Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Every Canadian province and territory restricts new drivers, but the rules on night driving, passengers and alcohol are different everywhere. The tables below set them side by side, using each government’s published rules as of November 2026. If you have just moved, follow the rules of the province that issued your licence, not the ones you learned under. For ages and timelines, start with learning to drive in Canada.
Key facts
- Most learner curfews run from midnight to 5 a.m. The exceptions are the Northwest Territories (11 p.m. to 6 a.m.) and Prince Edward Island (1 a.m. to 5 a.m., for drivers under 21).
- Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Northwest Territories allow no passengers at all, apart from the supervisor, during the learner stage.
- Zero alcohol continues beyond graduated licensing in several places. Ontario and Saskatchewan: 21 and under. Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and the Northwest Territories: under 22. Manitoba: the first 36 months of a full licence.
- British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Yukon ban hands-free phones as well as hand-held ones for new drivers.
Learner stage rules by province
| Jurisdiction | Night curfew | Supervisor must have | Other passengers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario (G1) | Midnight to 5 a.m. | Full G, 4+ years’ experience, BAC under .05; the only other person in the front seat | Up to working seatbelts. No 400-series highways or high-speed expressways unless the supervisor is a driving instructor |
| Quebec | Midnight to 5 a.m. | Licence held at least 2 years | Check with SAAQ |
| British Columbia (L) | Drive only 5 a.m. to midnight | Age 22+, Class 1 to 5, no zero-alcohol restriction | One besides the supervisor (immediate family exempt). L sign required |
| Alberta (Class 7) | Midnight to 5 a.m. | 18 or older, full Class 5 or higher, in the front passenger seat | Up to seatbelts |
| Saskatchewan (Learner) | No driving curfew. Midnight to 5 a.m.: passengers other than the supervisor must be immediate family | Experienced licensed driver in the front seat at all times | Up to seatbelts. No phones, even hands-free |
| Manitoba (5L) | None stated | Class 5F held 3+ years, BAC under .05, passes drug screen | Only the supervisor in front; others in the back, up to back seatbelts |
| Nova Scotia (Class 7) | None stated | Regular (non-graduated) licence, in the front seat | None (driving-school exceptions only) |
| New Brunswick (Level 1) | Midnight to 5 a.m. | 3+ years’ experience | None besides the supervisor |
| Newfoundland and Labrador (Level I) | Midnight to 5 a.m. | 4+ years’ Class 5 experience, 0% BAC, in the front seat | None. “NOVICE DRIVER” sign on the rear |
| Prince Edward Island (Stage 1) | 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. if under 21 | Licensed 4+ years, BAC under .05, in the front seat | Only the supervisor’s immediate family, up to seatbelts. Yellow L decal |
| Yukon (Learner) | Drive only 5 a.m. to midnight | Class 5 held 2+ years; zero alcohol and drugs for the co-driver too | Maximum 2 including the co-driver (immediate family exceptions). L sign; 50 logged hours |
| Northwest Territories (Class 7) | 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. | 24+ months on a full Class 5; zero BAC for the supervisor too | None besides the supervisor |
| Nunavut (Class 7) | Check the Nunavut Driver’s Manual | At least 4 weeks of practice before a first road test. Check with a Motor Vehicles office for the supervisor’s requirements | Check the Nunavut Driver’s Manual |
Novice stage rules by province
| Jurisdiction | Night rule | Passenger limit |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario (G2) | Ages 19 and under, midnight to 5 a.m.: one passenger aged 19 or under for the first 6 months, then up to three | Up to seatbelts. Night limits do not apply with a fully licensed driver (4+ years) aboard or if passengers are immediate family |
| Quebec (probationary) | Aged 19 or under and licensed under 12 months, midnight to 5 a.m.: one passenger aged 19 or under in the first 6 months, then three | Immediate family not counted. Limit lifted with a front-seat companion licensed 2+ years. Breach: 4 demerit points |
| British Columbia (N) | None | One passenger (immediate family exempt) unless a supervisor aged 22+ is beside you. N sign and passenger limit end at 25 |
| Alberta (Class 5-GDL) | None | Up to seatbelts. Cannot supervise a learner |
| Saskatchewan (Novice 1) | None | One non-family passenger; others must be immediate family. Cannot supervise |
| Manitoba (5I) | Midnight to 5 a.m.: one passenger, or a qualified supervisor, in the front, plus back seatbelts | 5 a.m. to midnight: one front passenger plus back seatbelts |
| Nova Scotia (5N) | No driving midnight to 5 a.m. unless a supervisor is with you and no other passenger, or you hold Registrar authorisation (Form APP33, $33.10) for work, education or volunteer emergency driving, with no passengers | One front-seat passenger; up to seatbelts |
| New Brunswick (Level 2) | Under 21: midnight to 5 a.m. only with a licensed driver of 3+ years and no other passengers, unless travelling to or from work or school or with Registrar permission | Up to three |
| Newfoundland and Labrador (Level II) | Midnight to 5 a.m. only with a driver licensed 4+ years at 0% BAC; work exemption available | Up to seatbelts |
| Prince Edward Island (Stage 2) | Under 21: 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. only with a driver licensed 4+ years; work exemption available | One non-family passenger; up to seatbelts. Stage 3: up to seatbelts |
| Yukon (Novice) | Co-driver required midnight to 5 a.m. | Passengers may not exceed the number of seatbelts; none in a truck box |
| Northwest Territories (Class 5P) | None stated | One front-seat passenger; up to seatbelts. Cannot supervise |
Zero alcohol: who it applies to in each province
Every learner and novice driver in Canada must have a blood alcohol level of zero. These are the extra rules:
- Ontario: zero for all drivers 21 and under, whatever their licence class, and for all G1 and G2 drivers. Same rule for drugs.
- Quebec: zero for learner and probationary licence holders of any age, and for all drivers under 22.
- British Columbia: zero alcohol and zero drugs (including THC) in the L and N stages and for the first 12 months of a Class 5 after the Driving Record Assessment.
- Alberta: zero alcohol and drugs on Class 7 and Class 5-GDL.
- Saskatchewan: zero alcohol for “new drivers”, which includes everyone 21 and under, all learners and novices, and anyone with no licence in the last five years. Zero drugs for every driver.
- Manitoba: zero alcohol and drugs through the Learner and Intermediate stages and the first 36 months of Full Stage.
- Nova Scotia: zero alcohol and no non-medical drugs for learners, newly licensed drivers and other novice drivers (first 2 years on a full licence). Any alcohol detected means a 6-month suspension.
- New Brunswick: zero alcohol and drugs during the graduated period. A breach means a one-year suspension, and you restart from the beginning with no credit.
- Newfoundland and Labrador: 0% BAC in both levels, and for all drivers under 22. Any reading above zero means a roadside suspension of 2, 4 or 6 months (first, second, third offence).
- Prince Edward Island: zero alcohol and drugs in all three GDL stages. Zero BAC for all drivers under 22, even after leaving graduated licensing.
- Yukon: zero tolerance for learners (and their co-driver) and novices.
- Northwest Territories: zero for all GDL drivers and anyone under 22. A breach means an automatic 30-day suspension.
Penalties for adults are covered in impaired driving in Canada for new drivers.
Phones and devices
- No hand-held or hands-free devices: British Columbia (L and N), Saskatchewan (all GDL), Yukon (learner and novice).
- No hand-held devices: Prince Edward Island (all stages; hands-free is permitted).
- Every province bans hand-held phone use for all drivers anyway. Ontario, for example, gives 3 demerit points for a hand-held device.
Demerit limits for new drivers
| Jurisdiction | Threshold | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario (G1/G2) | 9 points | 60-day suspension (warning letters at 2 and 6) |
| Quebec (learner/probationary) | 4 points | Licence revoked for at least 3 months |
| Alberta (Class 7 and GDL) | 8 points | Suspension |
| Nova Scotia | Learner 4 points; newly licensed 6 points | 6-month suspension |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 6 points in a year | 2, 4 or 6-month suspension; letter at 3 points |
| Prince Edward Island (Stage 1) | Any demerit offence | Permit suspended at least 30 days |
| Northwest Territories | 6 points | Possible suspension |
Saskatchewan and Manitoba use rating scales instead (SGI’s GDL Improvement program and Safe Driver Recognition; Manitoba’s Driver Safety Rating). British Columbia applies penalty points plus GLP prohibitions, and a prohibition restarts the N stage.
Province detail: Ontario G2 rules for under-19s, BC N licence rules, Saskatchewan Novice 1 and Novice 2 rules, Quebec probationary licence.
Common questions
Which province has the strictest learner rules?
For passengers, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Northwest Territories: no one but the supervisor. For curfew, the Northwest Territories, where learners cannot drive from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Can a G2 driver carry friends at night in Ontario?
If you are 19 or under, between midnight and 5 a.m. you can carry one passenger aged 19 or under in your first 6 months on G2, then up to three. The limit does not apply if a fully licensed driver with 4+ years’ experience is with you, or if the passengers are immediate family.
Do curfews apply to adults?
Some do. Ontario’s G1 curfew and the learner curfews in Quebec, New Brunswick and the Northwest Territories have no age exemption. Prince Edward Island’s curfews apply only under 21, and New Brunswick’s Level 2 curfew only under 21.
When can I drink any alcohol and drive?
Not before you leave graduated licensing, and in several provinces not until 22. Even then, Criminal Code limits and provincial warn-range suspensions apply.
Can I get a work exemption from a curfew?
Yes in Nova Scotia (Form APP33), Newfoundland and Labrador (carry proof of work hours), Prince Edward Island (night-time driving restriction exemption form) and New Brunswick (travel to or from work or school).
Sources
- Government of Ontario, “Get a G driver’s licence: new drivers” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “Impaired driving” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: Keeping your driver’s licence” (ontario.ca)
- ICBC, “Learn to Drive Smart, Chapter 9: Your licence” (icbc.com)
- ICBC, “Graduated Licensing Program changes” (icbc.com)
- Government of Alberta, “Class 7 learner’s licence” and “Get a driver’s licence: steps” (alberta.ca)
- SGI, “Graduated Driver Licensing program” and “Saskatchewan Driver’s Handbook” (sgi.sk.ca)
- Manitoba Public Insurance, “Driver’s Handbook: Graduated Driver Licensing” (apps.mpi.mb.ca)
- SAAQ, “First Driver’s Licence” and “Demerit Points: Driver’s Licence” (saaq.gouv.qc.ca)
- Service Nova Scotia, “Learner’s Licence” and “Newly Licensed Driver” (novascotia.ca)
- Government of New Brunswick, “Graduated drivers’ licences” (gnb.ca)
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, “Graduated Driver Licencing Program” (gov.nl.ca)
- Government of Prince Edward Island, “Graduated Driver’s Licensing Program (GDL)” brochure (princeedwardisland.ca)
- Government of Yukon, “Get a driver’s licence” (yukon.ca)
- Government of the Northwest Territories, “NWT Driver’s Manual” (inf.gov.nt.ca)
- Government of New Brunswick, “Motor Vehicle Act”, section 84 (laws.gnb.ca)