Driving in Canada with a US license, and the TTC

Your US license is good in Ontario for 60 days after you move. After that, you trade it in. Ontario has an exchange agreement with every US state, so most Americans skip the road test entirely.

The short version

New Ontario residents can drive on a valid US state license for 60 days. After that you need an Ontario license [1].
Ontario exchanges licenses from all US states (not US territories) [1]. With at least two years of full-license experience in the last three years, you can usually get a full Class G without road tests [2].
Bring your US driving record. Without proof of experience, you're put into Ontario's graduated licensing system [2].
Car insurance in Ontario is mandatory and often pricey for newcomers. A letter from your US insurer showing claims-free years may help [3].
Downtown, you may not need a car at all. The TTC adult fare is CAD 3.30 (about USD 2.36 in 2026), and kids 12 and under ride free [4].

USD conversions use the Bank of Canada rate of 1.3989 CAD per USD (November 5, 2026) [7].

Your US license: visiting vs moving

There's a difference between a road trip and a move.

Your situation	What you can drive on
Visiting for less than 3 months	Your valid US license, plus a vehicle permit and insurance [2]
New Ontario resident, first 60 days	Your valid US license [1][2]
Resident after 60 days	An Ontario license only [2]

Once you have the Ontario card, you have to use it in Ontario; you can't keep switching back to your US license here [2]. You don't need an International Driving Permit to drive on a US license in Ontario, and DriveTest doesn't issue them anyway [2].

What about the US license itself? Most states expect you to give up their license when you get another jurisdiction's, and DriveTest keeps the documents you hand in [2]. Ask your state DMV before you go if you want to keep a US license for trips home, and keep a scan of your old card.

Exchanging your license under the reciprocal agreement

The Ontario government lists "U.S. States (does not include U.S. protectorates or U.S. territories)" among the places whose licenses it exchanges [1]. A Puerto Rico or Guam license is handled differently.

What counts as enough experience

DriveTest says you need at least two years of driving experience in a full-class license within the last three years to exchange into a full Class G. Without that proof, your license is exchanged as a novice class and you'll go through Ontario's graduated licensing (G2, then the G road test) [2].

That's the catch for younger drivers and anyone whose license was recently renewed: the card in your wallet may not show when you were first licensed. Ontario tries to pull your record through an interprovincial record exchange, but some US records can't be retrieved that way [2]. Then you'll need a letter of authentication or driver's abstract from your state DMV. DriveTest's requirements for that letter [2]:

issued within the last 6 months, with the issue date on it
from the state licensing authority (or a consulate or embassy)
an original or an electronic copy you print yourself; no faxes, photocopies or scans
showing your name or license number, letterhead, date first licensed, class, status and expiry date

Insurance company letters and third-party verification sites don't count for this [2]. Older expired license cards can help prove continuous driving if there's no gap of more than 12 months between them [2].

The swap, step by step

Order your state driving record online from your DMV before you leave the US. It's much easier from a US address.
Gather originals: passport, current US license, the driving record, and any old license cards [1][2].
Go in person to a DriveTest center or the ServiceOntario location at Bay and College, 777 Bay Street, lower level [1][2]. Some sites need appointments; others take walk-ins.
Fill out the application and declare how long you've been driving. For Class G or M, you also declare that Ontario is your primary residence and that you're legally in Canada [1].
Take the vision test. Depending on your case, you may need a knowledge or road test too [1].
Pay the fee shown on DriveTest's fee list.

Learner's permits can't be exchanged, and US commercial licenses aren't swapped into Ontario commercial classes, though you may get a Class G [1].

Car insurance: bring your history

Ontario runs on private auto insurance, like most of the US, but newcomers often get quoted rates that feel like a typo. Insurers price on your driving experience and claims history, and a driver with no Canadian record can look like a brand-new driver.

To fight that, request a letter of experience from your US insurer showing how long you were insured and your claims-free years. RBC Insurance notes some Canadian insurers will factor that in, along with a driver's abstract from home [3]. Get both before you cancel your US policy.

Required coverage in Ontario includes third-party liability, with a CAD 200,000 minimum, plus accident benefits and uninsured automobile coverage [3]. Driving without insurance can bring a fine of CAD 5,000 to 25,000 (about USD 3,550 to 17,900 in 2026) on a first conviction, a license suspension and impoundment [3]. Most drivers carry far more liability than the minimum.

If you're bringing your car from the US, that's a separate process with Canadian customs and Transport Canada. Check it before you drive it across.

The 407 ETR: the toll road with no tollbooths

Highway 407 ETR runs east–west across the northern part of the Greater Toronto Area, roughly parallel to the 401, which is famously one of the busiest highways in North America. When the 401 is jammed, the 407 is the paid escape hatch.

There are no tollbooths, and you can't pay cash [6]:

With a transponder, tolls go to your 407 ETR account.
Without one, cameras capture your plate and you pay a CAD 5.30 camera charge per trip (about USD 3.79 in 2026) on top of the tolls, plus a CAD 5 monthly account fee in months you use it.
Unpaid bills escalate: a Notice of Failure to Pay at 35 days past due, and at 90 days a notice that Ontario can refuse to renew your plates until it's paid [6].

Tolls vary by distance, time of day and vehicle, and they add up quickly for a daily commute. Use the calculator on the 407 ETR site before you make it a habit. Rental cars get billed through the rental company, often with an extra admin fee.

Getting around without a car

Plenty of Americans in Toronto, especially downtown, Midtown and along the subway lines, find they don't need a car day to day.

The TTC

The Toronto Transit Commission runs the subway, streetcars and buses. As of fall 2026 [4]:

Fare	Price
Adult, PRESTO card or tap-to-pay credit/debit card	CAD 3.30 (about USD 2.36)
Adult, cash	CAD 3.35 (about USD 2.39)
Children 12 and under	Free

Tap with PRESTO or the same credit card or phone each time, and transfers within two hours are free [4]. Most monthly passes ended on August 31, 2026, when monthly fare capping started: after 47 eligible fares in a calendar month, the rest of your rides that month are free [4].

GO Transit and UP Express

GO Transit, run by the provincial agency Metrolinx, connects Union Station with the suburbs and nearby cities by train and bus. It's how commuters from Oakville, Mississauga or Markham get downtown, and PRESTO works on it too.

The UP Express runs between Union Station and Pearson airport. A standard adult one-way fare is CAD 12.35 (about USD 8.83 in 2026), with discounted PRESTO fares [5]. It beats a traffic-clogged cab ride to catch a flight home.

Winter and bikes

Toronto has bike lanes and the Bike Share Toronto system, and plenty of people ride year-round. But winter is real: a January morning can sit around -10°C (14°F) with snow. Most drivers switch to winter tires, and many insurers offer a discount for them.

Got a question about a specific DriveTest center or a commute? Ask in our community group for Americans in Canada.

A quick checklist

Order your US driving record before you move.
Book your exchange within 60 days of becoming a resident.
Get a letter of experience from your US insurer.
Load a PRESTO card or set up tap-to-pay on your phone.
Decide on a 407 transponder if you'll commute by car.

Driving in Toronto on a US license: the 60-day rule, the license swap and life without a car