If you are at least 16 years old, you can apply for driver’s licence in Ontario. As a new driver, you will need to practice driving and gain experience over time. For most people, the two-step process takes about 20 months to finish. Here’s how you get a driver’s licence.
The Ontario driver’s licence is a blue, plastic card that displays your name, address, date of birth, photo and signature. The licence has an expiry date. You have to renew it before it expires.
To drive on Ontario roads, you need to:
Ontario has 15 types of licences. Each licence certifies you to drive a specific type of vehicle. To drive a car, van or small truck, you will need a G class licence.
All licences come with certain conditions. See Ontario’s full list of licences.
To apply for a driver’s licence in Ontario, you need to:
Once you pass these tests, you get a G1 licence. You are considered a beginner driver and need to practice driving and gain experience over time.
To apply and take the required knowledge tests, visit:
You will need to bring original identification that shows your legal name and date of birth.
You will need to pay a fee to apply for a licence and take the knowledge test. See the list of fees.
The Official Ministry of Transportation ( MTO ) Driver’s Handbook will help you prepare for your knowledge test. It covers rules of the road and practical driving tips. You can buy the handbook:
Cost: $14.95 plus taxes
Once you pass your vision and knowledge tests, you get a G1 licence. Before you can get a full G licence, you have to:
This process is called “graduated licensing.” It is designed to give new drivers time to practice and gain driving experience over time.
You have up to five years to finish the whole process. After five years, if you do not get your full G licence, you will need to start over.
By law, when you have a G1 licence, you must:
The driver accompanying you must be the only other person in the front seat. If you are driving with a driver instructor certified in Ontario, you can drive on any road.
In most cases, you practice with your G1 licence for 12 months.
This is the first of two tests you need to take as a new driver.
If you finish a government-approved driver education course, you can take your first road test after just eight months.
To take the G1 road test sooner, you will need to choose a driving school that is certified to train new drivers.
After passing your G1 road test, you get a G2 licence. You practice with your G2 licence for 12 months. You can now drive:
If you are 19 and under, some other restrictions still apply.
Between midnight and 5 a.m.: you can only drive with one passenger who is 19 or under in your car.
This condition applies for the first six months of G2. After six months, you can drive with up to three passengers 19 or under between midnight and 5 a.m.
This condition does not apply, if:
This is the second of two road tests you take as a new driver.
To help clear the backlog of in-vehicle passenger road tests resulting from COVID-19 restrictions and closures, the G road test has been temporarily modified at full-time DriveTest centres and temporary road test locations. Part-time Travel Point locations will continue to offer the standard G road test.
Until further notice, the G road test will not include these elements that are already covered in the G2 road test:
The test will still include all of the fundamental elements such as:
If your G1 licence is not expired: you can try the road test again.
If your G1 licence is expired: you will need to start all over and pay the test fees again.
If your G2 licence is about to expire: you can take your G1 road test again and get five more years as a G2 to finish the process.
To book a road test appointment, you will need to provide:
You can book, cancel or reschedule a road test appointment:
You need to cancel a test at least 48 hours ahead of your appointment to avoid a cancellation fee.
