One of the first practical questions people ask after receiving an Immediate Roadside Prohibition is whether they can still drive.
The Short Answer
For most IRPs, you cannot drive during the prohibition period. That’s the whole point of the prohibition. However, there are some nuances worth understanding, particularly around temporary licenses if there is an extension of the time to render a decision.
What an IRP Actually Does to Your Licence
When a police officer issues an IRP, they also suspend your driver’s licence. This means your licence is physically taken from you. Your driving privileges in BC are suspended immediately. Not at the end of the day. Not when you get home. Right then.
The prohibition period starts immediately and lasts for the duration specified in the notice: 3, 7, 30, or 90 days depending on the category of IRP you received.
Temporary Operating Permits: Do They Apply Here?
There is a concept of a temporary operating permit that you may read about online. This is not something that is available in BC. Similarly, some types of driving prohibitions do not take effect until a review period has been completed or the time to appeal has passed. However, this does not apply to IRPs in the same way it might apply to other licence suspensions.
When an IRP is issued, your licence is taken, and the prohibition is in force immediately. There’s no temporary permit that lets you drive during that period. Driving while under an IRP is a serious offence that can lead to additional fines, longer prohibitions, and potentially criminal charges.
What About Getting Home After the Stop?
This is a genuinely difficult situation. If your vehicle is impounded and your licence is taken, you have no legal way to drive home. You’ll need to arrange for someone else to pick you up, or take alternative transportation.
If there are other licensed, unimpaired drivers present at the scene, police may allow the vehicle to be moved to a nearby location rather than impounded, but only in the case of a 3-day or 7-day prohibition. For 30-day and 90-day prohibitions the impoundment is mandatory.
After the IRP: Reinstatement Requirements
At the end of the prohibition period, your licence isn’t automatically reinstated. You still have to go into ICBC and follow the proper procedure to get it formally reinstated.
For a 90-day IRP, there are several steps required before you can legally drive again:
- You’ll need to pay a licence reinstatement fee to ICBC.
- You will also need to pay the applicable fines.
- You’ll need to complete the Responsible Driver Program (a course focused on alcohol and driving).
- Depending on your driving record, you may need to enrol in the Ignition Interlock Program, which requires installation of a breathalyzer device in your vehicle that you must blow into before the car will start.
Only once these requirements are met, and payment is confirmed, is your licence reinstated and driving permitted again.
What If You Need to Drive for Work?
BC does not currently offer an “occupational licence” or similar exception that would allow you to drive during an IRP prohibition for work purposes. The prohibition is absolute for the duration. If your job requires you to drive, this is a very real and serious consequence. It’s one reason why challenging an IRP through the review process, if there are grounds to do so, can be particularly important.
The Bottom Line
Unless your IRP is overturned through the review process, you cannot legally drive during the prohibition period. There are no standard exceptions or temporary permits that apply. If you believe the IRP was issued incorrectly, pursuing a review is the correct path… not driving and hoping for the best.