how to get a canadian licence???

[david_oz]

hi everyone

i know this isn't strictly a car question, but im in a ridiculous catch 22 situation right now and i figure this would be a good place to get some advice. bear with me, its a bit long

im an australian and ive been driving for 7 years in australia. right now im living in calgary and have been for the last 6 months

since australia is pretty much the only western country that doesnt have some sort of driving agreement with canada, i have to pass a written test and a road test before i can get my licence. i have passed the written test, and surrendured my australian drivers licence. until i pass the road test, i only have a class 7 learners alberta licence

now yesterday i bought a car. but to register the car i need insurance. the only insurance company i have found in alberta that isnt extortionate is desjardins (well... $1200 / year for liability is still extortion, but its $1,000 cheaper than the next option) but they will only insure me if i have another driver on the policy. if that person was not originally licenced in alberta, or has been licenced in alberta for the last 7 years, they need a driving abstract and insurance history from their home province, so that rules out about 70% of people that i know. also, that person has to be in the car with me at all times until i get my class 5 licence, so that rules out the other 30% of people i know (the albertans).

i can't borrow a car off my friends because everyone i know well enough to borrow their car has a standard, and i have never driven a standard. ok i could learn to drive a standard, but at $140 a pop for the test i'm not so keen to do it on a standard when i could pass it with my eyes closed on an automatic

there is only one insurance company i have found who will insure me with only myself on the policy. but they charge $2,200 / year, and charge a $150 fee if i cancel the policy once i pass my test and switch over to desjardins.

the cost of all this is adding up fast. i've already paid $40 for test / licence fee for the learners licence. i'll have to pay another $140 for the test, then another $20 on top of that for a full licence, another $80 for overpriced insurance for a month, and then another $150 cancellation. Thats almost $450 just to get a licence!!!

can anybody think of another solution?? because this is doing my head in! oh and i have to get all this sorted by september 23, because my mum is coming to visit me and i would like to be able to drive her around

[whiskas]

Have you considered renting a car to use for the test, as well as using until you can do the test?

You can easily find one for $25 a day.

[david_oz]

Originally posted by whiskas
Have you considered renting a car to use for the test, as well as using until you can do the test?

You can easily find one for $25 a day.

but will anybody rent me a car if i have a class 7 licence?

[whiskas]

Hmmm, if you still had your Australian drivers license, you could have used that to get an international drivers license and used that to rent a car.

[Powdercoat17]

pretty sure some drivers places will rent you a car to pass the test with... not 100% on that.

[scat19]

You gave up your Austrialian license? What? Why would you do that?

[Cos]

The registry in the NE just south of toad and turtle has a rate for renting a car on their wall.

[texasnick]

When you get an Alberta license you have to surrender the license you had. It's illegal to have more than one driver's license in Alberta.

It would have been a lot easier if you already had an international license.

OP do you know anyone who lives in the States? Reason I ask is b/c most States are pretty relaxed once you turn 18 when it comes to getting a full DL. If you could convince someone you know in the States to let you use their address, you can get a license down there. Once you do that, you can come to Alberta and transfer it to a full license here. No learner's BS and so on. It would be a bit of a hassle to do, but it would be a lot better than the graduated licensing they have in Canada IMO.

[240SX92]

What a joke that is, I feel for you OP. Maybe find a friend of a friend who has an Auto, I'm sure if you explain the situation they will be fine with it. As for the insurance it's a money-grab anywhere you go pretty much.

[dannie]

An international licence would not help the OP in any way. The International is only valid in conjunction WITH the licence from their home country. So once he handed in his Australian licence, he would not have been able to use it anyways.

OP, call around to registries, I know of 4 off the top of my head that do car rentals for the exam.

[scat19]

Originally posted by texasnick
When you get an Alberta license you have to surrender the license you had. It's illegal to have more than one driver's license in Alberta.

I understood it as only one license issued from the AB Gov't.

[dannie]

^ Nope, any licence from anywhere in the world

[GTi-RS]

So what happens if you have dual citizenship and need to use the other license in the other country?

What happened to this "Free country" bs?

International license only lasts a year; another joke.

[spikerS]

he could always goto any walmart....

I think they still sell cracker-jack boxes and judging by most driver's abilities in Calgary, they still have Albera drivers licenses as the surprise toy in them....

[Isaiah]

I've travelled extensively and never required an international license for car rental or otherwise. I've always used my Canadian license and when required a credit card.

[Zhariak]

I don't know what the big deal is...

When I got my license it was as easy as writing a exam to get my learners... Then waited 24 hours and took a road test to get my actual class 5 drivers license...

On top of that I could either supply my own vehicle, or use the testing companies vehicle.

Took the road test, completed, and got my license.

[dannie]

^ Things have changed since you did your test.

[Bizzareo]

Maybe its different for immigrants, but I only paid 70 for my test+car. I ranted the car directly from the company doing the test. Call around and ask, I think CAA does rentals.

[R154]

The registry of northland drive and shagganappi rents vehicles aswell. You choose what transmission you wish to test on, neither transmission have an effect on your licence, you can operate both transmissions in any car with that licence.

[preludez]

Originally posted by david_oz
hi everyone

i know this isn't strictly a car question, but im in a ridiculous catch 22 situation right now and i figure this would be a good place to get some advice. bear with me, its a bit long

im an australian and ive been driving for 7 years in australia. right now im living in calgary and have been for the last 6 months

since australia is pretty much the only western country that doesnt have some sort of driving agreement with canada, i have to pass a written test and a road test before i can get my licence. i have passed the written test, and surrendured my australian drivers licence. until i pass the road test, i only have a class 7 learners alberta licence

now yesterday i bought a car. but to register the car i need insurance. the only insurance company i have found in alberta that isnt extortionate is desjardins (well... $1200 / year for liability is still extortion, but its $1,000 cheaper than the next option) but they will only insure me if i have another driver on the policy. if that person was not originally licenced in alberta, or has been licenced in alberta for the last 7 years, they need a driving abstract and insurance history from their home province, so that rules out about 70% of people that i know. also, that person has to be in the car with me at all times until i get my class 5 licence, so that rules out the other 30% of people i know (the albertans).

i can't borrow a car off my friends because everyone i know well enough to borrow their car has a standard, and i have never driven a standard. ok i could learn to drive a standard, but at $140 a pop for the test i'm not so keen to do it on a standard when i could pass it with my eyes closed on an automatic

there is only one insurance company i have found who will insure me with only myself on the policy. but they charge $2,200 / year, and charge a $150 fee if i cancel the policy once i pass my test and switch over to desjardins.

the cost of all this is adding up fast. i've already paid $40 for test / licence fee for the learners licence. i'll have to pay another $140 for the test, then another $20 on top of that for a full licence, another $80 for overpriced insurance for a month, and then another $150 cancellation. Thats almost $450 just to get a licence!!!

can anybody think of another solution?? because this is doing my head in! oh and i have to get all this sorted by september 23, because my mum is coming to visit me and i would like to be able to drive her around


do not take advance road test cause they let u run at deerfoot ,the new driver always failed the road test ,
just take basic road test it cost 60 bucks

[Hatchback Hero]

Originally posted by GTi-RS
So what happens if you have dual citizenship and need to use the other license in the other country?

What happened to this "Free country" bs?

International license only lasts a year; another joke.

Say if it's Canada and the US. You just go get your license exchanged for a small fee. Fill out the paper work and they chop your old license in half with a pair of scissors. No tests and no bullshit.

I don't understand why they would be so restrictive with Australia. But hey if you provide the cash I'll rent you a car:thumbsup: