Getting Your Documentation Ready
What driver documents Roam needs to get you on the road — broken down by jurisdiction, from provincial driver's abstracts to DMV records and international paperwork.
Roam works a bit differently than a traditional car rental. Because we provide vehicles for extended periods of time, we run a few additional background checks before you can get on the road. This helps us keep our community safe and our insurance partners happy.
The good news: the process is simple, and in many cases we handle everything. This article tells you exactly what's needed and how to get it.
What Does Roam Check?
Every customer goes through the same quick process:
- Identity and licence verification — we confirm your identity and that your driver's licence is valid and in good standing
- Soft credit check — a routine check that has no impact on your credit score
- Driving history — a review of your motor vehicle record
- Insurance history — required for some jurisdictions
None of these checks affect your record in any way. They're simply required to get you on the road. The soft credit check does not impact your credit score, and the driving history review does not impact your driving record.
In many cases, Roam pulls all of this automatically once you've uploaded your driver's licence in your Roam account. We've worked hard to make this process as seamless as possible — but every jurisdiction handles driving records differently, and in some cases you may need to get a document yourself.
We've included step-by-step instructions below to make it as easy as we can. If you have any questions or run into any issues, Roam's team is here to help.
Find your jurisdiction below to see exactly what's needed.
Canadian Provinces and Territories
Ontario
Roam handles everything automatically. Just upload your driver's licence in your Roam account — no additional documents needed.
Alberta
Roam handles everything except your driver's abstract, which you'll need to get yourself.
- Request your driver's abstract from Alberta e-Services
- Process: Online
- Time: A few minutes
British Columbia
Roam handles everything, but the process can take up to 5 business days due to how ICBC processes requests.
Want to speed things up? You can request your own driving and insurance history from ICBC and provide it to Roam.
- Request your driving record from ICBC
- Process: Online
- Time: A few minutes
Manitoba
Roam handles everything except your driver's abstract, which you'll need to get yourself from Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI).
- Request your driving record from MPI
- Process: MPI does not currently provide electronic documents, so timelines depend on MPI processing
- To speed things up: You can visit an MPI service location in person to get your document faster
New Brunswick
Roam handles everything, but the driver's abstract can take up to 5 business days due to the Government of New Brunswick's process.
Want to speed things up? You can request your own driving record online and typically receive it within 2 business days.
- Request your driving record from the Government of New Brunswick
- Process: Online
Newfoundland and Labrador
Roam handles everything automatically. No additional documents needed.
Northwest Territories
Roam handles everything except your driver's abstract, which you'll need to get yourself. Timelines depend on the territorial government's processing time.
Nova Scotia
Roam handles everything, but the driver's abstract can take a few days due to the Government of Nova Scotia's process.
Want to speed things up? You can request your own driving record directly.
- Request your driving record from the Government of Nova Scotia
- Process: Online
Nunavut
Roam handles everything except your driver's abstract, which you'll need to get yourself. Timelines depend on the territorial government's processing time.
Prince Edward Island
Roam handles everything, but the driving record process can be slow due to the Government of PEI's process.
Want to speed things up? You can request your own driver abstract directly.
Quebec
Roam handles everything except your driving record, which you'll need to get yourself from SAAQ.
- Request your driving record from SAAQ via SAAQclic
- Process: Online
- Time: A few minutes
- Documents in French or English are both accepted
Saskatchewan
Roam handles everything except your driving record, which you'll need to get yourself.
- Request your driving record from SGI
- Process: Online
- Time: A few minutes
Yukon
Roam handles everything except your driver's abstract, which you'll need to get yourself. Timelines depend on the territorial government's processing time.
United States
Most States
Roam can pull your motor vehicle record automatically.
However, you will need to provide your own insurance history. Request a claims history letter or insurance history letter from your current or previous insurance provider and send it to Roam support. Timelines depend on your provider.
States Where You Must Provide Your Own Driving Record
In the following states, Roam cannot pull your motor vehicle record automatically. You'll need to request it yourself from your state's DMV and provide it to Roam, along with your insurance history.
Georgia
- Request your driving record from Georgia DDS
- Process: Online, by mail, or in person
- Time: Non-certified records are available immediately online; certified records are mailed
Pennsylvania
- Request your driving record from PennDOT
- Process: Online
- Time: Available immediately for download
Texas
- Request your driving record from Texas DPS
- Process: Online
- Time: Available immediately — can be printed or emailed
Utah
- Request your driving record from Utah DLD
- Process: Online
- Time: A few minutes
Washington
- Request your driving record from Washington DOL
- Process: Online
- Time: Available within 24 hours of purchase
International Drivers (Outside the US and Canada)
If your driver's licence was issued outside the United States or Canada, you will need to provide the following documents to Roam:
- Valid driver's licence — your current, active licence from your home country
- International Driving Permit (IDP) — required in addition to your licence
- Driver's abstract and/or insurance history — depending on your jurisdiction, these may be separate documents or combined into one. Provide whatever documentation of your driving and insurance history is available from your local licensing authority.
All documents must be translated into English. If your original documents are not in English, you must provide a certified English translation.
Once you have your documents ready, send them to Roam support and our team will review them and guide you through any remaining steps.