To help protect your identity and privacy, you need to show accepted ID at our driver licensing offices. Please double-check that you’re bringing the right ID before coming in—it could save you an extra trip or other delays.
Confirm what ID to bring
Answer a few quick questions online to make sure you bring the right ID:
Confirm my required ID
Accepted ID
You’ll need to bring two pieces of ID: one primary, one secondary.
Accepted primary ID
Primary ID must clearly indicate your full name and date of birth.
| Type of identification | Note |
| B.C. driver’s licence or learner’s licence | Must include your photo.Accepted up to three years after expiry date on licence.If you brought a student, work, visitor, temporary-resident or refugee permit (form IMM1442) on your last visit to our office, you must bring your most current immigration document along with your licence before we will issue you a photo card. If the IMM1442 has less than 6 months validity you will be issued a non-photo ‘paper’ licence. |
| BC Services Card (photo) | Accepted up to three years after expiry date on card. |
| Combination driver’s licence and BC Services Card | Accepted up to three years after expiry date on card. Counts as only one piece of primary ID, not a piece of both primary and secondary ID. |
| B.C. identification card (BCID) | Accepted up to three years after expiry date on card.Older BCID cards without an expiry date are not accepted as primary ID. If you brought a student, work, visitor, temporary-resident or refugee permit (form IMM1442) on your last visit to our office, you must bring your most current immigration document along with your licence before we will issue you a photo card. If the IMM1442 has less than 6 months validity we will not issue you a photo BCID. |
| Birth certificate | Most Canadian birth certificates are accepted as primary ID. This is also accepted as a foundation document.Some examples of documents that are not accepted include:baptismal certificatescertificates of live birthcommemorative birth certificatesCanadian Registration of Birth Abroad CertificateQuebec birth certificates issued before 1994Manitoba birth certificates issued by a “division registrar”Ontario Long Form Birth Certificates (also called Registration of birth certificate) |
| Canadian citizenship card/ certificate | The commemorative sheet that comes with a citizenship card is not accepted as primary ID.If your Canadian Citizenship Card has two different names listed, your legal full name that appears under the coat of arms will be the one used for your application. |
| Canadian passport | Not accepted if expired. Must be valid.Must be in exactly the same name as your Canadian birth certificate or Canadian citizenship certificate. If it is not, additional name linking document(s) will be required.If it is your first time applying, we recommend bringing your Canadian birth certificate or Immigration/Citizenship primary ID to avoid possible return trips. |
| Canadian immigration identification record | Not accepted if expired. |
| Identity card | Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to foreign representatives accredited to Canada.Not accepted if expired. |
| Permanent resident card (previously Canadian record of landing) | Not accepted if expired.Confirmation of permanent resident IMM5292 or IMM5688 are not accepted as primary ID.Must show your full legal name and date of birth. |
| Secure certificate of Indian Status | Only cards issued 2009 onwards with the new design and enhanced security features are accepted as primary ID. Not accepted if expired. |
| Student, work, visitor, or temporary-resident permit (IMM1442) | If any of these documents expire within six months, you’ll only be able to apply for an interim driver’s licence (paper) and not a photo licence. If you brought these in the last time you visited our office you must also bring in your most current immigration document.Must show your full legal name and date of birth If you used an immigration form (IMM1442) the last time you got your B.C. licence or BCID, you must bring it with you when renewing or replacing your licence or BCID, and when taking a knowledge or road test.Not accepted for a photo or combined BC Services Card application or renewal. |
Accepted secondary ID
Secondary ID may be expired for up to one year except *passports.
- Bank card (both your imprinted name and signature must appear on the card)
- Birth certificate from foreign country
- Canadian Forces ID
- Correctional service conditional release card
- Credit card (both your imprinted name and signature must appear on the card)
- Department of National Defence 404 driver’s licence
- Driver’s licence (Canadian or U.S.)
- Employee ID card with photo
- Foreign Affairs Canada or consular ID
- Health card issued by a Canadian province or territory. Your name must be imprinted and include your signature and/or photo. (health cards with a signature to acknowledge organ donation are not accepted)
- Native Status card
- Nexus card
- Parole certificate ID
- Passport (Canadian or foreign, including U.S. passport card). *not accepted if expired
- Pleasure craft operator (Boating licence – Canadian)
- Police identification
- Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL)
- Social insurance card (newer cards without a signature strip are not accepted)
- Student card (school ID)
Additional ID requirements
Photocopies
Each identification document must be an original, or a true copy of the original, certified by the issuing government agency.
Non-English documents
If your licence, driving record and ID are in a language other than English, they have to be translated by an ICBC-approved translator. The fees and services vary for each translator-please contact them for more information.
Name changes
If your name has changed (or is different from the name shown on your ID) you must provide proof of this.
If you don’t have the right ID
If you were born outside Canada and don’t have the required primary ID, please contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada at 1-888-242-2100. Otherwise, please contact us.
Your full legal name
When you first become our customer we will take your full legal name and date of birth from what we call a foundation document. A foundation document is a type of identification that establishes or changes your full legal name and date of birth.
For changes to a surname due to a marriage or divorce, you’ll also need to bring supporting documents that show the link from your birth surname to the surname(s) you wish to use.
Foundation documents
- If you’re born in Canada – Your legal name is the full name that appears on your birth certificate issued by a Canadian Vital Statistics agency.
- If you’re born outside of Canada – Your legal name is the full name that appears on your most recent immigration document issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
- Your most recent work, student or visitor permit,
- Permanent Resident card or
- Certificate of Canadian Citizenship (Note: We will only use the name that appears below the coat of arms).
- If there’s a mistake in your foundation document – You must get this corrected by the issuing government agency. We will only use the exact full legal name on your foundation document(s).
Protect yourself from fraud
When you first apply for a driver’s licence, you’ll be asked to provide ICBC with a security keyword. To protect yourself from fraud, keep your keyword secure like you would a password and don’t share it with anyone outside of ICBC, including a driving school.
Choosing or changing your keyword
Choose a keyword you can remember easily but cannot be guessed by someone else. The keyword can include characters, numbers, symbols, spaces and punctuation. You can change your keyword at any time at a driver licensing office, as long as you bring two pieces of identification (one primary, one secondary) with you. Your keyword is not acceptable as primary or secondary identification.
Reset your ICBC keyword by phone. Call 1-800-950-1498. Save yourself time while avoiding unnecessary in-person transactions.
Using your keyword when booking a road test
If you’re booking your road test online, you’ll need to enter your security keyword exactly as it’s spelled; however, it is not case-sensitive so you can enter it using upper-case letters, lower-case letters or both.
If a driving school is booking a road test on your behalf, do not provide your security keyword. Driving schools do not require this keyword for any reason.