ICBC Address Change: How to Update Your Address in B.C. in 2026?

Last Updated on 16.09.2026

If you move to a new home within British Columbia, you must complete your ICBC address change within 10 days. Your driver’s licence and BC Services Card can normally be updated online, by phone or in person, but vehicle insurance needs separate attention.

New residents arriving in B.C. follow different deadlines. They generally have 90 days to switch their driver’s licence and 30 days to register, license and insure their vehicle.

ICBC Address Change At A Glance:

Situation	Deadline or Action
Moving Within B.C.	Update ICBC within 10 days
Moving To B.C.	Switch driver’s licence within 90 days
Bringing A Vehicle To B.C.	Generally register, license and insure within 30 days
Commercial Vehicle Moving To B.C.	Register, license and insure immediately
Moving Out Of B.C.	B.C. licence remains valid for 90 days after residency ends
Driver’s Licence Address	Online, phone or in person
BC Services Card Address	Can normally be updated online
Vehicle Insurance	Update through an Autoplan broker
Standard Address Change Fee	No fee

B.C.’s Motor Vehicle Act requires a driver to notify ICBC within 10 days after their residential address changes.

How Do You Complete An ICBC Address Change?

There are three main ways to change the address associated with a B.C. driver’s licence.

1. Online

The easiest option for many residents is the provincial AddressChangeBC service.

It allows eligible residents moving within British Columbia to notify multiple provincial and local government organizations through one process rather than contacting each organization separately.

The service follows seven stages, including selecting who needs to know, entering the old and new addresses, supplying any additional information and confirming the submission.

You should have information such as:

• Your Current B.C. Driver’s Licence Details
• Your Previous Address
• Your New Residential Address
• Your Mailing Address If Different
• Your Postal Code
• Details Requested By Other Organizations You Choose To Update

People specifically looking at the licence-only process can also review the B.C. driver’s licence address change steps.

2. By Phone

ICBC also provides telephone assistance for driver licensing matters.

Current contact numbers include:

• Lower Mainland: 604-982-2250
• Greater Victoria: 250-978-8300
• Toll-Free In B.C., Canada And The U.S.: 1-800-950-1498
• Other Countries: 250-978-8300

Have your B.C. driver’s licence number available when requesting an address change or discussing your records.

3. In Person

You can visit an ICBC driver licensing office if your situation cannot be dealt with online or you prefer in-person assistance.

An office visit can be particularly useful when you are:

• Changing Your Name As Well As Your Address
• Changing Your Gender Designation
• Dealing With Identification Problems
• Replacing Or Renewing Identification
• Unable To Complete The Online Process
• Unsure Which Records Need Updating

A standard address change itself has no fee.

Does Changing Your ICBC Address Update Your Vehicle Insurance?

Do not assume that updating your driver’s licence completes every part of your move.

Your Autoplan insurance must show your current home address and the correct use of the vehicle. ICBC advises people moving within B.C. to visit an Autoplan broker to change the home address on their insurance. If policy information is not current, coverage could be affected when a claim occurs.

This is particularly important for:

• Company Vehicles
• Fleet Vehicles
• Leased Vehicles
• Motorcycles
• Recreational Vehicles
• Trailers
• Vehicles Used For Business
• Vehicles Normally Kept At A Different Location After The Move

A change of location can also affect insurance pricing because territory and vehicle use are factors in ICBC insurance rates.

What Is The Difference Between The 10-Day And 90-Day Rules?

The two deadlines apply to different situations.

Rule	Who It Applies To	What It Means
10-Day Rule	Existing B.C. residents who move	Update the address associated with your B.C. records
90-Day Rule	People becoming B.C. residents	Switch to a B.C. driver’s licence
30-Day Rule	Most vehicles brought into B.C.	Register, license and insure the vehicle

For example, someone moving from Vancouver to Victoria is dealing with the 10-day address-change requirement.

Someone permanently moving from Alberta to British Columbia is a new B.C. resident and generally has 90 days to switch their licence.

Their vehicle normally needs to be registered, licensed and insured in B.C. within 30 days. Commercial vehicles must be dealt with immediately.

New residents arranging their provincial identification can find further information on the broader B.C. driver’s licence requirements.

What Happens If You Are Moving Out Of British Columbia?

If you permanently leave B.C., your current B.C. driver’s licence remains valid for 90 days after you stop being a B.C. resident.

You should check the licensing requirements in your new province, territory or country because another jurisdiction may require you to obtain a new licence sooner.

Vehicle rules are separate. ICBC recommends contacting an Autoplan broker before leaving B.C., while the motor vehicle authority or insurer at your destination can explain when the vehicle must be registered and insured there.

How Does AddressChangeBC Work?

AddressChangeBC is broader than an ICBC address change.

Residents moving from one B.C. address to another can use it to notify selected provincial and local government organizations in a seven-step online process.

However, there is an important limitation the service is for people and eligible organizations moving within British Columbia. If you are moving into B.C. from another province or country, or leaving B.C., you need to contact the relevant government organizations directly.

That makes AddressChangeBC useful for an ordinary move from one B.C. community to another, but it does not replace the procedures required when establishing or ending B.C. residency.

What Should Businesses Do When Changing Address In B.C.?

Business owners need to distinguish between changing an address for government services and changing the official registered address of the business.

AddressChangeBC states that home and business moves are separate notifications. If both are changing, the process may need to be completed twice.

Corporations, sole proprietorships and general partnerships that need to update their formal address with BC Registries should use the BC Business Registry. Incorporated societies use the applicable societies service.

Businesses with company vehicles should also review:

• Vehicle Registration Addresses
• Autoplan Insurance Records
• Where Each Vehicle Is Normally Kept
• Vehicle Use Classification
• Company Contact Information
• Driver And Fleet Records

Updating a corporate registered office does not mean every vehicle, insurance or licensing record has automatically changed.

How Do You Change Your Name On ICBC And BC Identification?

A name change follows a different process from a straightforward address update.

Before visiting ICBC, you must first update your name with the Medical Services Plan. This allows the MSP information accessed by ICBC to match the name you want shown on your identification.

The process is generally:

1. Update Your Name With MSP Through Health Insurance BC
2. Supply The Required Supporting Documents
3. Wait For The HIBC Confirmation Letter
4. Visit An ICBC Driver Licensing Office
5. Order Your Updated Driver’s Licence, BC Services Card Or BCID

The provincial government specifically advises residents to complete the MSP step before attending ICBC.

Depending on the reason for the name change, supporting documents can include a birth certificate, citizenship documentation, certificate of name change, marriage certificate, divorce decree or separation agreement.

How Long Can An MSP Account Change Take?

Health Insurance BC advises allowing up to 21 days for an MSP account change request to be reviewed and processed after submission.

This 21-day period applies to MSP account-change requests involving information such as a name, birthdate or gender. It should not be confused with the normal deadline for completing an ICBC address change.

If you are only changing your residential address, the provincial system may direct you to AddressChangeBC instead.

How Do You Change Your Gender Designation On B.C. Identification?

Residents can change the gender designation displayed on B.C. government identification to M, F or X.

There are two main routes.

With An Updated Birth Certificate

You can:

1. Update Your Birth Certificate
2. Submit The Updated Birth Certificate Information To HIBC
3. Visit An ICBC Driver Licensing Office With The Updated Birth Certificate

Without An Updated Birth Certificate

Alternatively:

1. Submit The Appropriate Application For Change Of Gender Designation To HIBC
2. Provide The Supporting Documentation Required By The Application
3. Attend An ICBC Driver Licensing Office With Copies Of The Documents And The Required Primary And Secondary Identification

The government no longer requires confirmation from a physician or psychologist for a change of gender designation.

The B.C. personal information service provides the current forms and instructions for name, address and gender changes.

What About Enhanced Driver’s Licences And Enhanced ID Cards?

Enhanced Driver’s Licences (EDLs) and Enhanced Identification Cards (EICs) are no longer a current B.C. identification option.

B.C. stopped accepting new applications after the program was suspended in 2020 and announced the formal phase-out in 2021. Existing cards were allowed to remain valid only until their expiry dates, with the phase-out scheduled to finish in September 2025.

Therefore, instructions suggesting that a 2026 ICBC address change requires a replacement EDL or EIC are outdated. Current residents should follow the rules for standard B.C. driver’s licences, BCIDs and BC Services Cards.

Are Translation Services Available At ICBC Offices?

Yes. ICBC provides over-the-phone translation services at all driver licensing offices and claim centres.

Customer service representatives and driver licensing agents can connect customers with an interpreter, which can make licensing and moving procedures easier for newcomers who are not comfortable completing the process in English.

1. Company Vehicles

After moving, check each item rather than assuming one submission updates everything.

• Update Your Driver’s Licence Within 10 Days
• Update Your BC Services Card If Applicable
• Check Your Vehicle Registration
• Update Your Autoplan Insurance Through A Broker
• Review The Address Where Your Vehicle Is Normally Kept
• Update Every Vehicle You Own
• Review Company Or Fleet Vehicles Separately
• Update Business Registration Records Where Necessary
• Keep Confirmation Details From Online Changes
• Check Any Updated Address Sticker You Receive
• Contact ICBC If Your Records Do Not Update Correctly

Common ICBC Address Change Mistakes

Some of the most common problems come from treating every record as one account.

Avoid:

• Updating Only Your Driver’s Licence
• Forgetting Vehicle Insurance
• Waiting Until Insurance Renewal
• Missing The 10-Day Deadline
• Confusing The 10-Day And 90-Day Rules
• Forgetting A Second Vehicle
• Ignoring Company Or Leased Vehicles
• Assuming A Corporate Address Change Updates ICBC
• Using AddressChangeBC When Moving Into Or Out Of B.C.
• Visiting ICBC For A Name Change Before Updating MSP

FAQs About ICBC Address Change

How Soon Do I Need To Complete An ICBC Address Change?

Existing B.C. residents generally need to notify ICBC within 10 days after their residential address changes.

Can I Change My ICBC Address Online?

Yes. Eligible residents moving within B.C. can use AddressChangeBC to update their B.C. driver’s licence, BC Services Card and selected government records.

Is There A Fee To Change My Address?

A standard driver’s licence address change is free. Fees can still apply to unrelated transactions such as replacement or renewal services.

Does An ICBC Address Change Update My Insurance?

No. Your Autoplan insurance needs to show your current home address and vehicle use, so contact an Autoplan broker after moving.

How Long Do New B.C. Residents Have To Change Their Licence?

New B.C. residents normally have 90 days after moving to the province to switch to a B.C. driver’s licence.

Can I Change My ICBC Address Online?

Most newcomers have 30 days to register, license and insure their vehicle in B.C. Commercial vehicles must be handled immediately.

Do I Need To Update MSP Before Changing My Name At ICBC?

Yes. Update the name on your MSP account first and wait for your HIBC confirmation letter before completing the identification change at an ICBC driver licensing office.

Can Businesses Use AddressChangeBC?

AddressChangeBC supports certain business-related notifications for moves within B.C., but formal corporation, sole proprietorship and partnership address changes with BC Registries are handled through the BC Business Registry.