What do you need to drive in Canada?

Canada has a great highway system that connects the majority of the population.

To drive a motor vehicle in Canadian highways, you need a valid driver's license, a vehicle that can be bought, rented, imported, etc. Here you will learn the basic regulations on the regulation in Canada.

Driving license (Driver's License)

An international driving license acquired in a foreign country can be used to drive in Canada. If you are spending under a year in Canada, international driving license will suffice. If you want to establish your permanent residence in Canada or you plan to stay for several years, you need to get a Canadian driver's license.

The rules for obtaining a driver's license vary in the provinces. In most provinces, there is a licensing system graduation Graduated Licensing System, where 3 tests to be performed within a period of time (usually two years) to obtain 3 levels of license are taught completely in order to qualify for the privilege of driving. For example, in Ontario they are G1, G2 and G3 levels for automobile drivers. G1 is the written test, G2 is the 15 minute test (about) on city streets and G is the final test on the city streets, highways, lasting about 45 minutes. There is a time limit during which a full G license must be obtained. In Ontario they are five years (this may vary in other provinces). For any level of license, you must go to the Ministry of Transport of the province.

If you come from the United States of America USA and possess a driver's license (no minors) for a period of two years, you may be eligible to swap your USA license poe a Canadian. Note that in this case, you must surrender your American license for the Canadian.

If you come from another country, you may be automatically eligible for a G1 or G2 license depending on the policy of the Ministry of Transport. In Ontario, contact the Ministry of Transportation Ontario for more information.

Cars, Cars, Automobiles

Canada is a large country, so residential and commercial areas tend to be spread out over vast distances. For many areas outside the city center, you're likely to need a car to travel to and from wherever you want to go. Before you buy or lease a car, you should consider other transportation options and evaluate your budget to determine how much you can spend.

Buy or sell

There are different options for buying a car: new, used, for cash or lease with option to purchase leased. You can buy it from a private seller, a dealer, an auction, or a company that is selling the vehicles in its fleet. To purchase a new car, go to a major dealer (such as VW, Toyota, Acura, GM) to find the car you like, you should negotiate the price, buy then register it. Usually, the dealer makes recording and sends you the car for a sum of money (around C $ 1,000 - expensive, considering that you can collect and record yourself). You can pay cash, get finance, lease or rent to own lease buy-back (a form of rental that allows the lessee purchase the car by a predetermined value after the contract expires). Dealers offer flexible financing terms for the purchase of new vehicles. Recent college graduates can get discounts from C $ 500 and more for purchase, if the seller has a Graduate Discount Program.

If you want a used car, you can buy it from a private individual and save some tax. In Ontario, sales tax on private vehicles is 8%; and 15% in auto sales. However, you should probably make a cash payment to a particular vendor, so no financing options. You can obtain financing most used car dealers (but be careful because interest rates can be very high). Local banks also offer loans for the purchase of vehicles and interest rates tend to be better than you will get from a dealer.

To register your vehicle you have a buyer, you need the following:

Driver license

Emissions test. Emission Test (Drive Clean in Ontario)

Security Certificate. Safety Certificate (confirming the operating status of the car and its ability to be driven)

Ownership document signed, dated and with all the information filled in the Information Package Ontario Used Vehicle Used Vehicle Information Package (required only in private sales)

Valid insurance for the vehicle register

Sales Tax (8% of sales particularly in Ontario)

Vehicle plates. License Plates

Validation Sticker (available for periods of 1 and 2 years in Ontario)

Most dealer’s complete the registration process in full for a sum of money.

Rental

Sometimes renting a car is an option worth considering. There are several national car rental companies with a wide variety of cars. There are also local rental companies that are generally cheaper, but have older vehicles.

If you decide to rent, be sure to inspect the vehicle for damage before renting. Check the mileage corresponds to what the contract says. Buy insurance. Driving a rental car without insurance places the burden of liability on the lessor.

Importing a car

If you want to import a car, the first thing you should do is contact the Ministry of Transport in the province to see whether the vehicle can be imported into Canada under the current transportation regulations. In Ontario, visit the Ministry of Transportation website to find out more about importing regulations. In short, if you want a car Canadian Importer, it must be a certain age, and must comply with the Canadian safety standard transport. You must pay import taxes in addition to federal and provincial tax sale.

Insurance / Insurance

Under the Traffic Act, insurance is mandatory for all vehicles. Not having insurance is punishable by strict monetary fines. For example, in Ontario, driving a vehicle without insurance may result in a fine of C $ 5,000 for the first offense and more for a second or third offense.

The insurance can be purchased from a number of insurance agents. Some financial and other institutions also offer insurance plans. Many employers have group insurance plans for their employees. For foreigners, it is usually more expensive to buy insurance because they have insurance history with a Canadian insurance company. Sometimes the letters confirming that the foreigner had car insurance in the country of origin can help save money when obtaining insurance in Canada, however, this practice varies among insurers.

Maximum alcohol levels

Drinking and Conducer is a very serious offense in Canada. Each province has different levels of blood alcohol permitted in drivers. If you get caught driving over those levels, you could end up in jail!. Check with each provincial authorities or with the Canadian Auto Club of your preference (e.g. www.caa.ca) to find out about legal maximum alcohol levels are in the blood while driving. It is best to only take soft drinks or soda if you're driving!

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Tips for traveling by car and driving in United States

America is a country that is designed for automobile use, so that when, for example, ask yourself a tourist trip along the west coast, certainly the best option is to rent a car to head towards the different views that you're going to do.

Then I'll give you some useful tips for your journey to the United States.

1. Driving on a journey across America presents no difficulty. In all major routes have long highways with many lanes, which lets you scroll (if you need it ...) quickly between different cities.

Highway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas

2. When there is no highway and you have to take a state highway, usually in excellent condition, with soft paths and wide curves, making it easier overtaking and foster safe driving.

On mountain roads, such as the Yosemite National Park in California, roads, with logical areas curves, also you find pretty good condition.

3. On motorways there are often a lot of traffic, especially in coastal areas running along both the east coast and in the west. But they have so many lanes wide, it is difficult to find yourself jams.

 4. Yes, the traffic jams are inevitable in the vicinity of large cities and especially in dates of holidays and peak times. In any case, we find much more traffic on the highways of the East Coast, for example, between New York and Washington, that the West Coast.

5. Eye to speed limits ... will see that everybody respects you, so that you will be driving on a highway with many lanes very common ... and all cars at the same rate in different lanes.

Speed ​​limits vary by roads and highways, so look carefully in each case what is the limit. It is usual limit of 60 miles per hour.

Highway Lancaster County Amish in Pennsylvania

6. You will be surprised to find you on the highway trucks circulating in the left lane at a speed contained and not moving in any case the right lanes. You will have to overtake on the right.

7. During your trip on the highways in the United States will find many areas with all kinds of services: gas stations, motels several different chains, several fast food restaurants ... In short, you will have no problem when you need to refuel the car, eating, or choose where to sleep.

However, it is not the same when you drive on the roads inside the West Coast, visiting national parks of Utah and Arizona. Service areas distancing between 50 and 70 kilometers, so you must plan well your needs.

8. The highway and road signage is usually excellent, making it easy to locate the places they want to visit. However, around the big cities you have to be very attentive to the signs because there is usually a very complex conglomerate of highways.

9. When access to a major city in your rental car, you must have much attention, but it is not difficult to reach your destination in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington. Apart is the case of Los Angeles, an incredibly large city where it is not so easy to navigate and move around it.

Consequently, the use of a GPS device can be highly recommended. If you do not have it, you can rent by the car.

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