Renewing your driver’s licence during a stay outside Québec
You can renew your driver’s licence before you leave for your temporary stay outside Québec, or while you are away.
Before leaving Québec
You can renew your driver's licence before leaving for your temporary stay outside of Québec if the licence will expire in less than 3 months. Simply go in person to one of our service outlets. This will ensure that the SAAQ does not send you a plasticized licence without a photo or signature.
You can also pay for your driver's licence anytime within the 3-month period prior to the payment due date. Otherwise, a payment notice will be mailed to your address in Québec.
Payment options
At our service outlets, we accept payment:
- in cash
- by debit card (not available at some service outlets)
- by one or more pre-authorized debits (a cheque specimen must be provided)
- by cheque or money order
Payment by credit card is not accepted.
During a stay outside of Québec
To renew your plasticized driver's licence and maintain your driving privilege, you must send the SAAQ a signed request 3 months before the payment due date. You may then be issued a licence without a photo or signature. You can apply
By mail or by fax
Send us the form Driver’s Licence Renewal While Outside Québec (PDF, 183.0 KB).
By mail
Division du permis de conduire et de l’immatriculation
Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec
333, boulevard Jean-Lesage
Case postale 19600, succursale Terminus
Québec (Québec) G1K 8J6
By fax
Québec area: 418-644-1497
Elsewhere (Québec, Canada, United States): 1-855-465-7227
By secure email
On the secure email form, choose "Driver's licences" from the list of subjects under "Inquiry."
Your request must contain the following information:
- The subject
- Your last name and first name
- Your date of birth
- Your driver's licence number
- Your driver’s licence reference number
- Your home address in Québec (Quebecers who are living temporarily outside of Québec are required to have and provide us with a valid home address in Québec)
- Your address outside of Québec
- The address where you wish to receive your licence
- The reason for your stay outside of Québec
- The length of your stay outside of Québec
- A telephone number where you can be reached
- Your signature (if you are sending your request by mail)
Payment options outside québec
- If you send your request by mail, you must enclose a cheque or money order to cover the cost. Your licence will be issued as soon as we receive the required information and your payment. Find out how much it costs to get a driver's licence without photo or signature (these fees are added to the cost of renewing your licence).
- If you send your request by fax, you must include a cheque specimen and indicate whether you wish to pay with a single instalment or 12 monthly instalments.
- If you send your request by secure email and do not have a bank account on file with us, you will have to provide banking information on an account from which you are authorized to make transactions. It must not be a credit card account. Make sure you provide the transit number, financial institution number and account number located at the bottom of your cheque specimen. If necessary, check with your financial institution. You can also enter your banking information in your SAAQclic file. Remember to indicate whether you want to make your payment in a single instalment or 12 monthly instalments.
- A plasticized licence without a photo or signature can be issued for a maximum period of one year. This licence will therefore be valid until the next renewal date. A licence without photo or signature is a special measure that allows you to drive until you return to Québec.
Last update: September 9, 2024