Short answer: yes, you can get a pardon for a DUI in Canada. Impaired driving is one of the most common offences on Canadian criminal records, and thousands of people successfully get record suspensions for it every year.

Here's what you need to know about your specific situation.

Which Criminal Code Section Applies?

If your conviction was before December 2018, your record likely references section 253 (impaired driving) or 254 (refusal to provide a breath sample) of the Criminal Code. These are hybrid offences — the Crown could have proceeded summarily or by indictment.

If your conviction was after December 2018, the impaired driving laws were overhauled under Bill C-46. Your record will reference section 320.14 (operation while impaired) or section 320.15 (failure to comply with a breath demand). These are also hybrid.

This matters because hybrid offences have different waiting periods depending on how the Crown proceeded. Your RCMP record won't tell you — only your court documents will confirm whether you were tried summarily or by indictment.

What's the Waiting Period?

For a first-offence DUI where the Crown proceeded summarily, your waiting period is 5 years after your sentence is fully complete (including any driving prohibition, fine payment, and probation).

If the Crown proceeded by indictment — which is more common for repeat offences, accidents involving injury, or refusal charges — the waiting period is 10 years.

Here's what trips people up: the waiting period doesn't start from your conviction date. It starts from the day your entire sentence is complete. That includes the driving prohibition period, any probation, and every dollar of fines and victim surcharges paid. If you still owe $200 in surcharges from 2015, your clock hasn't started.

What About My Driving Record?

A record suspension only covers your criminal record — the one maintained by the RCMP. It does not affect your provincial driving record. Your DUI will still appear on your driving abstract through the Ministry of Transportation (or equivalent in your province) even after a pardon is granted.

This means your insurance rates won't automatically improve after a record suspension. However, many insurers primarily check criminal records, not driving abstracts, so the impact varies. It's worth asking your broker.

Can I Travel to the US After a DUI Pardon?

This is the question everyone asks, and the honest answer is: maybe. US Customs and Border Protection maintains its own database. A Canadian record suspension does not erase your record from the US system. If you were ever flagged or denied entry, that information may still be accessible to US border agents.

If US travel is important to you, a record suspension is a necessary first step, but you may also need a US Entry Waiver (I-192) for guaranteed entry. That's a separate application to the US Department of Homeland Security.

Documents You'll Need

The standard package applies: RCMP record, certified court documents (confirm method of trial here — this determines your waiting period), local police checks, measurable benefit statement, and the PBC application with $50 fee.

For DUI specifically, make sure your court documents confirm: the exact charge and Criminal Code section, whether you were tried summarily or by indictment, any driving prohibition imposed, and that all fines are paid.

One thing people miss: the victim surcharge. Even if you paid your fine at the courthouse counter the day of sentencing, there's often a separate victim surcharge that gets billed later or added quietly. Call the courthouse fines office directly — in Ontario, the number is different from the criminal records clerk. Ask them to confirm your balance is $0 in writing. I've seen people get their entire application bounced over a $100 surcharge they didn't know about.

The Bottom Line

A DUI pardon is completely achievable. It's one of the most straightforward applications the PBC processes because the offence is common and the path is well-established. The biggest risk is unpaid fines you forgot about — call your courthouse and confirm your balance is zero before starting.

Tools like My Pardon can scan your RCMP record and tell you exactly where you stand in about 60 seconds.