If you are new to this province and have a valid driver’s license from another province or country you have up to 90 days following your arrival to make the transfer to a Québec driver’s license. If you are here as a student or on a work exchange, other rules may apply.

All inquires concerning the validity of licenses for newcomers (residents), whether from other provinces or other countries, should be referred to the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) at 643-7620. For more information, visit their web site at www.saaq.gouv.qc.ca.

You will have to pay the cost of a driver’s license and the fee to change the license (fees and procedures may vary depending upon your place of origin). If you have a regular driver’s license from another Canadian province or territory, Great Britain, or the United States, you should receive the same license here. If your driving license was issued by another country, you may have to pass a driving test before receiving a Québec driver’s license.

You must make an appointment to obtain your Québec license by calling 1-800-361-7620 if you are a Canadian citizen and 1-888-356-6616 for non-citizens. Before calling try to have the following documents on hand: your current driver’s license, proof of former residency in the region where your license was issued, proof of Canadian citizenship or your immigration documents / Québec selection certificate, and proof of residency in Québec (ie. a hydro or telephone bill indicating your Québec address.) If these documents are not written in French or English, be sure to take a legal translation with you to your appointment.

Québec drivers’ licenses and health care cards are personalized with your photograph. Your picture can be taken at a SAAQ outlet and sent on to the agency that issues health cards.

If you bring a car with you when you move here, you have 90 days to change its registration and get Québec license plates from the SAAQ. Your car must first pass an inspection. Appointments can be made by calling the local CAA office at 872-6666.

The province of Québec insures all residents for bodily injury resulting from road accidents regardless of fault. Please understand that “no fault” does not mean that dangerous or negligent drivers will not be prosecuted under the law. What it does mean is that persons involved in car accidents have no legal right to sue for damages regardless of who is at fault. Car owners must carry a minimum of $50,000 in private coverage as liability for property damages. Private insurance companies offer this and an insurance broker can help you find suitable coverage. If you wish to have previous years of driving experience transferred to your Québec driving record, you will have to provide proof of this to the SAAQ when exchanging your license. This may help to lower your insurance premiums. In the event of an accident, you may have to pay a deductible fee charged by your insurer.

When driving in Quebec, please obtain a Joint Report of Automobile Accident form and keep a stash of them in your vehicle. They are used in cases of fender-benders/minor collisions where there is no injury to the parties involved. If someone is injured, call emergency services first (911) and then complete a  Joint Report. To obtain copies of the Joint Report in English, contact www.infoinsurance.ca .

You may turn right on a red light in cities across the province (except on the Island of Montréal.) However, at many intersections in the Québec City and elsewhere, right turns on red may be restricted or prohibited. Pay careful attention to road signs posted near the traffic light for specific details. For example, right turns are often prohibited at certain corners from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Helpful hint, wait a couple of seconds before entering an intersection when the light turns green. There have been numerous reportings of vehicles racing a red light. Be prudent.

Seat belts are the law for Québec drivers and passengers. Proper seats are required for all children whose seated height is less than 63 cm. This law applies to taxi cars as well as private vehicles. Please contact the CAA or SAAQ for more information concerning infant/child car seats.

The use of radar detectors and cell phones in vehicles is strictly prohibited in Québec. You can be fined for this offense. Québec City has many reserved lanes for buses and taxis. Be sure to take note of the times and days when these restrictions apply.

The City of Québec has an impressive snow clearing system. Be on the lookout, however, for flashing orange street lights from mid-November until the end of March. They mean that you must move your car from the streets between midnight and 6 a.m. to allow for snow removal. If you do not move your car, it may be towed away and you will pay a hefty pay fine to get it back. There are many city-owned or private parking lots (banks, office buildings, etc.) where you can park a car for a fee.