Update Drivers Licence After Divorce in BC

Updating your driver's licence after divorce in BC should be straightforward, but there's one prerequisite that trips up almost everyone: you must update your Medical Services Plan (MSP) records with Health Insurance BC (HIBC) before ICBC will process the change.

Show up at ICBC without the HIBC confirmation, and your appointment is wasted.

Step 1: Update HIBC First

Contact Health Insurance BC to update your name on the Medical Services Plan. You can do this online through the HIBC name change form or by phone. There's no fee.

HIBC will process the change and mail you a confirmation letter. This typically takes about two weeks. You need this letter in hand before booking your ICBC appointment.

The reason for this sequence is that your BC Services Card and driver's licence are linked to your MSP record. ICBC checks the HIBC database during the appointment — if the names don't match, the system won't let the ICBC agent proceed.

Step 2: Book an ICBC Appointment

Once you have your HIBC confirmation letter, book an in-person appointment at an ICBC driver licensing office. You can't update your name on a driver's licence online or by mail.

Bring the following to your appointment:

• HIBC confirmation letter showing your updated name
• Divorce certificate or divorce order — the court-issued document with the physical court stamp or seal, showing both your married and previous names
• Birth certificate — a certified Canadian birth certificate
• Marriage certificate — the government-issued version from Vital Statistics, not a religious or ceremonial certificate
• Current BC driver's licence — the one you're replacing

These "linking documents" create the paper trail connecting your birth name to your married name to your post-divorce name.

Fees

The replacement driver's licence fee is $17. If your licence is within six months of its expiration date, ICBC will process a renewal instead, which costs $75.

If you also need to update your BC Services Card (the non-driver photo ID), there's no additional fee for the Services Card itself. If you need a replacement BCID (the non-driver, non-Services Card photo ID), the fee is $35.

Your new licence or card will be mailed to your current address within two to four weeks after the appointment.

Address Changes at the Same Time

If you've moved since the divorce — which most people have — update your address during the same ICBC appointment. There's no additional fee for an address change when it's done alongside a name change.

Make sure your HIBC records also reflect your current address, as ICBC will check that the addresses match.

What Comes Next

After your driver's licence is updated, use it as your primary photo ID to update your Social Insurance Number at Service Canada, then your passport with Passport Canada. The British Columbia After-Divorce Checklist maps out the full identity document update sequence so you handle each agency in the right order.

See more British Columbia guides →