--- title: "Driver’s licence PDF on iPhone: what Canadians can and can’t save" description: "Make a PDF of your driver’s licence on iPhone, why it isn’t a digital licence, and when Ontario’s driver record PDF is what you actually need." canonical: "https://dokus.app/en-ca/save-digital-drivers-license-iphone/" lang: "en-CA" reviewed: "2026-10-06" app_store: "https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/dokus-private-id-wallet/id6781915709" translations: en: "https://dokus.app/save-digital-drivers-license-iphone/" en-GB: "https://dokus.app/en-gb/save-digital-drivers-license-iphone/" en-CA: "https://dokus.app/en-ca/save-digital-drivers-license-iphone/" en-AU: "https://dokus.app/en-au/save-digital-drivers-license-iphone/" pt-BR: "https://dokus.app/pt/exportar-cnh-digital-iphone/" pt-PT: "https://dokus.app/pt-pt/guardar-carta-conducao-digital-iphone/" es: "https://dokus.app/es/guardar-permiso-conducir-digital-iphone/" es-MX: "https://dokus.app/es-mx/guardar-licencia-digital-cdmx-iphone/" fr: "https://dokus.app/fr/telecharger-permis-conduire-iphone/" de: "https://dokus.app/de/fuehrerschein-iphone-pdf/" he: "https://dokus.app/he/download-driving-license-iphone/" ar: "https://dokus.app/ar/save-digital-driving-license-iphone/" hi: "https://dokus.app/hi/download-driving-licence-iphone/" ja: "https://dokus.app/ja/save-driving-license-iphone/" zh-Hans: "https://dokus.app/zh/save-digital-driving-license-iphone/" --- # Driver’s licence PDF on iPhone: what Canadians can and can’t save You can scan your licence into a PDF on iPhone, but the file is a picture of a provincial card, not a digital licence. When someone needs official proof of your driving history instead, Ontario emails an uncertified 3-year driver record as a PDF if you order it online. Dokus keeps the scan of your licence, front and back together, encrypted and ready to send as a smaller PDF. [Free on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/dokus-private-id-wallet/id6781915709) ![Fictional Canadian driver’s licence specimen. A PDF of the card is a copy, never a licence.](https://dokus.app/assets/specimens/en-CA/hero/driver-license.958f6239.webp) Fictional Canadian driver’s licence specimen. A PDF of the card is a copy, never a licence. ## A licence PDF is a scan of a provincial card Driver’s licences in Canada are physical cards issued by provinces and territories. Ontario’s handbook says you must carry yours whenever you drive and produce it when police ask; a file on your phone does not change that. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada adds that a licence is not a universal identity card: it shows you are authorized to drive. A form asking for a “PDF of your licence” means a scan of the card. ## Two ways to make the file **A page per side.** In Files, tap More, then Scan Documents. Capture the front, then the back, tap Done, pick a folder and tap Save. The [scanning guide](/en-ca/scan-id-on-iphone/) has lighting tips. **Both sides on one Letter page.** Photograph each side, open the free [photo to PDF converter](/en-ca/id-card-to-pdf/), choose Driver’s licence and add the back. The card is placed at real size, so a printout at 100% matches it. ## When the request is really about your driving history Some requests concern your record rather than the card. Ontario offers a 3-year driver record and a separate driver’s licence history. Order the uncertified 3-year record online and it arrives as a PDF by email; the licence history is mailed, with no digital version. A certified record, with a government seal, is generally needed only for legal purposes. The same page notes that anyone can order a 3-year record by providing a driver’s licence number, which is reason enough to guard yours. ## Ask whether a copy is needed at all The Privacy Commissioner’s guide for retailers distinguishes examining a licence, writing down your name and address, recording the number and photocopying the card, and says photocopying or scanning generally goes too far. A landlord who only needs to confirm who you are likely does not need a copy either. If one is required, [watermark it](/en-ca/watermark-id-copy/) with the recipient’s name and [cover the licence number](/en-ca/redact-id/) when they can do without it. ## Keeping the PDF afterwards Dokus imports the PDF through the share sheet, keeps front and back as one encrypted document behind Face ID, and exports a smaller PDF or JPG when the next form asks. It does not issue, verify or certify licences. ## Licence PDF questions ### Can I drive with only the PDF on my phone? No. Ontario’s driver’s handbook says you must carry your licence whenever you drive and show it when a police officer asks. Other provinces and territories set their own rules, so check with yours before relying on a copy. ### Why does it matter who sees my licence number? In Ontario, anyone who provides a driver’s licence number can order that driver’s 3-year record. The Privacy Commissioner of Canada also describes the number as sensitive and valuable to people intent on committing identity crimes. ### Is the Ontario driver record the same thing as a digital licence? No. It lists driver identification details, demerit points and recent convictions and suspensions, and most records leave out your home address. It documents your history; it does not replace the card. ### Can Dokus issue or verify a licence? No. Dokus stores and shares copies you made yourself. Licences and driving records come from your province or territory. ## Sources Reviewed on October 6, 2026 - [The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: keeping your driver’s licence (Ontario)](https://www.ontario.ca/document/official-mto-drivers-handbook/keeping-your-drivers-licence) - [Get a driving record (Ontario)](https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-driving-record) - [Collection of driver’s licence numbers under private sector privacy legislation (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada)](https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/privacy-topics/sins-and-drivers-licences/drivers-licences/guide_edl/) - [Privacy in the landlord and tenant relationship (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada)](https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/privacy-topics/landlords-and-tenants/privacy-in-the-landlord-and-tenant-relationship/) - [How to scan documents on your iPhone or iPad (Apple Support)](https://support.apple.com/en-ca/108963)