Getting a driver’s licence is one of the first important procedures for newcomers to Canada. If you are licensed outside Canada, you will want to exchange your foreign licence for a Canadian driver’s licence. In Ontario, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) requires all documents associated with a driver’s licence application to be in English or French. This means you may need to obtain an English or French translation of relevant documents. Below, I will share some tips for you to save yourself time and money when obtaining translation services for these documents based on my experience working with clients as a Canadian certified translator. These tips will be specific to procedures in Ontario.
Gather All Important Documents Shortly Before You Arrive in Ontario
The relevant documents for your application include your driver’s licence card and driver record (also known as an abstract or licence history). According to the Government of Ontario, a driver record is “a government-issued document with information about a driver and their driver’s licence.” This information will generally include your licensing history and the licence classes issued.
You will need to contact the local driver’s licence authority to obtain your driver record. The type of document issued will vary by country or subnational jurisdiction (state, province or municipality). Don’t wait until you arrive in Ontario to request this document! However, if your driver record is over six months old, it may be rejected by DriveTest.
Have Your Documents Translated After Arriving in Ontario
If your documents are issued in a language other than English or French, you must submit an English or French translation to DriveTest. The translation must be prepared by a translator approved by MTO. Non-Canadian embassies, consulates, or high commissioner’s offices are approved, but other foreign translators are not. I have been contacted by numerous clients who had their documents translated locally, only to be rejected by DriveTest. You will save money by having your documents translated by an MTO-approved translator after you arrive in Ontario. Please note that all documents submitted to DriveTest must be in English or French. Some driver’s licence authorities issue partially bilingual driver’s licences with a few important details in English. DriveTest will not accept driver’s licences without a translation of all foreign-language text into English or French. Letters from embassies or consulates will also be rejected if the letterhead or stamps on the documents are not translated into English or French.
A Canadian certified translator is the best choice for translation services in Canada, because we are qualified professionals whose translations are accepted by government agencies and authorities throughout the country. Canadian certified translators are certified members of provincial translators’ associations. The relevant professional association in Ontario is the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO). You can find certified translators near you by searching the ATIO directory.
Give Your Translator Plenty of Time to Work!
Please give your translator plenty of time to prepare and send your translations ahead of your DriveTest appointment. If you do not, the translator may apply a surcharge for rush service. Please tell your translator if you need to receive the translations by a specific date to be ready for your DriveTest appointment. This is a very important detail and we are not mind-readers!
Submit the Original Certified Translation Package
When you go to DriveTest, you will need to bring the original paper copy of the certified translation package with the translator’s ink signature and stamp. A certified translation package includes:
- Translator’s signed statement of accuracy
- Translated document(s)
- Original foreign-language document(s)
The translator may provide you with an electronic copy of the certified translation package, but DriveTest will not accept a printout of the electronic file. You must obtain the paper copy of the certified translation package with the translator’s ink signature and stamp before going to DriveTest. The translator should offer to mail you the documents or make them available for you to pick up in person. Additional fees may apply to mail documents. I charge to send documents by Xpresspost (tracked mail) but do not charge additional fees for regular mail (Canada Post lettermail).
Contact Me!
I am approved to translate documents for MTO as a certified member of ATIO. Contact me to receive a quote for a certified Spanish-to-English translation!
Laura L. Messer, Certified Translator Spanish to English (ATIO)
I am a certified member of the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO) with years of experience translating legal and financial documents from Spanish to English.
One thought on “How to Save Time and Money When Submitting Driver’s Licence Translations to DriveTest”