Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Canadian Driver’s Licence as a Nigerian.

Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Canadian Driver’s Licence as a Nigerian.

You can drive on your Nigerian licence in Canada for a short minute.

Miss the window and it’s bus-stop life.

Here’s your simple 3-step move to getting your Canadian driver's licence as a Nigerian.

Whether you’re a first-born running school runs, a student chasing a campus job, or a new hire tired of two buses in the snow, you’ll leave this guide with a date on your calendar and your documents ready.

Don’t Miss Your Deadline

After you settle in a province, a clock starts ticking. Your Nigerian licence works temporarily, then you must switch:

Tip: set a reminder now—ON day 45, BC/AB day 60, QC month 5.

If your licence isn’t in English or French, carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) or get a certified translation while you switch (IDP info: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/documents/international-driving-permit.

Newcomer driving basics: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/settle-canada/driving.html).

What To Expect 

Nigeria isn’t in the “easy exchange” club in most provinces. So plan for:

  • A knowledge test (written: rules & signs), and
  • A road test (practical: safe Canadian driving).

Ontario shortcut: bring a Driving Experience/Authentication Letter (on official letterhead showing first licence date, class, and validity). It can reduce the wait between G1 → G2 → G. Worth it (requirements: https://drivetest.ca/licences/exchanges-foreign-licences/foreign-licence-experience-credits/; explainer: https://settlement.org/ontario/daily-life/transportation/driver-s-licence/i-have-a-driver-s-licence-from-another-country-how-do-i-get-an-ontario-driver-s-licence/).

Ontario in Plain English (G1 → G2 → G)

  • G1: written test + vision. You can drive, but with restrictions.
  • G2: first road test. Fewer restrictions.
  • G (Full): final road test. Full privileges.

Study with the official handbook, book early, and keep your documents tidy

Handbook: https://www.ontario.ca/document/official-mto-drivers-handbook/getting-your-drivers-licence;

DriveTest booking/info: https://drivetest.ca/licences/exchanges-foreign-licences/).

Start Here (Quick Province Pointers)

What To Bring (Keep This List)

Pro tip: snap photos of everything and keep one folder on your phone + cloud. Test day will be calm.

Your 2-Week Easy Plan (No Stress)

Day 1–2: Open your province’s official page. Book the knowledge test (and a road test if allowed) 

Ontario: https://www.ontario.ca/page/exchange-out-province-drivers-licence; 

BC: https://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/moving-bc/moving-from-another-country; 

Alberta: https://www.alberta.ca/exchange-non-alberta-licences; 

Québec: Canadian or Foreign Driver's Licence - SAAQ).

Day 3–4: Gather all documents. (Ontario? Request the experience letter now: https://drivetest.ca/licences/exchanges-foreign-licences/foreign-licence-experience-credits/.)

Day 5–10: Study 15–20 minutes a day with the official handbook/practice tests.

ON handbook: https://www.ontario.ca/document/official-mto-drivers-handbook/getting-your-drivers-licence.

ICBC study/practice: Driver licensing & ID).

Day 11–12: Write the knowledge test

 (DriveTest/ICBC/registry/SAAQ as applicable: https://drivetest.ca/licences/exchanges-foreign-licences/; https://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing; https://www.alberta.ca/exchange-non-alberta-licences; https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/make-appointment/exchange-drivers-licence).

Day 13–14: Practice Canadian “quirks”: 4-way stops, right-on-red (where allowed), school-bus rules, shoulder checks, winter habits. Book 1–2 lessons if you want polish. Then take the road test

DriveTest: https://drivetest.ca/licences/exchanges-foreign-licences/; ICBC: https://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing; Alberta registries: https://www.alberta.ca/exchange-non-alberta-licences; 

SAAQ appointments: https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/make-appointment/exchange-drivers-licence).

Small daily steps > last-minute panic.

Avoid These Traps

  • Waiting till the last week. Book early and use reminders.
  • Name wahala. Keep one exact name format across passport, licence, and letters.
  • Wrong handbook. Ontario ≠ BC ≠ AB ≠ QC. Use your province’s official guide 

Ontario: Getting Your Driver’s Licence | The Official Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Driver’s Handbook | ontario.ca;

 ICBC: https://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing).

Quick Answers

Can I drive with my Nigerian licence? Yes, temporarily (ON 60d, BC/AB 90d, QC 6mo). Then you must switch to a provincial licence 

Ontario: https://www.ontario.ca/page/exchange-out-province-drivers-licence; 

BC: https://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/moving-bc/moving-from-another-country; 

Alberta: https://www.alberta.ca/exchange-non-alberta-licences; 

Québec: https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/drivers-licences/canadian-foreign-drivers-licence).

Can I skip the tests? Usually no. In Ontario, an experience letter can shorten the wait between G-stages, but you still do the tests (https://drivetest.ca/licences/exchanges-foreign-licences/foreign-licence-experience-credits/).

Do I really need an IDP? If your licence isn’t in English/French, an IDP (or certified translation) is simple peace of mind during the grace period and for rentals (https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/documents/international-driving-permit).

How long does the whole thing take? Many readers finish in weeks with early bookings, steady study, and clean documents (province pages: 

Ontario: https://www.ontario.ca/page/exchange-out-province-drivers-licence; 

BC: https://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/moving-bc/moving-from-another-country; 

Alberta: https://www.alberta.ca/exchange-non-alberta-licences; 

Québec: https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/drivers-licences/canadian-foreign-drivers-licence).

💸 Money Tip While You’re Settling

You’ve crossed oceans—this licence switch is just admin. Book the test. Read small-small daily. Keep your docs tidy. In a few weeks, you’ll be driving to work, school, church, and Costco; legally and confidently.

Supporting family back home while you settle? Use Paper: real rates (no hidden spread), fast delivery, clear receipts. What you see is what you send. No stress.

Send without stress → Paper

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