to meet all the requirements of Class G graduated licensing before you can renew your commercial licences. This includes passing the Class G tests.
If you want to know how to renew an Ontario drivers license for commercial drivers, read the requirements below. Note that these requirements are only for drivers under the age of 80.
Step 1: Go to a DriveTest Centre.
Step 2: Take a vision test.
Step 3: Take a written knowledge test.
Step 4: Take a road/practical test if the DriveTest Centre requires you.
Step 5: Submit a medical examination report.
Step 1: Go to a DriveTest Centre.
Step 2: Re-apply for your Class G Licence.
Step 3: After getting your Class G Licence, you can now take a vision test.
Step 4: Take a written knowledge test.
Step 5: Take a road/practical test if the DriveTest Centre requires you.
Step 6: Submit a medical examination report.
If you want to know how to renew an Ontario drivers license that’s Class B or E, you need to undergo a criminal record search.
If you are 80 years and older and want to know how to renew an Ontario drivers license, you should learn about the special requirements first. If your licence is about to expire or has expired, you must undergo a Senior Driver Group Education Session as well as a vision test before applying for a licence renewal.
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has given detailed information to assist seniors in updating their driving knowledge as well as completing the requirements. Below are the five simple steps that senior drivers should take note of.
Before your licence expires, you will receive a renewal application form and a letter containing all the steps needed to renew your licence. Both of these will arrive in the mail within 90 days of the expiry date.
Before you can attend the renewal session, you will have to watch the senior driver education video and review the official MTO driver’s handbook.
Afterward, you can book a Senior Driver Group Education session at 1-800-396-4233 (toll-free) or 416-235-3579. You may reschedule your sessions if you cannot attend the date.
Before attending the Senior Driver Group Education session, make sure you bring all the things you need, such as your current driver’s licence (or temporary licence), licence renewal application if applicable, hearing aids, corrective eyeglasses, water, and snacks.
After you have followed steps 1 through 4, you may now go to a ServiceOntario office to renew your license, or have it done online. Don’t forget to bring your acceptable ID, showing your legal name, birth date, and signature.
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Bring your ID showing your legal name, signature, and birth date for your Ontario driver’s license renewal. You may need to undergo driving examinations, including road and knowledge tests. You may also need to pay $90 as well as other extra costs for tests you are required to take.
Not all drivers are eligible for renewing their Ontario drivers license online. For instance, you cannot renew online if you need to take a vision test or need to update your photo.
If you want to renew your driver’s licence, you should prepare to pay an amount of $90, while replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged driver’s licence costs $35.75.
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