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raymondfl's avatar
raymondfl
Explorer
Nov 23, 2014

Driving in Canada

We are going to Canada next summer and stay around three months. At our weekly get together Friday, I was talking to someone from Canada and he said great we will really enjoy the country. And then he said make sure you have a CDL license because in Canada they require a special license for anything in excess of a certain weight, of which we would be. I have driven in Canada before, but never been stopped or in a wreck, my major concern would be a wreck, not have the proper license and have a liability issue. Does anyone know for sure that Americans would need a special license or does Canada accept our license as legal if it is legal in the USA?
Thanks for any help.
Ray
  • If you are legal in your home state your license is reciprocal to Canada.

    canada.usembassy.gov/...canada/dri...
    United States Ambassador to Canada
    by US Embassy - ?2010
    U.S. driver's licenses are valid in Canada. Proof of auto insurance is required. U.S. auto insurance is accepted as long as an individual is a tourist in Canada.


    http://canada.usembassy.gov/traveling_to_canada/driving-in-canada.html
  • For an RV the only endorsement required in most provinces is an air brake endorsement in the event the RV has air brakes. That endorsement requirement is also very common in the US. I don't know about reciprocity in the event the endorsement is NOT required by the pertinent US authority. That will again be determined in accordance with the laws of the relevant province(s). Auto slack adjusters do NOT exempt one from the endorsement requirement.
    A little research from an authoritative resource will answer your question. It wasn't long ago there was a thread here in which it was postulated that propane must be shut off before crossing the border. That idea was quickly debunked!
  • If you're legal in in the US, you'll be legal in Canada. Those Canadian licensing requirements are for Canadians.