Quebec graduated licensing stages

By the end of this topic you can

• You can name the three Class 5 licence stages in Quebec in the right order.
• You can say how long you must hold the learner's and probationary licences.
• You can list the main conditions that apply at each stage.
• You can explain why a single ticket can end a learner or probationary licence.

What you need to know and understand

• You must be at least 16 to get a Class 5 licence, and you need parental consent if you are under 18.
• A driving course at an SAAQ-recognized driving school is compulsory.
• You must hold the learner's licence for 12 months before the road test.
• After passing the road test you hold a probationary licence for 24 months.
• Learner and probationary drivers are in the 4-demerit-point bracket and must follow the zero-alcohol rule.
• A probationary licence holder cannot act as an accompanying driver for a learner.

The road from learner to full licence

Expect at least three years from learner's licence to full licence.

1. Register with an SAAQ-recognized driving school and finish Phase 1 of the course (the first four theory modules) plus the school's own test.
2. Book an appointment at an SAAQ service centre, pass the vision test and get your learner's licence.
3. Practise with an instructor or a qualified accompanying driver while you finish the rest of the course.
4. After at least 10 months on your learner's licence, pass the SAAQ knowledge test.
5. After at least 12 months on your learner's licence, pass the SAAQ road test.
6. Hold a probationary licence for 24 months, then move to a full Class 5 licence if your record stays good.

Rules that come with each stage

The learner's licence lets you drive only with a driving school instructor or an accompanying driver beside you. That person must hold a valid Quebec Class 5 licence and have at least two years of experience as a fully licensed driver. Learners may not drive between midnight and 5 a.m.

On a probationary licence you drive alone, but you must keep the zero-alcohol rule and stay under four demerit points. If you are 19 or younger and have held the probationary licence for less than 12 months, there are also limits on young passengers between midnight and 5 a.m.

• Learner: always accompanied, no driving from midnight to 5 a.m., zero alcohol, 4-point bracket.
• Probationary: zero alcohol, 4-point bracket, night passenger limits for young new drivers.
• Full licence: demerit bracket depends on age (8 points under 23, 12 points at 23 or 24, 15 points at 25 or older), and zero alcohol still applies to every driver under 22.

Why the 4-point limit matters

Many common offences carry 3, 4 or 5 points. A phone offence is 5 points and driving unaccompanied as a learner is 4, so one conviction can reach the limit. When you reach the threshold your licence is revoked for at least three months. Our deeper guides to the Quebec probationary licence and the demerit points table explain the numbers in more detail.

Common mistakes

• Thinking a probationary licence means the restrictions are over. Zero alcohol and the 4-point limit still apply for 24 months.
• Choosing an accompanying driver who has held a full licence for less than two years. Check their experience first.
• Driving home from a late shift after midnight on a learner's licence. Plan rides so you are off the road between midnight and 5 a.m.
• Waiting to start the driving course. The 12-month learner period only starts once you have the learner's licence, so begin Phase 1 early.

Test yourself: Quebec graduated licensing stages

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

Go deeper

• Exchanging a foreign licence in Quebec
• Learning to drive in Quebec
• Quebec demerit points table