Driving In Manitoba

The laws that govern driving in Manitoba state that all new residents that wish to drive in Manitoba are required to obtain a Manitoba drivers licence. This must be achieved within three months of moving to the Province. You will be required to pass a written, oral knowledge, vision and road test before you can get your licence and start driving in Manitoba.

Licensing is normally carried out at a driver and vehicle Licensing Service Outlet and you will need to take your current licence, proof of birthdate and proof of identification as your Documentation For Driving In Manitoba. Once your documentation is in order, you will need to buy a permit for your written and road test and pay any Applicable Fees. Learners can apply for the graduated learner program from age 16. It is certainly advisable to study the Drivers Handbook prior to taking any tests as this will give you a good knowledge of the different rules of the road.

If you have a driver's license from another province or country, you may be exempt from the above rules and entitled to start driving in Manitoba. Contact the Driver Testing Office for more information.

Once you have passed all the necessary tests you will be issued with a Manitoba driver's license, which has two parts. The first is a Photo Identification Card and is renewed every four years. The second is a drivers licence certificate which is renewed annually. You MUST always carry both parts of your licence along with the vehicle registration card when driving and be able to produce it if requested by the police. Failure to do this can result in hefty fines!!

One of the major factors for driving is the road conditions so be sure to familiarise your self with the section on Winter Driving

Vehicle Insurance and Registration

When you are driving in Manitoba there are mandatory Insurance Requirements, this is called Basic Autopac. The Insurance is purchased at the same time as registration, from an Autopac Agent . You are also able to enhance your vehicle's insurance coverage beyond the limited minimum cover (highly recommended).

All vehicles owned or leased by residents of Manitoba must be registered. Laws state that licence plates must be displayed at both the front and rear of most vehicles. Validation stickers are affixed to the plate to show the expiration date of the registration and insurance.

In most cases you must be at least 16 years of age and a resident of Manitoba to be able to register a vehicle. You will need to have the bill of sale for a newly acquired vehicle, a transfer of ownership and a certificate of inspection (if applicable) and pay the Necessary Fees. Autopac agents will also ensure that any Retail Sales Tax has been paid on a newly acquired vehicle. If you bought a vehicle from an authorized dealer, they will have collected the 7% tax when you purchased it and should provide you with document stating you paid the tax. If you bought the vehicle privately then you will be charged 7% sales tax when you register the vehicle. The tax will be calculated on the fair market value of the vehicle. For great tips and advice for buying a car Click Here

Another vital service that is available if you are looking to buy a preowned vehicle is the vehicle history checking by Carproof. For a small fee they will provide a full report on any previous accidents, odometer level, the correct owner/registrant and if there are any other claims against the vehicle ownership. No one needs their vehicle to be repossessed because it has finance against it or find out it has been previously written off! For more information click on the logo - remember peace of mind is priceless!

For your convenience, here are links to other relevant pages:

1. Alberta
2. British Columbia
3. Manitoba
4. New Brunswick
5. Newfoundland and Labrador
6. Auto Insurance

1. Nova Scotia
2. Ontario
3. Prince Edward Island
4. Saskatchewan
5. Winter Driving