ICBC Logo

Driver licensing

Licence suspensions

Some driving infractions fall under the Criminal Code of Canada. With criminal infractions, your driver's licence can be suspended for one year, three years, or indefinitely, based on your driving record.

Reductions and appeals

The one-year or three-year suspensions cannot be reduced or appealed. The indefinite licence suspension may be reduced if you meet certain requirements and have served five years.

If your licence is suspended

If your licence has been suspended, you must surrender it to ICBC until your suspension is over or until after you have successfully appealed the conviction. Driving with a suspended licence could result in more penalties.

If your combination B.C. driver licence and Services Card was seized

Visit BC Services Card to learn more about obtaining a health card only.

Surrendering your licence

Once you have received a notice of suspension, you must surrender your licence to ICBC along with the signed suspension notice, in person or by mail.

In person

You can surrender your licence directly to the officer who served your suspension or by appointment at an ICBC driver licensing office or to the officer who served your suspension.

By mail

ICBC Licensing Programs
Box 3750, 910 Government Street
Victoria, B.C., V8W 3Y5

Getting your driver's licence back

One-year suspensions

If you have reached the end of a one-year suspension, you can reapply for your driver's licence by following these steps:

1. Pay any outstanding fines or debts you owe to the court or government

2. Pay any amounts owed to ICBC, such as:

3. Serve any other requirements such as the Remedial Driver Program to the satisfaction of the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles.

4. Pay the $31 short-term driver's licence fee and $250 reinstatement fee

Suspensions of three years or more

If you have been suspended for three or more years, you must complete a re-examination road test for the class of licence that you held. However, the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles may require further testing to meet driver-fitness guidelines. You will also need to pay any outstanding fines or debts to ICBC. 

RoadSafetyBC imposes interventions and refers drivers to appropriate programs to improve driving behaviour. Additional requirements include: