Korean Job Discussion Forums

[coaster]

any canucks have to do this? I have a recently expired Ontario drivers licence and want to get it renewed before I go travelling to New Zealand.
cheers

[The Cosmic Hum]

[Emark]

I'm in line to agree with Cosmic.

You have a short period of time to renew after it expires.

I will tell you my story about renewing my expired Alberta DL (Operators license) in 2008..

They asked me why I let the DL expire. I told them I was in Korea. They asked me if I was driving in Korea. MY STUPID ANSWER was YES. Then the trouble. I wanted to keep my K.DL because I was only going to be in Canada 4-6 months before returning to Korea.

They told me that I would have to surrender my K.DL to them to get my Alberta DL. THey said that there is an agreement in place that states Korea must "exchange" my DL so I never posses 2 DLs at any given time. As you know, that doesn't happen in Korea. They don't take your DL from you when you get your K.DL.

I thought I would go to another issuing office and try again. Sadly, they red flagged me in the system. I was adamant about keeping my K.DL so I lied and told them that I left it in my house in Korea because I needed it again when I returned and had no use of a K.DL in Canada.

The end of the story is me getting my Alberta DL after I fight and argue a losing battle at a downtown Calgary government office where they insisted I HAD to hand over my K.DL.

In the end, I just returned to Korea and got my K.DL reissued in about 20 minutes.

In this long story, I guess I'm advising everybody to not admit that they ever had a K.DL when they return back to their country to renew their DL.

As an aside, insurance companies won't even recognize your spotless driving history in Korea even though it is the 2nd most dangerous country to drive in the world. For those that are returning home after a long haul here in Korea, you go back to the insurance grid system and start off at the bottom like a new driver.

Have a good one.

[global_gal]

Shouldn't be much of a hassle. Depends on how long you will be in NZ really. Don't think you can get it renewed before you go to NZ. Pretty sure you have to be in Ontario to get it done. Maybe a new pic taken and have to sign. You have one year grace period from the date of expiry to renew it. I did this a couple of years ago. Took all of 10 minutes! If it is more than one year, but less than 3 years since expiry you have to take a vision test. Don't think you have to write anything, or take a practical test.

Here is a link to Ministry of Transportation site:
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/renewal.shtml

In brief from said site:
[b]Drivers In Ontario (Classes A, B, C, D, E, F, G, M and M with condition "L")
You should receive a renewal application or postcard in the mail to the last address registered on the ministry's database or an email approximately 60 to 90 days prior to your driver's licence expiry date. To find out more about email reminders, refer to My Account at http://serviceontario.ca/. If you do not receive or have lost a renewal application, a new one can be printed, and your licence renewed while you wait, at any Driver and Vehicle Licence Issuing Office. You can renew an expired driver's licence, without taking tests, within one year of the licence expiry date.

If a driver's licence has been invalid (expired, cancelled or suspended) for more than one, but fewer than three years, you must visit a DriveTest Centre to complete a vision test. If your licence has invalid for more than three years, you must pass vision, knowledge and road tests. If your licence has been invalid for over three years but not more than 10 years, you have to reapply under Graduated Licensing at a DriveTest Centre � the mandatory waiting periods are waived. If your licence has been invalid for over ten years, you have to reapply under graduated licensing at a DriveTest Centre and serve all the mandatory waiting periods.[/b]

[Captain Corea]

[viciousdinosaur]

You have to renew it in Canada. I did it on my last vacation home. I don't actually need it, but once it expires it's such a hassle to get it again. Sorry, looks like you'll have to take a trip home or get a NZ's license the long way.