You will be asked to show documents that prove your identity when you apply for a Manitoba driver’s licence or identification card for the first time, or when you move to Manitoba from another jurisdiction.
To quickly determine the documents you need to bring, use our Proving My Identity tool. The tool will show you the documents that you can use to establish your identity.
This requirement under Manitoba law is aligned with North American standards. Verifying your identity helps to protect you, and all Manitobans, from identity theft. It also ensures that Manitoba driver’s licences and ID Cards are issued only to those who are in our country legally, whether as citizens or visitors.
Identity elements
To prove your identity, you will need supporting documents that establish these key elements:
- Birth date
- Full legal name*
- Photograph
- Manitoba residence and permanent address**
- Entitlement to be in Canada
* If your surname differs from the surname on your birth certificate, a second document such as a Marriage Certificate or Certificate of Change of Name is required.
** Two supporting documents are required to prove you reside in Manitoba. Rural customers must provide at least one document containing their physical address. If rural customers do not have two supporting documents containing their physical address, the second document can contain their mailing address. Any supporting address document must be dated within 90 days of the date of application.
Acceptable supporting documents
Your documents must be originals – not photocopies. Electronic scans of these documents will be retained on file, in keeping with Canadian standards.
Please note that two supporting documents are required to prove you reside in Manitoba. Rural customers must provide at least one document containing their physical address. If rural customers do not have two supporting documents containing their physical address, the second document can contain their mailing address. Any supporting address document must be dated within 90 days of the date of application.
If you do not have an acceptable document with your photograph or address, MPI may accept a completed Guarantor Declaration instead. Some restrictions apply, so please read the form carefully. A Guarantor Declaration can be used as a second acceptable document for proving Manitoba residency if you only have one document with your address on it.
To view eligible supporting documents that can be used, see the Acceptable Verifiable Resource List or use our Proving My Identity tool.
If desired, you can use this sample Translation declaration form and bring it to a translator or translation agency for completion.
Translation requirements
Documents in a language other than English or French will require translation.
Accepted translations must:
- Be based on the original document.
- Show the translator’s company and contact information or be on the company letterhead.
- Translator name must be printed on the translation, as well as signed and dated.
- The translator must sign every page of the translation.
- Include a copy of the front and back of the translated document.
- For example, a translation for a driver’s licence must match the physical licence surrendered.
- Translation must be completed by a certified translator or by a certified translation agency (see the listing of approved agencies below).
- If a translation is completed by a translator that does not have certification, the translation must be notarized by an active Notary Public or Commissioner for Oaths for the Province of Manitoba.
- A non-Manitoba based Notary or Commissioner is not acceptable.
The translation can be on one of three different forms:
- On the translator’s or translation company’s letterhead.
- Every page of the translation must be stamped and signed by the translator, regardless of whether it was completed by an independent translator or by a translation company.
- On the sample form supplied by Manitoba Public Insurance, available on the public website.
- On letterhead from an Embassy, Consulate, or High Commissioner’s Office.
Accepted translators:
Only individuals/agencies who meet the requirements below are authorized to provide a translation.
- Individual who has been officially certified by the Association of Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters of Manitoba (ATIM) and is listed on their official directory as a translator.
- Interpreters are certified/authorized to handle spoken or signed language but are not necessarily authorized to translate documents. Please ensure that the individual who translated the documents is a certified translator, not a certified interpreter.
- Be employed at Accueil Francophone or Immigrant Centre, and have translator experience there. Translation must be on the company letterhead.
- Be employed by the Translation Agency of Manitoba. Translation must include the translator’s contact card appended to the front of the document, an affidavit from the translator and signature from a Manitoba-based Commissioner for Oaths.
- Provided by an individual with other professional certification (proof required), or, if non-certified, the translation must be approved and signed by a Manitoba-based Notary Public or Commissioner for Oaths.
- Other approved translators include non-Canadian embassies, consulates, or a high commissioner’s office based in Canada.
- Note: Embassies, consulates, or high commissioner’s offices in Canada are not required to notarize their translation if the document is provided on official letterhead.
- Translations provided by the licensing authority or government agency of the home country, if the agency or authority holds a reciprocity agreement with Manitoba, can be accepted without notarization.
The following documents are not acceptable translation documents:
- International Driving Permit (IDP) – An IDP cannot be used as an official translation of a foreign driver’s licence.
- An International Certificate Translation of Driver’s License is not a Chinese driver’s licence and cannot be used as an official translation of a foreign driver’s licence.
- An ICBC – Approved Translator Declaration for Conduct of a Translation form cannot be used as an official translation in Manitoba. This is for ICBC use only.
- Translations provided by Canada 411 translators, unless the translator is employed with any of the acceptable translation associations found under Requirements for Acceptable Translators.
- Translations provided by the licensing authority or government agency of a non-reciprocal home country may not be accepted by the Licensing Unit. These translations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
- Translation completed by a non-certified translator, unless the document is authenticated by a Manitoba-based Notary Public or Commissioner for Oath’s.
Key fields for translation
Submitted translations must include the key information for the specified documents below. Translated dates must be in a standard format (for example, dd/mm/yyyy), or otherwise clearly differentiate between the month, day, and year.
Driver’s licence
- Driver’s last name
- Driver’s given name(s)
- Date of birth
- Licence issue date
- Licence expiry date (if displayed on licence)
- Issuing agency/authority
- Licence number
- Category/class of vehicles the driver is authorized to drive
- Date first licence in each category/class authorized to drive (if displayed on licence)
- Additional information/licence restrictions (if displayed on licence)
Birth certificate
- Last name
- Given name
- Date of birth
Driver abstracts and claims experience letters
Translated driving history documents must contain the following fields in order to be accepted for Driver Safety Rating credit.
Driver abstract/Driver record
Translated fields from the driver abstract or driver record must contain all of the following information:
- Driver licence number
- Date of birth
- Issued/expiry dates
- Status of licence
- Classes and/or stages of licences held
- License restrictions
- Date first licensed
- Convictions, suspensions, or tickets (if any)
- Name of licensing authority
- Contact information for the licensing authority
- Accidents (if any)
Claims experience letter
Translated claims experience letters must contain the following information:
- Name and address of the policy holder
- Policy number
- Effective and expiry date of the policy
- Names of all drivers listed
- Insurer name
- Insurer contact information
- Claims (if any) made during the term of the policy. Claims information should include: date of loss, type of loss, percentage at-fault, and name of driver involved in the claim(s).
Gender markers
You have four gender marker options on a Manitoba driver’s licence or identification card:
- Male (M).
- Female (F).
- A non-binary gender marker option of X is available for anyone who is not exclusively male or female. This includes intersex, agender, amalgagender, androgynous, bigender, demigender, female-to-male, genderfluid, genderqueer, male-to-female, neutrois, nonbinary, pangender, third sex, transgender, transsexual and Two Spirit individuals. You can self-declare this option and do not require supporting identification.
- An undisclosed (blank) gender marker option is available for anyone who does not want to disclose their gender. You can self-declare this option and do not require supporting identification.
Note that changes to accommodate individuals with non-binary gender markers or undisclosed gender markers may not yet be adopted in all jurisdictions. If your Manitoba identification card or driver’s licence displays an X gender marker or a blank gender marker, MPI cannot guarantee your identification will be recognized in all jurisdictions or by all third-party organizations.
If you are applying for a driver’s licence or identification card for the first time and would like to self-declare your gender in a private setting, please contact us at 204-985-7000 to schedule an appointment.