Moving from Ottawa to Gatineau: the complete checklist
By Thomas Lymburner, real estate agent (broker), RE/MAX Direct
Key facts
- RAMQ: usual waiting period of at most 3 months; children under 18 are exempt.
- Ontario licence: you can drive with it for 6 months after settling in Quebec.
- Vehicle: at least $50,000 in civil liability insurance.
- Subsidized daycare: $9.65 per day in 2026.
- Hydro-Québec: free online contract opening, or $25 plus tax by phone.
- Provincial income tax follows your December 31 residence.
Before the move
- Prepare RAMQ registration and your documents. The usual waiting period is at most three months from registration if you are in Quebec with all required documents. Your former provincial plan covers you meanwhile; children under 18 are exempt.
- Check RAMQ documentation: you have 12 months to supply missing documents. Reach RAMQ at 1 800 561-9749.
- For English schooling, apply for an eligibility certificate through the school board; processing usually takes 15 working days. Criteria include a child or sibling receiving most schooling in English in Canada, or a Canadian-citizen parent receiving most elementary schooling in English in Canada. Other cases exist.
- Check schooling history: Western Québec School Board says French immersion at an English school in another province counts as English instruction.
- Register your child for childcare through La Place 0-5.
- Prepare your Hydro-Québec contract: opening it online in Customer Space is free; opening it by phone costs $25 plus tax.
The first week
- Use the Service québécois de changement d’adresse: it notifies RAMQ, SAAQ, Revenu Québec and other organizations.
- Start RAMQ registration with the required documents rather than delaying the start of the waiting period.
- Call SAAQ first at 1-800-361-7620 to register your vehicle. A used vehicle needs a mechanical inspection certificate and at least $50,000 in civil liability insurance.
- Check Gatineau municipal tax instalments for 2026: March 18, June 16, August 25 and November 13.
Within the first 3 months
- Follow your RAMQ application and coverage date. The usual waiting period can be up to three months from registration with documents; your former provincial plan covers you meanwhile.
- Follow up on English-school eligibility with the school board.
- Follow your childcare search: the subsidized reduced contribution is $9.65 per day in 2026.
Within the first 6 months
- Request an online appointment to exchange your Ontario licence. You may drive with it for six months after settling, then need a Quebec licence. A valid Canadian licence can generally be exchanged for most classes without road tests, though some holders may have to take them.
- Bring your original licence, proof of citizenship or right to stay, and proof of Quebec residency.
- Check vehicle registration steps with SAAQ.
Vehicle registration: the Gatineau context
According to CP24 on July 16, 2025, Gatineau police had received about 1,850 tips about out-of-province plates in 2025. Start by calling SAAQ to check the steps that apply to your vehicle.
Frequently asked questions
For arrivals from another province, it is usually at most three months from RAMQ registration if you are in Quebec with all documents. Your former province covers you meanwhile. Children under 18 are exempt, and you have 12 months to supply missing documents.
For six months after settling in Quebec. You then need a Quebec licence. A valid Canadian licence can generally be exchanged for most classes without road tests, but some holders may need to take them.
An eligibility certificate is required. Criteria include a child or sibling receiving most schooling in English in Canada, or a Canadian-citizen parent receiving most elementary schooling in English in Canada; other cases exist. Apply through the school board, usually with 15-working-day processing. Western Québec School Board says French immersion at an English school in another province counts as English instruction.
The reduced contribution at subsidized childcare is $9.65 per day in 2026. Registration is through La Place 0-5.
Your province of residence on December 31 determines provincial income tax for the year. Payroll withholding instead follows the province of employment. If you work in Ottawa, read the guide on tax transfers and extra withholding.
Sources
- RAMQ — Waiting period — publication date not supplied
- RAMQ — Health insurance registration — publication date not supplied
- SAAQ — Licence issued in Canada — publication date not supplied
- SAAQ — Vehicle from outside Quebec — publication date not supplied
- CP24 — Out-of-province plate tips in Gatineau — 2025-07-16
- Quebec — Eligibility for English instruction — publication date not supplied
- Western Québec School Board — Eligibility — publication date not supplied
- Quebec — Childcare fees — 2026
- Quebec — Finding childcare and registering a child — publication date not supplied
- Hydro-Québec — Become a customer — publication date not supplied
- City of Gatineau — Municipal taxes — 2026
- Quebec — Change of address — publication date not supplied
General information only. This is not tax or legal advice: confirm your situation with an accountant, a notary or a lawyer.