--- title: "Driver's licence renewal in British Columbia" url: "https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence/british-columbia" description: "Get, renew or replace a driver's licence in British Columbia: handled by ICBC. Licences are renewed and replaced at ICBC driver licensing offices." site: "Canada Service Map" author: "Mahmoud Halat" publisher: "Space & Story" lastReviewed: "2026-10-13" licence: "Built entirely from public data: open data and official government pages. Each record keeps the licence of its source, listed at https://canadaservicemap.ca/data." --- # Driver's licence renewal in British Columbia British Columbia · Driving and vehicles Compiled by Mahmoud Halat, checked 13 October 2026. Not a government website. The official page always has the final word. ## Short answer ICBC issues driver's licences in British Columbia. New drivers go through graduated licensing: a knowledge test for the L at 16 or older, a Class 7 road test for the N, then a Class 5 road test for the full licence. To renew, bring two pieces of accepted ID to an ICBC driver licensing office up to 180 days before your licence expires. Who handles it: [ICBC](https://canadaservicemap.ca/bodies/insurance-corporation-of-british-columbia). Handles it in British Columbia. Licences are renewed and replaced at ICBC driver licensing offices. ## Official links - [Renew your licence](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/getting-licensed/Renew-your-licence-or-ID), checked 12 October 2026 - [Licence and ID services](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/getting-licensed), checked 12 October 2026 ## Who can apply - You can get a learner's (L) licence from your 16th birthday. You need to pass the knowledge test by getting at least 40 of 50 questions right. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/new-drivers/Get-your-L), checked 13 October 2026. - If you move to B.C. from elsewhere in Canada, you have 90 days to switch to a B.C. licence. Book an appointment and bring ID, your current licence, the fee and proof of driving experience. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/moving-bc/Moving-from-within-canada), checked 13 October 2026. ## Steps 1. For the L, drivers under 19 need a parent or guardian to sign consent. You take the knowledge test online or at a driver licensing office and pass a vision screening. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/new-drivers/Graduated-licensing), checked 13 October 2026. 2. After at least a year of supervised practice, you can take the Class 7 road test to get your novice (N) licence. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/new-drivers/Graduated-licensing), checked 13 October 2026. 3. After 24 months on your N with no prohibitions, or possibly 18 months if you took an ICBC-approved course, you can take the Class 5 road test for a full licence. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/new-drivers/Graduated-licensing), checked 13 October 2026. 4. To renew, go to any ICBC driver licensing office with two pieces of accepted ID. You can renew up to six months before the licence expires. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/getting-licensed/Renew-your-licence-or-ID), checked 13 October 2026. ## What you need - Every visit to a driver licensing office needs two original pieces of ID, one primary and one secondary. If your name has changed, bring proof of the change. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/visit-dl-office/Accepted-ID), checked 13 October 2026. ## Cost - Driver licensing offices take cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, debit and personal cheques. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/visit-dl-office/Fees), checked 13 October 2026. ## How long it takes - For a safe driver, going from L to full licence takes about three years. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/new-drivers/Graduated-licensing), checked 13 October 2026. - The plastic card is mailed. Most cards take up to 60 days to arrive, and you can track yours in My ICBC. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/getting-licensed/Card-status-tracking), checked 13 October 2026. ## In every province and territory The same service across Canada: who handles it and the official link. British Columbia is marked. | Province or territory | Who handles it | Official link | Good to know | |---|---|---|---| | British Columbia (this page) | ICBC | [Renew your licence](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/getting-licensed/Renew-your-licence-or-ID), checked 12 October 2026 | Licences are renewed and replaced at ICBC driver licensing offices. | | [Alberta](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence/alberta) | Alberta registry agents (Government of Alberta) | [Renew or replace a licence](https://www.alberta.ca/renew-replace-drivers-licence), checked 12 October 2026 | Renew or replace at any registry agent office; online renewal was paused in October 2026. | | [Saskatchewan](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence/saskatchewan) | SGI (Saskatchewan Government Insurance) | [Renew, replace or change a licence](https://sgi.sk.ca/renew-licence), checked 12 October 2026 | Renew at a motor licence issuer; a new photo is needed every 5 years. | | [Manitoba](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence/manitoba) | Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) | [Get a driver's licence](https://www.mpi.mb.ca/get-a-passenger-vehicle-class-5-licence/), checked 12 October 2026 | Licences are issued, renewed and replaced at Autopac agents and MPI Service Centres, not at a provincial government office. | | [Ontario](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence/ontario) | ServiceOntario (Ministry of Transportation) | [Renew a driver's licence](https://www.ontario.ca/page/renew-drivers-licence), checked 12 October 2026 | A new photo, a recent address change or a required test means renewing in person at ServiceOntario. | | [Quebec](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence/quebec) | Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) | [Renew and pay your licence](https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/drivers-licences/renewing-drivers-licence), checked 12 October 2026 | | | [New Brunswick](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence/new-brunswick) | Service New Brunswick | [Renew a driver's licence online](https://www2.snb.ca/renew-drivers-licence/en), checked 12 October 2026 | First licences, upgrades and name changes are done in person at a Service New Brunswick centre. | | [Nova Scotia](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence/nova-scotia) | Registry of Motor Vehicles, Access Nova Scotia (Service Nova Scotia) | [Renew online (class 5, 6, 8)](https://novascotia.ca/renew-your-drivers-licence-online-class-5-6-and-8/), checked 12 October 2026 | Only class 5, 6 and 8 licences renew online; new, replacement and other classes are done at an Access Nova Scotia RMV office. | | [Prince Edward Island](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence/prince-edward-island) | Access PEI (Highway Safety Division, Government of PEI) | None on record | | | [Newfoundland and Labrador](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence/newfoundland-and-labrador) | Motor Registration Division (Government Services, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador) | [Renew a driver's licence](https://www.gov.nl.ca/motorregistration/renew-drivers-licence/), checked 12 October 2026 | Renew online through MyGovNL; in-person service at a Motor Registration office is by appointment. | | [Yukon](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence/yukon) | Motor Vehicles (Government of Yukon) | None on record | Renewals are done in person at a Motor Vehicles office. | | [Northwest Territories](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence/northwest-territories) | Driver and Vehicle Services (Department of Infrastructure, Government of the Northwest Territories) | [Renew or replace a licence](https://www.idmv.inf.gov.nt.ca/Drivers/Drivers/Renew-or-replace-a-drivers-licence), checked 12 October 2026 | | | [Nunavut](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence/nunavut) | Motor Vehicles Division (Government of Nunavut) | [Apply, renew or replace](https://www.gov.nu.ca/en/service-nunavut/drivers-licences-and-permits), checked 12 October 2026 | Submit the application online or in person at any Motor Vehicles office. | ## Questions people ask ### How old do you have to be to get a learner's licence in B.C.? You can get your L on or after your 16th birthday. You need to pass a 50-question knowledge test with at least 40 correct answers. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/new-drivers/Get-your-L), checked 13 October 2026. ### How early can I renew my B.C. driver's licence? Up to six months (180 days) before it expires. Bring two pieces of accepted ID to any ICBC driver licensing office. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/getting-licensed/Renew-your-licence-or-ID), checked 13 October 2026. ### How long does it take to get my B.C. licence card in the mail? Most cards arrive within 60 days. You can sign in to My ICBC to see whether your card has been mailed. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/getting-licensed/Card-status-tracking), checked 13 October 2026. ### How long can I drive in B.C. on a licence from another province? You have 90 days after moving to B.C. to switch, and you can keep driving on your valid licence until then. You must hand in your old licence when you get the B.C. one. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/moving-bc/Moving-from-within-canada), checked 13 October 2026. ### Do I need two years of driving experience to get a full B.C. licence when I move here? If you have less than two years with a full non-learner licence, or cannot prove it, you go through graduated licensing instead, with credit for the time you have driven. Source: [icbc.com](https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/moving-bc/Moving-from-within-canada), checked 13 October 2026. ## Where to go in person - Provincial service centres: [Vancouver, BC](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/british-columbia/vancouver) (1), [Surrey, BC](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/british-columbia/surrey) (1), [Burnaby, BC](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/british-columbia/burnaby) (1), [Kelowna, BC](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/british-columbia/kelowna) (1), [Nanaimo, BC](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/british-columbia/nanaimo) (1), [Kamloops, BC](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/british-columbia/kamloops) (1), [Chilliwack, BC](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/british-columbia/chilliwack) (1), [Victoria, BC](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/british-columbia/victoria) (1), [Maple Ridge, BC](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/british-columbia/maple-ridge) (1), [Prince George, BC](https://canadaservicemap.ca/places/british-columbia/prince-george) (1) ## More - [Get, renew or replace a driver's licence in every province and territory](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence) - [Public services in British Columbia](https://canadaservicemap.ca/provinces/british-columbia) - [Pay or dispute a parking ticket](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/parking-ticket) - [Public transit: routes, schedules and passes](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/transit) - [Book a road test or knowledge test](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/driving-test) - [Register a vehicle and renew licence plates](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/vehicle-registration) - [Get an accessible parking permit](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/accessible-parking) - [Check road conditions and closures (511)](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/road-conditions) ## Cite this page Canada Service Map, "Driver's licence renewal in British Columbia", checked 13 October 2026, https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drivers-licence/british-columbia