Driving in Canada as an American
Canada drives on the right, the same as the United States. Your American license is all you need to drive in Canada. At junctions without signs or road markings, traffic from your right goes first, even from a small side street.
Unless signposted otherwise, the limits are usually 50 km/h in towns, 80 on country roads and 100 on freeways, or about 31, 50 and 62 mph. Watch for fixed, mobile and red light cameras. The alcohol limit is 0.05, lower than the 0.08 at home.
Canada and the United States side by side
The rows in yellow are different from home.
| Rule | Canada | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Drive on the | Right | Right |
| Speed units | km/h | mph |
| Alcohol limit | 0.05 | 0.08 |
| Holding a phone | Banned | Banned |
| Turn on red | Yes, after stopping | Yes, after stopping |
| Unmarked junctions | Traffic from the right | First to arrive |
| Roundabouts go | Counterclockwise | Counterclockwise |
| Daytime headlights | When visibility is poor | When visibility is poor |
| Passing on the inside | Allowed | Allowed |
The rules that catch Americans out
The most important first.
Priority to the right
At a junction with no signs, signals or road markings, yield to traffic coming from your right, even from a small side street. Think of it as a four-way stop with no signs, where the car on your right always goes first, even if you got there first. At a junction with no signs or signals, if two vehicles arrive at the same time, the one on the right goes first.
Stop for school buses in both directions
When a school bus has its red lights flashing or its stop arm out, traffic behind it and traffic coming towards it must stop. Only a median between you and the bus lets oncoming traffic keep going. In Ontario, stop at least 20 meters behind it.
Stunt driving in Ontario
Driving 40 km/h or more over a limit below 80, 50 km/h or more over any limit, or 150 km/h anywhere is stunt driving. Police suspend your license for 30 days and impound the car for 14 days at the roadside, even a rental car.
Alcohol penalties start at 0.05
The criminal limit is 0.08, but Ontario and Alberta suspend your license on the spot from 0.05, and Alberta also seizes the car. New and young drivers must have no alcohol at all. Quebec has no penalty below 0.08 for fully licensed drivers. The blood alcohol limit is 0.05, and zero for drivers on a learner or probationary license of any age, and young drivers (21 and under in Ontario, under 22 in Quebec). That's lower than the 0.08 at home.
Winter tires in Quebec and British Columbia
Quebec requires winter tires on Quebec-registered cars, including rental cars, from 1 December to 15 March. British Columbia requires winter tires or chains on most highways from 1 October to 30 April, and drivers without them can be turned back and fined.
Moose and deer
Collisions with moose and deer are a growing problem. If you see one, slow down and sound your horn, watch for others with it, and don't try to drive around it. Report any collision to the police.
14 more rules worth knowing
French signs in Quebec
Quebec law requires road signs in French, though most use symbols. A stop sign says ARRÊT, and Préparez-vous à arrêter on a yellow sign warns that the traffic lights ahead are about to turn red.
Pull over for emergency vehicles
When an emergency vehicle comes with lights or siren, pull over to the right and stop. When passing one that is stopped, or a tow truck with flashing lights, slow down and move over a lane if you can.
A flashing green light means you may turn left
A flashing green light or a green arrow gives you priority to turn left. On a plain green light, yield to oncoming traffic before turning left.
Streetcars in Toronto
When a streetcar stops to let passengers on or off, stop at least 2 meters behind its rear doors. Pass streetcars on the right unless the road is one-way.
Speeds are in km/h
Speed signs and your speedometer's main scale are in kilometers per hour. 50 km/h is about 31 mph, 80 km/h is about 50 mph, 100 km/h is about 62 mph.
Speed limits
Towns are 50 km/h (about 31 mph) here, faster than the 25 mph at home. Freeways are 100 km/h (about 62 mph) here, slower than the 70 mph at home.
What the car must carry
The car must carry winter tires in Quebec (in winter) and winter tires or chains in British Columbia (in some areas). Rental cars should have them, but check before you drive away, because the driver gets the fine.
Island of Montréal
No right turn on a red light anywhere on the island. Where: Every street on the island of Montréal. Fine: $100 to $200 and 3 demerit points. Signs at the bridges, tunnels and airport mark the start of the ban. Wait for the green light.
School zones in Quebec
The limit can be no higher than 50 km/h on school days, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, September to June. Where: Around schools, marked by yellow-green pentagon signs. Fine: Speeding fines are doubled. A sign with the word Fin marks the end of the zone.
Construction zones
Lower limits apply. In Ontario speeding fines double when workers are present, and in Quebec they double in roadwork zones. Where: Road work across Canada, marked by orange signs. Fine: Double the normal speeding fine. Slow down as soon as you see orange signs.
Toll roads
Most Canadian roads are free. The main toll road is Highway 407 ETR north of Toronto, which has no booths and bills by license plate. Quebec has two toll bridges, and a few bridges elsewhere charge at booths. Highway 407 ETR runs 108 km from the QEW in the west to Brock Road in the east. Cameras read the plate. Without a transponder you pay a camera charge for each trip and an account fee for each month you use it. For a rental car, 407 ETR bills the rental company, which bills you under your rental agreement with its own fees. The bill can arrive months after the trip. Ask the rental company how it handles 407 tolls before you use the road.
Your American license is enough
With an American license, your own license is enough. You don't need an International Driving Permit. A valid license in English is accepted for a visit. Ontario requires an IDP for visitors from another country who stay longer than 3 months, and Quebec for stays longer than 6 months.
Right turn on red, except in Montréal
You may turn right on a red light after a complete stop, once pedestrians and traffic have passed, unless a sign forbids it. On the island of Montréal it is banned at every light.
All-way stops
At an all-way stop, every driver must stop. The first car to stop completely goes first. If two cars stop at the same time, the one on the left lets the one on the right go first.
Open Canada in the app, set to an American licence, and keep all of this with you offline.
Open it in the appSpeed limits compared with home
Signs here are in km/h. The black marks show your limits at home, converted.
Who goes first
Priority to the right
First to stop goes first
Signs that look different from home
Yield
Yield to traffic in or near the junction.
Speed limit
The highest speed allowed, in km/h.
Photo radar
A fixed or mobile photo radar is nearby, or may be in the area (Quebec).
Railway crossing
Railway tracks cross the road here.
Moose crossing
Moose cross this road.
No entry
No vehicles may enter.
Sharp bend chevron (Quebec)
The road bends sharply in the direction of the chevron.
Signs you won't know from home
On an uphill climbing lane in Quebec, use the right lane unless you are passing.
Gives directions and distances.
Speed cameras
Cameras depend on the province. Ontario banned municipal speed cameras from 14 November 2025 but still uses red light cameras. Quebec uses fixed and mobile photo radar, announced by green signs showing a camera, plus red light cameras. British Columbia has intersection cameras that catch red light running and, at some sites, speeding. Alberta allows photo radar only in school, playground and construction zones, not on provincial highways. Radar detectors are illegal in Ontario, Quebec and most other provinces, but legal in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Camera tickets go to the vehicle's registered owner, which for a rental car is the rental company. In British Columbia and Quebec they carry no demerit points. Check your rental agreement for how fines are passed on.
Before you drive
- Your driving licenseThe physical card, not a photo or a digital license.
- Your passportRental companies and police ask for ID.
Driving in Canada soon?
Get the before-you-drive checklist for Canada by email, with what to carry, what to check on the hire car, and the rules people get fined for.
The checklist now, one more email a few days later, and a reminder before you drive if you add the date. Unsubscribe any time.
Where Americans drive next
Canada for drivers from elsewhere
Sources: the official Canada sources listed on the Canada guide, checked 15 October 2026.