By Staff
January 17th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario government is making it simpler for seniors aged 80 and over to safely stay behind the wheel by introducing a more convenient process for renewing their drivers’ licences.
Starting February 3, 2025, drivers in this age group will be able to complete mandatory vision and cognitive screening assessments and renew their drivers’ licences in a single visit at select ServiceOntario centres. By the end of Spring 2025, this service will be available at all ServiceOntario locations across the province.
Previously, drivers aged 80 and over had to visit a separate location to complete their vision and cognitive screening assessments and then proceed to ServiceOntario to renew their drivers’ licences. With this new approach, seniors will now be sent a renewal notice by mail approximately 90 days before their license expires, with instructions to book an appointment online or by phone. At their scheduled visit, they can complete the necessary assessments and, if eligible, renew their drivers’ licences on the spot at their local ServiceOntario centre.
Approximately 200,000 senior drivers’ licences are renewed each year in Ontario.
As of 2022, there are nearly 400,000 drivers aged 80 and over in Ontario.
By 2034, the number of licensed senior drivers in Ontario is expected to grow to approximately 700,000.
Drivers aged 80 and over are required to renew their G or M class licences every two years.
Approximately 90 days before a senior’s licence expires, they will be sent a courtesy notice in the mail which provides instructions and resources on how to best prepare for a renewal.
Currently, one cannot complete the vision and screening assessments in Burlington. My Jan. 2 appointment was cancelled in Burlington and I had to drive to Oakville this week for the assessments. I was first offered a spot in Mississauga.