These offences are criminal both in Québec and elsewhere!
If one of these offences is committed elsewhere in Canada or in an American state with which Québec has entered into a reciprocity agreement, it is entered in the driver's record and results in the same penalties as if the offence had been committed in Québec.
Conviction
If you are found guilty of an offence under the Criminal Code, your licence will be revoked and you will be prohibited from driving anywhere in Canada and in the American states with which Québec has entered into an agreement.
You will also be prohibited from obtaining a licence for the entire length of the driving prohibition period.
Revoked licence = cancelled licence
You will have to undertake the procedure to reacquire a licence. In most cases, you will be required to pass a reinstatement knowledge test.
Driving with a revoked licence: very stiff penalties
Driving with a licence that was revoked as a result of a Criminal Code conviction can lead to very severe penalties, such as:
additional criminal charges
a fine of $1,500.00 to $3,000.00, in addition to legal and administrative costs
seizure and impoundment of the vehicle you are driving for 7, 30 or 90 days, depending on the situation. The vehicle is towed and impounded at the owner's expense
Length of the driving prohibition
The penalty usually comes into effect on the day the court has rendered a guilty verdict. The length of the penalty period is determined on the basis of:
the nature of the offence
the driving prohibition period ordered by the court
the number of criminal convictions you have received over the 10 previous years
Driving prohibition: 1st offence
1 year
4 years for failure to stop after being involved in an accident (hit-and-run) or when pursued by police
Driving prohibition: 2nd offence
3 years
5 years for failure to stop after being involved in an accident (hit-and-run) or when pursued by police
