Tip to get quicker full M license when coming from another country | GTAMotorcycle.com

Tip to get quicker full M license when coming from another country

isisfromparis

isisfromparis

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Hi everybody,

I took a trip to DriveTest today, and found out some useful infos on how to "exchange" your motorcycle license if you recently moved to Canada and passed it in another country. To be clear, this applies only if your native country has an agreement with Canada to exchange car license (G), but not motorcycle license (M) (AND if you have at least 2 years of experience as a biker).

In my case, coming from France, i've had a car license since 2001, motorbike license since 2003. I lost my motorbike license in the process of swapping for an Ontario license, and was pretty ****** about it. its seems like i finally inspired pity, and an Agent explained this to me, which i think might help a lot of people :

1- when exchanging your car license, make sure to tell them that you want your experience as a motorbike driver to be registered. If you don't do it on the spot, you won't be able to make them add experience later, because the government registers you either as a "new" driver, or as an "experienced" driver. And then it's too late to change your mind.

2- They should file 2 license requests, one for the car, the other for the motorbike (although this one is not processed, only saved in the government's computer)

3- And here is where it gets interesting : With this information saved, you can bring a bike to DriveTest, and directly take the full M test for $75. And get your full M license without waiting, nor without paying a driving school !
The story doesn't tell how to bring the bike to DriveTest though...

... And it might be a good idea to rehearse the exam before taking the Test, hence a short trip to a Driving School...

But i thought this might be interesting !
 
Good info! I didn't know you could do that, but in all honesty, I don't understand why they make exception for motorcycle license when someone already has both car and bike licenses.
 
thanks man., I wish I had known that when I first came here.
 
I went through this last year. You have to take the theory to get an M1 license so you can go on the road, then you can book your M2 exit test.
 
I sure could have used this information four years ago. :sad10: Three times in my life I've had to restart my motorcycle licensing from the beginning (1) first time I got my M class in Ontario (2) when I retook the complete course to get my motorcycle license in Norway and (3) again going through the complete regime to get back my M class when I returned to Ontario from abroad. DriveTest had all my history online but refused to recognize my M rating; they just gave me back my G class. The DriveTest people I spoke with either didn't know about this fast path or didn't care to help me. This would have saved me tons of headaches not to mention retained my continuous licensing history for insurance.
 
The other thing to note is if you are comming from for sure the US and possibly other places and have had your M there for 2+ years they can transfer the M to Ontario. That is what happened to me when i moved back from the US. Did not need to take any tests either and got a full GM license
 
This is the info i have been looking for. I am thinking of moving to canada and have been trying to find out if my bike licence would be valid there or what would I have to do to get another one.

Thanks ;)
 
Just went through the license swap last year. Coming from Australia. Ontario have a reciprocal license scheme with a bunch of countries :

Currently: USA, Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Germany, Isle of Man, Japan, Korea, Northern Ireland and Switzerland.

If you have had your motorcycle and car license in your own country for at least the last 2 years then you can swap them straight over for full G and full M. If youve had your license for less the 2 years you can get a G2 M2 and have your time accredited so that you can take your full G and M tests sooner.

Just bring an abstract of your driving record with you.

Oh: last note, be prepared to loose any tracktor trailer etc license you may have.
 
The info about the U.S. is a little scary, as you can get a license in some States with the BRC, which is taught at the dealerships that sell the bikes.
 
Here are some additional infos about this topic :

it took 3 different DriveTest employees before i could obtain this info, obviously not everybody knows about it. First, i chose a DriveTest center where they issue the M license (they don't all do that in the GTA); then, i went there with my husband (also a biker), and we tried every trick in the book : playing dumb, playing "tourist", asking the same questions to a bunch of different people... My husband went first, fortunately the DriveTest manager had told us about this "experience" thing, because the employee he talked to had no idea what to do... Then, when my turn came, i talked with a more experienced employee, and i asked him : "what is the purpose of registering our bike experience if we don't get a paper from the government proving it ?" He was surprised and replied : "well, you don't need to go to a driving school, if you can get hold of a bike, bring it here, pass the test, and you will get directly your full M license for $75 without having to wait 2 years !" We were blown away...

> DownUnder : i believe you got the M license swap because you are coming from a Commonwealth country, this does not apply for France, Germany, and so on...
 
FYI not every state has reciprocity with Canada when it comes to motorcycle licence's. California does not recognise a Canadian licence and makes you start from scratch to get one. Thankfully I was transferring a South Carolina licence and it was taken across with no hassle. This was very cool as South Carolina gave me an M licence based on my Ontario licence without even as much as a written test.
 
isisfromparis said:
Here are some additional infos about this topic :

it took 3 different DriveTest employees before i could obtain this info, obviously not everybody knows about it. First, i chose a DriveTest center where they issue the M license (they don't all do that in the GTA); then, i went there with my husband (also a biker), and we tried every trick in the book : playing dumb, playing "tourist", asking the same questions to a bunch of different people... My husband went first, fortunately the DriveTest manager had told us about this "experience" thing, because the employee he talked to had no idea what to do... Then, when my turn came, i talked with a more experienced employee, and i asked him : "what is the purpose of registering our bike experience if we don't get a paper from the government proving it ?" He was surprised and replied : "well, you don't need to go to a driving school, if you can get hold of a bike, bring it here, pass the test, and you will get directly your full M license for $75 without having to wait 2 years !" We were blown away...

> DownUnder : i believe you got the M license swap because you are coming from a Commonwealth country, this does not apply for France, Germany, and so on...
Click to expand...

Here is the page from DriveTest: http://www.drivetest.ca/en/license/exchangeReciprocal.aspx

All you should need from France is a license abstract from the original issuing department. They should have given you your M and G straight away. I have a feeling people are getting screwed over by drivetest staff that just dont know about this scheme. If the people at the DriveTest center are giving you the runaround, tell them about this link or get them to call Ottawa directly. I went to the Victoria Park & Lawrance center and the girls at the help desk knew about this and helped me out right away. I had an abstract sent from Australia which they confirmed and that was that.
 
> DownUnder : it says in the very same page that you linked to, quote : "Note: These conditions also apply to licensed motorcycle riders from other Canadian provinces, from the United States, Australia, Northern Ireland, Switzerland and Canadian Forces Europe. However there is currently no exchange agreement for motorcycle riders from the remaining jurisdictions."

That's why you could swap your licence, being from Australia, and not me, being from France...
So i guess DriveTest doesn't (always) try to screw people!
 
Quote:
Currently: USA, Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Germany, Isle of Man, Japan, Korea, Northern Ireland and Switzerland.



Northan Ireland is included NOT Southern Ireland.
However,
If your from the south and you have family In the north you can have your licence changed to a northan one by saying you live with them. Then when you come over you can change it over to an Ontario Licence.
 
Yes, but the part you are quoting refers only to Car license, not motorcycle. There are only a few lines at the bottom of this document referring to Motorbike license swap, and it clearly says "from other Canadian provinces, from the United States, Australia, Northern Ireland, Switzerland and Canadian Forces Europe". Natives from all other countries can't swap it.
 
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