Am I eligible?

Am I eligible?

To be eligible to join, you must:

  • Be at least 19 years of age (Canada) or 18 years of age (Paris)
  • Hold a full licence or second-stage graduated licence from your province, as follows:
Province/City Accepted Licences
Alberta Class 5 or 5-GLD
Nova Scotia Class 5 or 5N
Ontario Class G or G2
Quebec Class 5 or 5 probationary
Paris Class B

Equivalent licences from other Canadian provinces are also accepted (See “What if I have an out-of-province or international licence?”)

  • have not been the subject of any conviction for serious or criminal conduct in the last three years (minimum).
  • have not been guilty of any violation for impaired driving in the last three years (minimum).

ADDITIONAL CRITERIA FOR CANADIAN APPLICANTS

  • Have a good credit record

Additionally, if you have more than six years of driving experience, your record must:

  • Have no more than 6 demerit points
  • Have no more than 3 accidents involving damages greater than $1000, with no more than 2 of those being at-fault

If you have less than six years of driving experience, or a graduated licence, your record must:

  • Have no more than 3 demerit points
  • Have no more than 1 accident involving damages greater than $1000, whether you were at-fault or not.

Demerit points issued in Alberta, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec, will stay on your driving record for 2 years from the date of conviction.

What if I have an out-of-province or international licence?

As part of the registration application process, Canadians must provide a copy of their driving record(s) (not required for French or foreign nationals):

Place of issue of permit File(s) required
Alberta

3-year Standard Driver Abstract

You can request a driver abstract in person at a registry agent. The record must be no more than 3 months old. Learn more. 

Alberta applicants have the option to have Communauto validate their driver record on their behalf through its third party broker.

Nova Scotia

Insurance Driver Abstract

You can request a driver abstract by mail or in person at Access Nova Scotia. The record must be no more than 3 months old.  Learn more.

Nova Scotia applicants have the option to have Communauto validate their driver record on their behalf through its third party broker.

Ontario

3-year uncertified driving record from Service Ontario.

You can order this online, or visit a Service Ontario location in person. The record must be no more than 3 months old.

Ontario applicants have the option to have Communauto validate their driver record on their behalf through its third party broker.

Quebec

SAAQ driving record and Claims History Statement.

You have a month following your subscription to provide these documents.

To find out how to order them online, see order my driving records.

Out-of-province licence

If you have a licence from a Canadian province where Communauto operates, please register in that province, unless your plans are solely for occasional use in another branch.

If you are applying with an Alberta, Ontario, or Nova Scotia licence, we will be able to validate your driving record on your behalf (it will also be possible for us to validate your driving record if you have a New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, or Prince Edward Island licence).

If you are from any other province, you must provide a copy of your driver abstract covering the previous 3 years with your application.

If you have just moved to a new province, we recommend exchanging your licence prior to applying. Each province has different time frames for exchanging your licence after moving, as follows:

Province Time Frame for Licence Exchange
Alberta 90 days after moving. Read more at Government of Alberta.
Nova Scotia 90 days after moving. Read more at Service Nova Scotia.
Ontario 60 days after moving. Read more at Service Ontario.
Quebec months after moving. Read more at SAAQ.

Out-of-country licence

If you have recently moved to Canada from another country, the above timeframes also apply for exchanging your out-of-country licence.

If you have recently moved to France, you have one year (18 months if you are European) to exchange your licence.

If your stay is temporary, you can apply with a licence from another country.

  • If you are American
    • A copy of your driver’s licence
    • A copy of your passport (including your visitor visa if applicable).
  • If you are from any other country
    • A copy of your driver’s licence, or an official translation of your driver’s licence from your home country, if your licence is not in French or English.
    • A copy of your passport (including your visitor visa if applicable).

If I have an international driver’s licence, am I exempt from having to obtain a Canadian provincial or French licence?

If you are moving to Canada or France from another country, you will need to exchange your licence within the timeframe set by your province.

The international driver’s licence is only a translation of the driver’s licence obtained in the issuing country. You must request it before leaving your home country. The international driver’s licence is required in addition to, not in place of, your original driver’s licence. To be valid, your international driver’s licence must always be paired with your original licence. If requested by police, you must present both documents.

What if my credit record doesn’t meet Communauto’s requirements?

In some circumstances, if your credit record does not meet our requirements, or it is not available (if you are not yet a resident of Canada), you may still be able to subscribe (on probation) by choosing one of the Value Plans, which all require a $500 membership bond to join in our Canadian branches.

As credit records are not available in France, the credit record is not required for French residents who register in Paris.