FAQ — SAAQ Car Rental & Driving Practice Montreal

No, you don’t need your own car. You can rent a dual-control car for your SAAQ test through our service — this is required if your own vehicle doesn’t have dual controls, which SAAQ mandates for the road exam.

A dual-control car has a second brake pedal on the passenger side, allowing your instructor or examiner to stop the vehicle if needed. SAAQ requires dual-control vehicles for all Class 5 road tests.

Car rental for your SAAQ test in Kirkland costs $80. This includes the dual-control vehicle, full commercial SAAQ insurance, and direct vehicle delivery to the test center on exam day.

Yes, but same-day SAAQ car rental bookings are subject to availability. We recommend booking at least 3–5 days in advance to guarantee a vehicle slot for your exam time.

The SAAQ service centre relocated from Dorval to 17090 Autoroute Transcanadienne, Kirkland. This facility serves drivers across Montreal’s West Island, including Pointe-Claire, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Beaconsfield, and Dorval.

Yes, we specialize in SAAQ Kirkland car rental and practice lessons, including route familiarization around Kirkland, Pointe-Claire, and neighboring West Island streets.

The Dorval location is closed. All road test appointments are now conducted at the Kirkland SAAQ Centre (17090 Trans-Canada Hwy), located about 10 minutes from the former Dorval site.

We serve drivers throughout Montreal’s West Island, including Kirkland, Pointe-Claire, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Beaconsfield, Dorval, Baie-D’Urfé, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, and Pierrefonds-Roxboro.

Yes, our Class 5 practice lessons follow actual SAAQ test routes around Kirkland, giving you hands-on experience with local intersections, school zones, and parking maneuvers.

Most students book 2–4 SAAQ practice lessons before test day to master dual-control handling and feel comfortable on test routes.

Yes, you can schedule a warm-up driving session right before your SAAQ exam to review parking techniques and ease exam nervousness.

Yes, bringing an independent rental car for your SAAQ road test is fully permitted by SAAQ, as long as the vehicle meets dual-control safety standards and carries valid registration and insurance.

You need the vehicle’s registration certificate and paper proof of commercial liability insurance — both are provided directly with our SAAQ test rental car.

SAAQ mandates a 28-day waiting period before retaking the road test. You only need to retest on the evaluation portions you did not pass.

Yes, SAAQ requires holding a learner’s licence for at least 12 months, completing a driving course, and passing the theoretical knowledge exam before scheduling your road test.

You can reserve your vehicle directly via WhatsApp or online booking page once you have confirmed your road test date with the SAAQ.

Yes, a small deposit is required to secure your car booking slot, with the remaining balance due on the day of your test.

Yes, we offer fully bilingual services (English & French) for all driving instruction, route practice, and car rentals.

Yes. We provide SAAQ car rental and driving practice sessions at both the Kirkland and Henri-Bourassa centres. The Henri-Bourassa centre is located at 855 Henri-Bourassa O, Montreal, QC H3L 1P3. Book your Henri-Bourassa car rental here.

The SAAQ Henri-Bourassa service centre is at 855 Henri-Bourassa O, Montreal, QC H3L 1P3 in the north end of Montreal island. It is one of the busiest SAAQ road test locations in the city. Read our full Henri-Bourassa Centre Guide for test day tips and route information.

They are different, not necessarily harder or easier. Henri-Bourassa is more urban — heavy traffic, more pedestrians, busy intersections on the boulevard. Kirkland is more suburban — residential streets, school zones, and arterial roads near the Trans-Canada. Practising on the actual test routes at your centre is the best preparation either way.

$80 for car rental only at Henri-Bourassa — same pricing as Kirkland. We also offer the Henri-Bourassa Ready Package at $150, which includes a 1-hour warm-up practice session on the HB test routes plus the exam car rental.

As a newly arrived Quebec resident, you may drive a passenger vehicle for six months without a Quebec licence, provided you hold a valid foreign driver’s licence. After six months, you must obtain a Quebec Class 5 licence from the SAAQ.

It depends on your country of origin. If your licence was issued by a Canadian province or territory, the U.S., or a country that has a licence exchange agreement with Quebec, you can exchange it for a Class 5 without taking a road test or knowledge exam. Visit saaq.gouv.qc.ca to see the list of agreement countries.

If your country is not on the agreement list but you have held a licence for at least one year, you must pass both a knowledge exam and a road test. If you have held your licence for less than one year, you are treated as a first-time driver and must complete the full graduated licensing program.

If you are a student enrolled at a Quebec educational institution, you are not required to obtain a Quebec licence for the duration of your studies, provided your licence was issued by a jurisdiction that grants the same right to Quebec residents. However, if you plan to stay in Quebec permanently or your studies end, you will need to convert your licence. We specialize in helping international students prepare for the SAAQ road test — contact us at +1 514-898-1999.

Bring the following to your SAAQ road test appointment:

• Your valid Quebec learner’s licence (or foreign licence if applicable)
• Your official SAAQ test appointment confirmation
• Two valid pieces of government-issued photo identification
• Vehicle registration and insurance — provided automatically with our rental car

If you are renting our car, we provide all vehicle paperwork on test day.

The SAAQ road test is the same for everyone — newcomers and Quebec-born drivers take the same evaluation. The examiner assesses your ability to drive safely according to the Highway Safety Code: observation, speed control, lane discipline, intersections, and parking. The key difference for newcomers is adjusting to Quebec’s specific rules (e.g. right turns on red are permitted except where signed). Our practice sessions specifically prepare newcomers for these local differences. See our SAAQ Road Test Guide for a complete breakdown.

Yes — all our services are available in English and French. We specialize in helping newcomers and international students navigate the SAAQ road test process. Our instructors explain what Quebec examiners look for in a way that’s clear for drivers from any background.