We've reduced the need for in-person contact during the pandemic.

Many insurance transactions can now be completed via phone and email. Call your Autoplan broker for more details about:

• New policies
• Renewals
• Transfer of ownership
• Policy changes

Please note that insurance services are currently not available at ICBC's head office.

Cancelling your policy

If you want to cancel your policy to reduce costs during the pandemic, we've introduced some temporary changes to help.

• The $18 plating fee will be waived when you choose to reinstate an insurance policy on your vehicle.

**This measure ends October 19. Starting October 20, the $18 plate fee is back in effect.

If you do cancel your policy, please remember to:

• Remove your licence plate and store it somewhere safe until it's safe to return the plates to your Autoplan broker.
• Park your vehicle off the road.
• Call your Autoplan broker about options such as getting a storage policy to ensure your vehicle is protected while it's not in use.

Assistance for customers reinsuring after cancelling:

We recognize that many customers chose to cancel their insurance policies as a result of the pandemic, something they wouldn't have ordinarily done. When customers cancelled their policies, they may not have been aware that there could be some changes in their premium costs when they came back to reinsure, as a result of rates and factors that have changed since their last renewal.

Policy cost changes could happen for some customers because of a number of factors, such as converting to the new insurance system, at fault claims or optional rate changes.  However, customers may be experiencing these price changes earlier than they normally would have because of the cancellation.

In recognition of this, we are providing assistance so that customers who cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic and are eligible when they reinsure aren't seeing an increase in their insurance rate until their original insurance expiry date.

We will be identifying these customers in the coming weeks and automatically mailing them a cheque. If you would like to contact ICBC in the meantime, please call Customer Service at 604-661-2800 or 1-800-663-3051.

We're aware that you might be facing financial challenges during the pandemic, so we're helping to provide some relief.

If you're on a monthly Autoplan payment plan, you can apply to defer* your payments for up to 90 days without penalty. Payment deferral is also available for fleets.

Please note that if your account is not up to date, you won't be eligible to defer payments, but if you let us know, we'll work with you to find a solution.

How to defer your monthly payments

• Apply for a deferral using our online request form  before 6pm on the business day before your payment is due.
• You'll get an email confirming that your request has been processed.
• Please note that the total sum of your deferred payments will be withdrawn on your deferral date.

If you're going to be unable to make your deferred payment on the deferral date, then please contact us to discuss payment options:

• Call 604-661-2723 or 1-800-665-6442.
• Email accountservices@icbc.com, including your phone number and your driver licence number or licence plate number.

*Payment deferral refers to the postponement, or delay, of payment owed.

You can now book an appointment online before visiting a driver licensing office.

Please do not attend an office if you:

• have traveled outside of Canada within the last 14 days

• have been in close contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 (Coronavirus) within the last 14 days

• have symptoms of COVID-19 such as respiratory illness or difficulty breathing, a fever greater than 38.0ᴼC (100.4ᴼ F) or a cough

• have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days

• have just moved to BC from outside of Canada within the last 14 days

If you are unable to attend an office for any reason, please call us on 1-800-950-1498 or 250-978-8300 and we will do our best to help you.

British Columbia Driver Licence (BCDL)

You can book an appointment online to attend a driver licence office to renew or reinstate a BCDL.

Please do not attend an office if you:

• have traveled outside of Canada within the last 14 days

• have been in close contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 (Coronavirus) within the last 14 days

• have symptoms of COVID-19 such as respiratory illness or difficulty breathing, a fever greater than 38.0ᴼC (100.4ᴼ F) or a cough

• have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days

British Columbia Services Card

You can book an appointment for BC Services Card application, issuance or renewal on our online system.

If you're currently unable to obtain or renew your BC Services Card, you can get a temporary Medical Services Plan (MSP) coverage extension or a confirmation of MSP coverage letter. Please call Health Insurance BC at 1 800 663-7100 or 604 683-7151.

If you're a MSP Beneficiary, you can access provincial health care services using the Provincial Health Number (PHN) on your expired BC Services Card, along with another piece of ID. 

If you use the mobile BC Services Card, you'll have continued temporary access to online government services.

For more information visit:

• Ministry of Health and MSP coverage
• Ministry of Citizens' Services and Mobile BC Services Card

We’ve made it easier to access injury care during the pandemic.

To reduce the need for in-person contact, we're also temporarily funding telehealth services to provide healthcare online using phone and video technology.

Please talk to your healthcare provider to find out if these services are available to you. Telehealth services may be available for:

• Chiropractors
• Counsellors
• Physicians
• Kinesiologists
• Occupational Therapist
• Psychologists
• Physiotherapist

We've changed our driver licensing online and phone services during the pandemic.

The following services are now only offered online:

• Get your driving record
• Change your address

Ticket payment and dispute

• If you received a ticket that starts with the letter "E" or "S", you may be able to pay it online at PayBC.  

• All others may be paid by phone at 1-888-343-2240 or 604-661-2240.

You'll need to provide an ICBC key word for many driver licensing transactions. If you need to reset your ICBC key word, please call 1-800-950-1498. 

Enhanced Driver Licenses (EDL) and Enhanced ID Cards (EIC) appointments are currently suspended. Any questions please contact the Driver Licensing Contact Centre 1-800-950-1498 or 250-978-8300. 

We are contacting customers with an appointment to inform them of this change, and advising them of the option to replace their EDL/EIC with a DL/BCID.

You can book a knowledge test appointment online by using our appointment system.

All appointments will be 45 minutes and there are no stand-by appointments at this time.

Please note that if your learner's licence has expired, you'll need to re-take and pass the knowledge test.

First knowledge test fees will be waived for Learner Driver's Licences (class 5-8) that expired on or after March 17, 2020. Any further test fees will not be waived. **This change expires December 31, 2020.

Translation services for knowledge testing were reinstated effective June 1st, 2020, adhering to WorkSafeBC guidelines. At a minimum, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as a basic mask (disposable, cloth etc.) for both you and your translator must be worn when conducting tests. We will not provide any PPE and if a customer or translator is not wearing a mask, they will be asked to leave.

If you require a translator, please call our driver licensing call centre and inform your representative when booking your appointment. Please check the translation service page for more information. 

We’ve made it easier to drive with a valid out-of-province licence during the pandemic.

New B.C. residents

If you are new to B.C. and the 90-day requirement to obtain a B.C. driver's licence (BCDL) expired on or after March 17, you may continue to drive legally in BC under the terms and conditions of the licence you hold.

**This measure ends December 31, 2020. Starting January 1, 2021, the 90-day exemption will be back in place. For example, a driver from Mexico who moved to B.C. in April 2020 will have until December 31, 2020 when the 90 day exemption takes effect.  A driver from India who moves to B.C. on November 1st will have until January 29 (90 days).

Visitors to B.C.

If you are a visitor whose 6-month exemption expired on or after March 17, you may continue driving with your valid out-of-province driver's licence.

**This measure ends December 31, 2020. Starting January 1, 2021, the 6-month exemption for visitors will be back in place.

Students

If you are a student who was exempt from getting a BCDL on or after March 17, you may continue driving here providing you're still registered and attending school, or the reason you are not is due to COVID-19.

Temporary foreign workers

Temporary foreign workers in the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program, are exempt from getting a BCDL while participating in the program, so may continue driving here under the terms of the program.

Please note that:

• These changes do not apply to you if, on March 17, you were not able to legally drive in B.C. with your out-of-province licence, due to letting the time period lapse.
• If your licence is from a jurisdiction that has a reciprocal exchange agreement with B.C., you can switch to a B.C. driver's licence immediately.
• If your licence is from a jurisdiction that does not have a reciprocal agreement with B.C., you can book an appointment to take the knowledge test by calling us at 1-800-950-1498.

Road testing was temporarily suspended at the onset of the pandemic, however we have now resumed all road testing while keeping health and safety our top priority.

Essential health care workers and first responders who require a licence for their job can call us at 1-800-950-1498 or 250-978-8300 for priority testing. These road tests resumed as of July 20.

Road tests for commercial Class 1,2,3,4, Air brakes, Large Recreational Trailers (fifth wheels), re-exams and RoadSafetyBC directed Enhanced Road Assessments (ERA)  

These types of road tests may only be booked by phone at 1-800-950-1498 or 250-978-8300.

Please note that as we have recently re-opened road testing our phone lines may be busier than usual.

There is no standby availability for any road test appointment.

Class 5 and 7 Road tests  

You can book a road test online as of August 24. Standby appointments are unavailable for all road tests. New appointment times are added to our system regularly because of cancellations, so if you book a time that is not as early as you want, please check back often.

What to expect for all road tests

Road testing is going to look different. Our driver examiners are required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) for the duration of the road tests. They have access to a combination of equipment including masks, shields, goggles, gloves and disposable seat covers. We're also providing a mandatory medical grade mask for customers to wear during the road tests.

We ask that you arrive promptly to your appointment and:

• Ensure you have the required identification
• be prepared for health screening questions
• ensure the interior of your vehicle is clean
• maintain physical distance of 2m (6ft) from ICBC representatives when possible

For motorcycle road tests, riders will not be provided PPE due to the nature of the test but they will be required to wear the safety vest that we provide which will be sanitized after each use.

We’ve made it safer to access collision and glass services during the pandemic.

Vehicle sanitizing
We’re reimbursing our partners so they can offer the following sanitization services:

• Body shops and glass suppliers are required to sanitize a customer's vehicle before and after repairs. 
• Body shops are required to sanitize courtesy vehicles provided to our customers.
• Rental vehicle partners are required to sanitize vehicles provided for an ICBC-related - claim.

Please note that:

• Vehicle sanitization is optional for towing companies.

These temporary services will are available until October 31, 2020, when they will be reassessed.

Keeping you safe while visiting an ICBC location

Many ICBC services continue to be available, such as renewing insurance by phone and email. If you need to visit an ICBC location in-person, we have implemented the following measures to help keep you and our employees safe during your visit (please refer to the sections above for more information when visiting a specific location):

Health screening: If you are sick, have travelled outside of Canada within the last 14 days, or have had close contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last 14 days, please stay home and visit at a later time. Reminders on these guidelines are available at all ICBC entrances and we may ask you health questions as you enter the office.

Occupancy and physical distancing in ICBC locations: Occupancy limits are posted at the entrances of all buildings to enable you to be physically distant from others. Six foot physical distancing is enabled at all ICBC offices, as well as outside our offices if there are line-ups. This aligns with Provincial Health Office and WorksafeBC guidelines. We have also placed directional signage at ICBC entrance and exit doors and throughout our offices to help guide the flow of traffic, and we have reduced the seating available in our waiting areas to ensure there is ample space between customers.

Barriers and personal protective equipment (PPE): For increased protection, Plexiglas partitions have been installed at offices that provide customer transactions. A facemask will be provided to you when physical distancing cannot be maintained, such as during road tests. Customers will need to wear the facemask for the duration of the road test. In these cases, our employees are also required to wear PPE when physical distancing is not possible.

Cleaning and sanitation: Hand sanitizer is provided for customers at all entrances and exits with designated garbage bins. Our cleaning staff have a regular cleaning schedule, wiping touch points frequently. Counters and shared equipment like pens are being wiped between customers.

As we move with you towards a new normal, we will continue to reassess and adjust if needed, as we will always make the health and well-being of our customers and employees a priority.

ICBC COVID-19 Safety Plan

Following guidance from public health experts and WorkSafeBC, we have developed several resources, including a ICBC COVID-19 Safety Plan focused on our employees and their interactions with one another and customers and a road test safety plan specifically for the resumption of commercial road tests. The purpose of this plan is to outline the policies, guidelines and procedures that have been put in place to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.