How to Get a Driver's Licence in Canada: Province by Province

To get a driver's licence in Canada, you go through your province's graduated licensing program: pass a vision test and a written knowledge test to get a learner's licence, practise with a qualified supervisor for a minimum period, pass a road test to drive on your own with restrictions, and then graduate to a full licence. There is no national licence. Each province sets its own ages, waiting times, tests and fees, so the official site of the province where you live is the final word.

This guide compares the four largest provinces, Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Québec, as of 2026.

How graduated licensing works in Canada

Every province uses the same basic idea: new drivers earn privileges in stages, with the riskiest situations (night driving, passengers, alcohol, phones) restricted at first.

Canada drives on the right, and the rules of the road are broadly similar across provinces, but the details, such as who can supervise you and when you can carry passengers, are not. If you move provinces, check the new province's rules rather than assuming yours carry over.

Ontario: G1, G2 and G

Ontario's two-step system takes most people about 20 months, according to ontario.ca, and you have up to five years to finish it before you have to start again.

1. G1. At 16 or older, pass a vision test and a knowledge test on road rules and traffic signs. On a G1 you need zero blood alcohol, you can't drive between midnight and 5 a.m., you can't use 400-series highways or high-speed expressways (unless with a certified driving instructor), and you must drive with a fully licensed driver with at least four years' experience in the front seat.
2. G2 road test. You can take it after 12 months on your G1, or after 8 months if you complete a government-approved driver education course.
3. G2. You can drive alone, with zero alcohol and passenger limits at night if you're 19 or under.
4. G road test. After at least 12 months on your G2, the second road test gives you a full G licence.

Our Ontario G1, G2 and G guide explains each stage and both road tests in detail.

British Columbia: L, N and the 2026 changes

In BC, ICBC runs the graduated licensing program (GLP), which it says takes about 3 to 4 years for a safe driver.

1. Learner (L). From your 16th birthday, pass the knowledge test (40 out of 50 questions correct) and a vision screening. Under 18, a parent or guardian must sign consent.
2. Class 7 road test. ICBC's learner and novice pages say you need to hold your L for at least 12 months if you're under 25 (9 months if 25 or older) before this test.
3. Novice (N). You drive alone with a green N sign, zero alcohol and drugs, no electronic devices and a passenger limit.
4. Class 5. Since 19 October 2026, novice drivers with a clean record no longer take a second road test. Instead they pass a Driving Record Assessment, then hold a Class 5 licence with a zero alcohol and drug restriction for 12 months.

The new BC process has its own guide: BC graduated licensing and the 2026 changes.

Alberta: Class 7 and Class 5-GDL

Alberta starts earlier than the other large provinces.

• Class 7 learner's licence: available from 14, with parental consent under 18, after a vision screening and a knowledge test of 30 multiple-choice questions (25 correct to pass), taken at a registry agent. You must drive with someone over 18 who holds a full Class 5 licence or higher, with zero alcohol and no driving between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m.
• Class 5-GDL: from 16, after at least one year on your Class 7, by passing a road test. You can't supervise a learner, and your licence is suspended at 8 demerit points.
• Full Class 5: since 1 April 2023, Alberta no longer requires an advanced road test to exit GDL. You need two years as a Class 5-GDL driver with no suspensions or demerits in the last year, and you must be at least 18.

Québec: course first, then tests

Québec is the only one of the four provinces where a driving school course is compulsory. The SAAQ program combines a 24-hour theory part with 15 in-car sessions over several phases.

• You must be at least 16, with parental consent if you're under 18.
• You complete Phase 1 of the course and pass the school's knowledge test before you get a learner's licence.
• As a learner, you drive with a school instructor or an accompanying rider who has held a valid licence for at least two years.
• The SAAQ knowledge test can be taken after at least 10 months on a learner's licence, and the road test after at least 12 months.
• After the road test, you get a probationary licence for two years. Probationary drivers lose their licence for at least three months at 4 demerit points and must keep zero alcohol, a rule that also applies to every driver under 22.

What you'll need at every stage

Whatever the province, expect to bring:

• original identity documents showing your legal name and date of birth (photocopies are usually refused);
• parental consent if you're under 18;
• the fee for each test and licence, often paid when you book;
• a roadworthy, insured vehicle for road tests, since examiners don't supply one.

For a fee breakdown, see what a driver's licence costs in Canada.

Tips for getting through faster (and safer)

1. Study the official handbook for your province before the knowledge test. Our knowledge test guide covers how each province's test works.
2. Consider an approved course. In Ontario it can cut the G1 wait to 8 months, and in BC and Alberta an approved course can shorten the novice or probationary stage by up to 6 months if you drive safely.
3. Practise in every condition, including night driving, rain, snow and highways, with your supervisor. Our guides to night driving and driving in rain, fog and snow help.
4. Keep a clean record. Tickets and suspensions can extend your graduated licensing stages or, in BC, block your Driving Record Assessment.

Summary

Getting a licence in Canada means working through your province's graduated licensing program: knowledge test, supervised learner period, road test, restricted solo driving and finally a full licence. Ontario uses G1, G2 and G; BC uses L, N and Class 5 with a new Driving Record Assessment from October 2026; Alberta starts learners at 14; and Québec requires a driving school course. Check your province's official site before you book anything.

About Co-Drive

Co-Drive is an iOS app for learner and new drivers. Its driving technique lessons and defensive driving habits apply on any road; it does not yet include Canada-specific test practice, and it isn't affiliated with any provincial licensing authority. Find out more.