What Happens If Your Drivers Licence Expires
If your driver’s license expires in Ontario, you need to take action to renew it. You can visit a ServiceOntario center to renew an expired license. For those under 76, the renewal fee is $90. Senior drivers over 76 years of age may have different fees and requirements.
Renewal steps include:
- Confirming your identification
- Paying outstanding fines
- Completing vision and road tests if necessary
Novice drivers with Class G1, G2, M1, or M2 licenses should pay attention to renewal timelines and requirements. If your Class G or Class M license has expired for less than 12 months, visit a Service Ontario office.
Online renewals are possible but have limitations. For example, if your license expired or was canceled before March 1, 2020, you cannot renew online. In some cases, you also need to visit a DriveTest Centre for certain tests, especially if you hold a commercial license.
Renewal notices are typically mailed or emailed 2-3 months before expiry. This notice helps remind you, but you should always keep track of your license renewal date yourself.
Testing requirements for renewal can include vision tests, especially for senior drivers or those with certain medical conditions. Vision conditions can affect your ability to drive safely, so it’s important to undergo these tests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any penalties for driving with an expired license in Canada?
Yes, driving with an expired license in Canada is illegal. If caught, you could face fines, vehicle impoundment, or even Provincial Offences charges. The specific penalties vary by province, so it’s crucial to keep your license up-to-date to avoid legal issues.
What is the process for in-person driver’s license renewal at Service Ontario?
To renew your driver’s license in person at Service Ontario:
- Bring your current or expired driver’s license.
- Provide additional identification if required.
- Complete a vision test if required.
- Pay the renewal fee.
- Your new card will be mailed to you, but you’ll receive a temporary paper license immediately.
For more information, visit Service Ontario.
Video Transcription:
I’m here today to briefly discuss with you what happens if your driver’s license expires. In the ordinary course, it can happen. All of us have, unfortunately, the obligation to make sure that we review our license, our driver’s license, from time to time and make sure that it has not expired. And if it has, or it’s about to, you would simply go down to Service Ontario and renew your driver’s license, and pay whatever fee that might be, and then you would get your license extended. And obviously continue to hold a valid driver’s license.
If you were pulled over for some offense, or by some Investigation by a police officer and they were discovered that, in fact, your driver’s license had expired they could ticket you under the Highway Traffic Act it’s actually Section 32- 1 under the Highway Traffic Act, and with that ticket would come a fine, it’s an $85 fine, plus victim fine surcharge. That’s something we all like to avoid because we don’t want to see those types of things on our driver’s abstract. Because we know those types of things or any blemishes on our driving abstract could and would be used against us if an insurance company, your own insurance company were to see that they would use that to increase your rates, which is one thing we all simply want to try to avoid.
So, I would encourage you, if you’re looking at this video hopefully you haven’t been charged, but if you do see the video take the time to pull your license out, take a look, make sure you’re onside, and that will save you an awful lot of time and effort in the future.
