After you pass in Nunavut: novice restrictions and your licence

By the end of this topic you can

• You can explain what a Class 5 licence lets you drive.
• You can read and follow conditions printed on your licence.
• You can explain which new-driver rules still apply after you pass.
• You can keep your licence valid: signed, carried and renewed on time.

What you need to know and understand

• Class 5 covers two-axle vehicles such as cars, vans and pickups, recreational vehicles, mopeds and towing where the total stays within 4,500 kg.
• A Class 5 does not allow air-brake vehicles unless your licence says so.
• Conditions such as corrective lenses or a B or G restriction are printed as codes; driving against them is an offence.
• Minors and novice drivers face a 30-day roadside suspension for any alcohol or detectable drug.
• Your licence must be signed in ink and carried whenever you drive.
• A licence normally lasts five years and expires on your birthday; adults may choose ten years.

No passenger or curfew limits in the regulations

The Traffic Safety Act allows a graduated system with learner and probationary licences, but the current Driver's Licence Regulations do not set novice passenger, night or highway limits for new Class 5 drivers. Check with Motor Vehicles in case your licence carries any condition. Even without legal limits, many new drivers choose to keep passengers few and avoid driving in blizzards until they have more experience.

Rules that still apply to you

• Zero alcohol and no detectable drugs if you are a minor or a novice driver under the Act.
• No hand-held phone use while driving; hands-free only.
• Seatbelts for you and every passenger, and child seats for small children.
• Demerit points: 8 brings a warning, 12 an interview, 15 a one-month suspension.
• Any condition codes printed on your licence.

Keeping your licence valid

Sign your licence in ink and carry it whenever you drive. Report a change of name or address (the 2021 fee schedule lists $15). A licence expires on your birthday in the fifth year after the year it was issued, or the tenth year if you are an adult and chose the ten-year option. You can renew online or in person from 90 days before expiry; a licence expired for more than 12 months cannot be renewed and you must be re-examined. Drivers with a Class 5, 6 or 7 need a medical at age 75, at 80 and every two years after that.

Upgrading later

If you hold a restricted B or G licence and later want to drive outside Nunavut, ask Motor Vehicles what tests you need. For commercial classes you must be at least 18 and study the Professional Driver's Handbook (and the Air Brake Manual for air brakes).

Common mistakes

• Driving without your glasses when your licence says corrective lenses.
• Forgetting to sign the new licence. An unsigned licence is not valid.
• Assuming the zero alcohol rule ended when you passed. It depends on your age and licence status.
• Letting the licence expire for more than a year, which means retesting.

Test yourself: After you pass in Nunavut: novice restrictions and your licence

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• How to Get a Driver’s Licence in Nunavut
• Nunavut Restricted Driver’s Licence
• Driving in Iqaluit and Nunavut