Photo: Acefitt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
With an Alberta Class 7 learner’s licence you may drive a car only with a supervisor aged 18 or older who holds a full Class 5 licence and sits in the front passenger seat. You cannot drive between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m., you must have zero alcohol, you cannot carry more people than there are seat belts, and your licence is suspended at 8 demerit points. Here is what each rule means in practice.
Alberta Class 7 restrictions checklist
- Supervisor: 18 or older, holding a full (non-GDL) Class 5 or higher, in the front passenger seat.
- Curfew: no driving between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.
- Alcohol: 0 percent at all times. Under Alberta’s IRS ZERO: Novice program, the same zero tolerance applies to drugs.
- Passengers: no more people than there are seat belts.
- Demerits: suspension at 8 points.
- Moped: you may ride a moped by yourself.
Who can supervise a learner in Alberta?
A fully licensed (non-GDL) driver aged 18 or older with a Class 5 or higher. A Class 5-GDL (probationary) driver cannot supervise, even a sibling or friend. The supervisor must sit beside you in the front passenger seat, not the back.
Scenario: your older brother is 19 and got his Class 5-GDL last year. He cannot supervise you. Your parent with a full Class 5 can.
The midnight to 5 a.m. rule
A Class 7 driver cannot drive between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., with or without a supervisor. Plan evening practice to finish before midnight.
Zero alcohol and drugs
Learners must have a 0 percent alcohol level whenever they drive. If police find any alcohol or drugs in a Class 7 or Class 5-GDL driver, the IRS ZERO: Novice penalties are:
- an immediate 30-day licence suspension
- a 7-day vehicle seizure
- a $200 fine plus a 20 percent victim fine surcharge
Criminal Code charges can apply on top. See Alberta demerits and Immediate Roadside Sanctions and impaired driving in Canada for new drivers.
Passengers and seat belts
There is no fixed passenger number for Alberta learners. The limit is the number of seat belts. Every occupant must wear one, and the driver is responsible for children aged 6 to 15 (and younger children over 18 kg) wearing a seat belt. Children under 6 who weigh 18 kg or less need a child restraint.
Carrying more passengers than seat belts brings a $211 fine and, for learners and probationary drivers, 2 demerit points.
Demerits as a learner
| Demerits within 2 years | What happens (GDL drivers, including Class 7) |
|---|---|
| 4 to 7 | Cautionary notice by mail |
| 8 or more | 1-month suspension |
| Second suspension within a year | 3-month suspension |
| Third suspension within 2 years | 6-month suspension |
After a suspension your licence comes back with 3 demerit points, which stay for 2 years. Common learner tickets: distracted driving (3 points), speeding (2 to 6 points depending on speed), following too closely (4 points). Three offences carry 2 points only for GDL drivers: driving between midnight and 5 a.m. (learners), carrying more passengers than seat belts, and driving with a supervisor who is not fully qualified.
Phones and devices
Alberta’s distracted driving law applies to all drivers on all roads, even when stopped at a red light. You cannot hold a phone, text, enter GPS information or groom while driving. The penalty is a $390 fine and 3 demerit points. A GPS fixed to the vehicle and programmed before you set off is allowed, and anyone may call 911 on a hand-held phone.
How long you stay a learner
You must hold your Class 7 for at least 12 months and be at least 16 before you can take the Class 5 road test. Use that year for regular supervised practice in different conditions. A licensed driver training course requires at least 10 hours of in-vehicle instruction plus 15 hours of classroom.
Common questions
Can a Class 7 learner drive on the highway in Alberta?
Alberta’s Class 7 rules list no highway ban. The supervisor, curfew, alcohol, seat belt and demerit rules apply on every road.
Can I drive with friends as a learner?
Yes, if your supervisor is in the front seat and there is a seat belt for every person.
Can I drive alone on a Class 7?
Only a moped. A car always needs a qualified supervisor.
Does my supervisor need to hold the licence for a set number of years?
Alberta’s rule is a fully licensed (non-GDL) driver aged 18 or older with a Class 5 or higher, sitting beside you. Choose someone experienced and calm.
What licence comes next?
The Class 5-GDL. See Alberta Class 5 GDL probationary rules and the overview in learning to drive in Alberta.
Sources
- Government of Alberta, “Driver’s Guide to Operation, Safety and Licensing: Cars and Light Trucks”, Spring 2023 edition (alberta.ca)
- Government of Alberta, “Class 7 learner’s licence” (alberta.ca)
- Alberta King’s Printer, “Operator Licensing and Vehicle Control Regulation, AR 320/2002”, current as of 1 October 2026, section 31 (kings-printer.alberta.ca)
- Government of Alberta, “Steps to getting your licence” (alberta.ca)
- Government of Alberta, “Impaired driving penalties” (alberta.ca)
- Government of Alberta, “Occupant restraint laws” (alberta.ca)
- Government of Alberta, “Demerit driving suspension” (alberta.ca)
- Government of Alberta, “Distracted driving” (alberta.ca)
- Government of Alberta, “Roadside worker safety” (alberta.ca)
- Government of Alberta, “Driver error” (alberta.ca)
- Government of Alberta, “Class 5 driver training” (alberta.ca)