DRIVING IN MANITOBA

1. Documents Required to Drive in Manitoba

2. Manitoba's Driving Laws

3. Registering & Insuring your Car

4. Renting a Car

 

 

 

1. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO DRIVE IN MANITOBA

You may drive in Manitoba with a valid driver’s licence from another country for up to 3 months from your date of entry into Canada.  To drive in Manitoba after the first 3 months of your stay in Canada, you must obtain a Student Authorization Letter or a Manitoba Driver’s Licence.

Student Authorization Letter
A Student Authorization Letter authorizes you to drive in Manitoba using a valid driver’s licence issued by your home country. Carry the Student Authorization Letter and your home country’s driver’s licence with you at all times when you are driving.

To be eligible for a Student Authorization Letter, you must:

  • be a full-time student
  • have a valid Study Permit, and
  • have a valid driver’s licence from your home country.

To obtain a Student Authorization Letter, present all of the following documents at any Driver and Vehicle Licencing Service Outlet:

  • A valid driver’s licence from another country
  • An English or French translation of your valid driver’s licence (if applicable). A list of acceptable translators can be found at: http://www.mpi.mb.ca/english/dr_licensing/ForeignDL.html.  A valid international driver’s licence written in English or French may be used instead of a translation providing that it states which types of vehicles the holder is allowed to operate.
  • A valid passport and Study Permit
  • A valid student card and a student status letter confirming that you are a full-time student

You may only use the Student Authorization Letter to drive in Manitoba if you are a full-time student, have a valid Study Permit, and have a valid licence from your home country. If you become a part-time student, are no longer studying, or you no longer have a valid Study Permit and you continue to drive in Manitoba using a Student Authorization Letter, you will be driving without legal authorization and you will NOT be covered by Manitoba Public Insurance.

Obtaining a Manitoba Driver’s Licence
To obtain a Manitoba Driver’s Licence, you must take a written test AND a road test.

Written Tests: Tests can be written between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at designated service outlets. No appointment is necessary. Written tests cost $10.00. If you pass your written test, you will be issued a Learner’s Licence. The fee for this licence is pro-rated based on your date of birth. The maximum fee for a Learner’s Licence is $65.00. You may not drive alone with a Learner’s Licence.

Road Tests: The cost for a road test is $30.00. You can purchase a Road Test Receipt at any Driver and Vehicle Licencing Service Outlet. Appointments are required. To book an appointment, call the phone number on the back of the Road Test Receipt.

If you do not already have a valid driver’s licence from another country, you must go through the Graduated Driver’s Licence Program that places restrictions on your driving for 15 months.

EXCEPTION: If you are a citizen of the Austria, France, Germany, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Republic of South Korea, Switzerland, United Kingdom, or the U.S.A. (including its territories) you may exchange your valid driver’s licence for a Manitoba Driver’s Licence without taking a written test or a road test.

To exchange your licence, take the following documents to any Driver and Vehicle Licencing Service Outlet:

You can not hold a Student Authorization Letter and a Manitoba Driver’s Licence at the same time. If you have a Student Authorization Letter and you obtain a Manitoba Learners Stage Licence, Intermediate Stage Licence, or Full Stage Licence you must return your Student Authorization Letter to a Service Centre and you must obey any/all restrictions placed on your Manitoba Licence.

Testing and Service Centres Winnipeg

For a current list of Service Centres in Winnipeg, including their hours of operation, visit the following page on the Manitoba Public Insurance website:  www.mpi.mb.ca/english/dr_licensing/licence_ctr.html. 

Translating Your Driver’s License

If your valid driver’s licence needs to be translated into English or French, you must obtain a translation from one of the following sources:

  • An embassy or consulate on official letterhead.
  • The issuing agency, in the form of a confirmation letter on official letterhead.
  • A certified translator registered with the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Manitoba.
    (A list of translators can be found under “Translators & Interpreters” in the MTS Yellow Pages).
  • A valid international driver’s licence written in English or French may be used instead of a translation providing that it states which types of vehicles the holder is allowed to operate.


2.  MANITOBA'S DRIVING LAWS

The Driver’s Handbook

If you will drive in Manitoba, it is your responsibility to know Manitoba’s driving laws!
Get the information you need by reading the Driver’s Handbook.

You may purchase the Driver’s Handbooks at any Driver and Vehicle Licencing Service Outlet, for $5.35 . The Driver’s Handbook is also available for free in PDF format on the Manitoba Public Insurance web site: http://www.mpi.mb.ca/PDFs/DVL_PDFs/DrHBook_complete.pdf

 

 

3.  REGISTERING & INSURING YOUR CAR

You are required by law to register and insure your vehicle in Manitoba, regardless of whether the vehicle is new or used.  You are also required to notify Manitoba Public Insurance if you sell, trade, or dispose of a vehicle that is registered in your name.

Learn about registering and insuring your vehicle, insurance options, rates, making insurance claims, and more in the 2012 Guide to Autopac.

 

4. RENTING A CAR

Things to Consider When Renting a Car

  • Is there a minimum age?
  • What kind of licence is required (MB licence or Student Authorization Letter with a valid driver's licence issued by your home country?)
  • Payment method
  • Will the company pick you up and drop you off?
  • Are there special weekend rates ?
  • Do you have to purchase extra insurance?
  • Is mileage included in the rental fee?
  • Are other people allowed to drive the car?