Your photo driver's licence must be renewed every 5 years. (An exception is your first full-privilege [click for definition] B.C. driver's licence. It must be renewed after 2 years.) The expiration year is shown on your licence. The actual day of expiry is your birthday.
Note: It is illegal to drive with an expired driver's licence.
ICBC will mail you a renewal notice to the last address on file approximately 6 weeks before your licence expiry date. However, you can renew your licence any time up to 6 months before the expiry date.
It is your responsibility to renew your driver's licence, and to ensure that ICBC has your current address. (See Change address.)
Where and how to renewYou can renew your licence in person at any driver licensing office.
You will need to bring with you:
Once you've paid the renewal fee, surrendered your expired driver's licence and provided the information requested, licensing staff will take a new photo and issue you a temporary interim licence. This temporary licence is valid until you receive your new photo driver's licence in the mail.
You can only renew your driver's licence from within B.C.
If you will be outside B.C. when your licence expires, you might want to renew your licence early. Driver's licences can be renewed up to 6 months before the expiry date.
If early renewal isn't possible, contact your local driver licensing office.
If you find yourself outside B.C. when your licence expires, you can call ICBC's toll-free number (available throughout the continental USA and Canada) at 1-800-950-1498. You can call (250) 978-8300 collect from non—toll-free locations. Licensing staff will provide you with further instructions.
Do not continue to drive with an expired driver's licence.
If your B.C. driver's licence expired less than 3 years ago, you can renew your licence at any driver licensing office. You will not necessarily need to be re-tested.
You will need to bring with you:
Once the renewal fee is paid, we'll take a new photo of you. You will receive a temporary paper licence until your new photo licence gets to you in the mail.
You will need to be re-tested for your driver's licence:
Contact an ICBC driver licensing office for more information about the testing
If your BC driver's licence expired more than 3 years ago, but you can provide evidence that you have been driving outside BC within the last 3 years and with a valid driver's licence, you can renew your licence without further testing at any driver licensing office.
You will need to bring with you:
Once you've provided the information requested and paid the renewal fee, licensing staff will take a new photo and issue you a new photo driver's licence.
If you find yourself outside of B.C. with an expired driver's licence, call the ICBC Customer Contact's toll-free number (available throughout the continental USA and Canada) at 1-800-950-1498. You can call (250) 978-8300 collect from non—toll free locations. Licensing staff will provide you with further instructions.
Do not continue to drive with an expired driver's licence.
