If your licence has expired, or is about to expire, you must complete a Senior Driver Group Education Session and vision testing requirements before you can renew it.

If you are a senior driver, you must renew your driver’s licence by your licence expiry date.

How to renew

Step 1: receive a renewal application

Before your licence expiry date, you will receive the following in the mail:

  • a renewal application form
  • a letter explaining the steps required to renew

The letter and renewal application form will arrive up to 90 days before your licence expires.

Step 2: watch the educational video

Before attending the renewal session:

Video transcript

Step 3: book an appointment

Once you receive your renewal application form and letter in the mail, you must attend a Senior Driver Group Education session.

To book the appointment:

  • call 1-800-396-4233 (toll free) or 416-235-3579 (in the Greater Toronto area)
  • our current Contact Centre hours of operation are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, excluding Statutory Holidays.  Please note that Mondays are normally our busiest day, as a result, you may experience longer than normal wait times on Mondays, and Tuesdays after a long weekend.
  • provide your driver’s licence number
  • tell us about any language barriers
  • tell us if you require accommodations such as a sign-language interpreter

When you call, you will get the date, time and location of your session. Sessions are held at various locations across the province.

If you can’t attend the day of your session, you may re-schedule your appointment. If the next available appointment is after your driver’s licence expires, you may be eligible to get a temporary driver’s licence extension.

If you will be out of Ontario when your licence expires:

You may renew your driver’s licence up to 180 days before it expires.

Step 4: attend a senior driver group education session

What to bring to the renewal session:

  • your driver’s licence (or temporary driver’s licence)
  • the licence renewal application, if available
  • corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses you use for driving as well as any used for reading
  • hearing aids, if needed

At the session, you will:

  • complete a vision assessment
  • complete a 5-minute in-class screening exercise

Below are instructions for the screening exercise. 

Instructions:

  1.  Draw a large circle.
  2.  Put all the numbers in to make it look like the face of a clock.
  3.  Draw in the hands of the clock to set the time at ten minutes after eleven.
  4.  Stop when completed. The form will be collected after five minutes.

Select a language below to see the instructions translated.

After the session, you may need to:

  • renew your driver’s licence by paying a $36 renewal fee at ServiceOntario
  • before renewing, you may also be asked to complete one or more of the following:
    • pass a road test
    • follow up with your doctor and submit medical information
    • provide additional vision information from a doctor or optometrist

This will depend on how well you performed on the in-class screening components and a review of your driving record.

If additional medical information is required, you will be notified by mail.

A driver improvement counsellor at the group education session will tell you the next steps. 

Step 5: Receive a new licence card

After you complete the renewal requirements you may renew your licence online or if necessary, visit a ServiceOntario centre. If you renew your driver’s licence at a ServiceOntario centre, you may to need to bring original identification that shows your legal name, date of birth and signature if your licence has already expired.

Find a ServiceOntario centre near you

More information

About the vision test

  • a vision screener is used to assess your vision
  • please wear the eyeglasses or contact lenses you use for driving
  • bring your most current prescription eyeglasses

If you bring a vision report from an eye doctor indicating complete vision test results, no vision screening is needed at the session. The report must:

  • be signed/dated within 6 months of the session
  • contain a measurement for acuity and peripheral

Please note that some reports will be sent to medical review for further processing.

About the in-class screening

  • you will have 5 minutes to finish a brief, non-computerized assessment
  • the assessment is not dependent on language and cannot be taken orally
    • the screening exercise consists of an in-class assessment relevant to driving
    • a clock drawing exercise which measures a driver’s capacity to recognize and organize information

Drivers are encouraged to refresh their knowledge of driving in general by reading the Driver’s Handbook.

Read the Drivers’ Handbook online

Buy a print copy online

Print copies may be available at some DriveTest centres and retail stores.

About the group education session

  • instructor: a trained driving counsellor leads the session
  • format: a quiet group setting
  • materials: non-computerized assessment and pens supplied
  • educational video: screened at the session

There is no cost to attend a group education session.

Other licence types

If you have an A, B, C, D or E, F class licence or have a Z endorsement, you must renew at a DriveTest centre, or you can downgrade to a G licence and renew as described above.

Contact us

For more information about the driver’s licence renewal process for seniors 80+, please contact ServiceOntario at:

Toll-free: 1-800-396-4233

Telephone: 416-235-3579 (Greater Toronto Area)