Photo: Raysonho, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
This guide answers how much it costs to get a driver’s licence in Canada, province by province. Government fees for the tests and licence are usually a few hundred dollars or less in total. The big costs are lessons, any mandatory course, and the insurance you pay once you drive. The fees below are official figures, so check each one with the licensing office before you pay.
Key facts
- Knowledge test fees range from $12 (Manitoba) to $47 (Northwest Territories), as of November 2026.
- Most provinces charge again for every retest, and most charge a fee if you miss a road test without notice.
- Driver education is mandatory only in Quebec and Saskatchewan. Elsewhere it is optional, but it can shorten your learner stage.
- Insurance is the largest ongoing cost. See car insurance for new drivers in Canada.
Driver’s licence fees by province and territory
| Jurisdiction | Knowledge test | Learner licence | Road test(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Part of the $159.75 G1 package. Retest $16.00 | Part of the G1 package (which also covers the G2 road test and a 5-year licence) | G2 retest $53.75; G road test $91.25 | DriveTest figures dated 2019. Cancel a road test 48 hours ahead or you lose the fee |
| British Columbia | $15 (online or in office) | $10 (Class 7L photo licence) | Listed on ICBC’s fees page | $25 fee if you miss a road test without 48 hours’ notice or a valid reason |
| Alberta | Paid at a registry agent for each attempt | Registry fee | Paid at a registry agent | Registry agents set their own charges. Ask for the total when you book |
| Quebec | See SAAQ rates | See SAAQ rates | $32.00 (2024 SAAQ table) | The probationary licence is listed at $58.10 for 24 months. SAAQ fees are indexed each year |
| Manitoba | $12 | $20 a year plus a base driver premium of up to $45 | $35 (Class 5) | MPI class licence chart, October 2026 |
| Saskatchewan | $25 written (SGI 2017 schedule; check the current fee with SGI) | Check with SGI | $55 road test (SGI 2017 schedule; check the current fee with SGI) | Each failed road test is paid for again |
| Nova Scotia | $15.03 | $25.10 | $52.54 | Handbook $9.75. First Class 5N licence $66.95 |
| New Brunswick | $25 plus HST first attempt; $15 a rewrite | Check with Service New Brunswick | $25 plus HST per attempt | Service New Brunswick |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Check with Motor Registration | $60 (Class 5I) | $78 (Class 5) | Fees policy dated 21 December 2023. Pay at least 24 hours before the road test |
| Prince Edward Island | Check with Access PEI | Check with Access PEI | Check with Access PEI | No extra fee to rewrite the knowledge test after 7 days |
| Yukon | $20 per attempt | Check with Motor Vehicles | $20 | Retest the knowledge test as early as the next day |
| Northwest Territories | $47 (Class 7, signs test included). Confirm the fee with Driver and Vehicle Services, as a second, lower fee schedule is also shown | Check with Driver and Vehicle Services | $47 (Class 5) | Book and pay in advance |
| Nunavut | $30 (Class 5, 6 or 7 exam) | Licence: $70 for 5 years | Check with Motor Vehicles | Driver’s Licence Regulations, Schedule E |
All figures are as of November 2026 unless a date is shown.
Driving course costs: mandatory vs optional
| Province | Course | Required? | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quebec | Road Safety Education Program at a recognized school (24 hours of theory, 15 in-car sessions) | Yes | Needed before your learner’s licence and the road test. Schools set their own prices |
| Saskatchewan | High school program (30 h in class, 6 h in car) or SGI-certified instructor (6 h plus 6 h) | Yes, before the Class 5 road test | Proof is checked at the road test |
| Ontario | Approved beginner driver education (BDE) | No | Can cut the G1 wait from 12 to 8 months. Any insurance discount is up to the insurer |
| British Columbia | ICBC-approved GLP course | No | Taken as a learner, it can cut the N stage from 24 to 18 months for under-25s with a clean record |
| Alberta | Licensed Class 5 driver training (at least 15 h class, 10 h in car for learners) | No | May lower insurance rates and shorten the probationary stage |
| Nova Scotia | Class 5 driver education (25 h theory, 10 h driving) | No | Cuts the learner wait from 12 to 9 months |
Course prices are set by schools, not governments, and they vary widely. Get a written breakdown before you sign up. In Alberta, a school must give you its rates, hours and refund policy in writing on request: see Alberta driving lessons: the full price and refund policy.
Retest and missed-appointment fees
- Ontario: no refund if you cancel a road test less than 48 hours before it.
- British Columbia: $25 if you miss a road test without 48 hours’ notice or a valid reason.
- Manitoba: after three failed road tests you need 5 hours of professional lessons, which you pay the school for.
- Everywhere: a failed test is paid for again. Turning up with a car that fails the vehicle check usually costs you the test as well. Check the road test car checklist.
Budget example: a Nova Scotia learner
A worked example using official Nova Scotia fees (as of November 2026), with one failed road test:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Knowledge test receipt | $15.03 |
| Learner’s licence | $25.10 |
| Road test receipt, first attempt | $52.54 |
| Road test receipt, second attempt | $52.54 |
| First Class 5N licence | $66.95 |
| Government fees total | $212.16 |
Add your own lesson quotes, the cost of driver education if you choose it, and insurance. Passing first time saves the second road test fee and weeks of waiting.
Common questions
What is the cheapest province to get a licence in?
You get your licence where you live, so this is not really a choice. Government fees are a small part of the total. Lessons and insurance cost far more.
Is driving school required in Canada?
Only in Quebec and Saskatchewan. Elsewhere it is optional, but it can shorten your learner stage in several provinces.
Do I pay again if I fail?
Yes, in every province. Some also make you wait before retesting.
Why are Ontario fees not on ontario.ca?
Ontario points to DriveTest’s fee list. Check it before you go.
Does the licence fee include insurance?
Only in Manitoba, where the licence charge includes a driver premium that changes with your Driver Safety Rating. Vehicle insurance is separate everywhere.
Related: learning to drive in Canada, knowledge tests compared across Canada, Quebec’s mandatory driving course, SGI mandatory driver education.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, “Get a G driver’s licence: new drivers” (ontario.ca)
- DriveTest, “Fees” (drivetest.ca)
- ICBC, “Preparing for your driver licensing tests: Passenger vehicles Class 5 and 7”, form MV2022 (icbc.com)
- Government of Alberta, “Driver’s knowledge test” (alberta.ca)
- Government of Alberta, “Class 5 driver training” (alberta.ca)
- Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec, “Rates” (saaq.gouv.qc.ca)
- Manitoba Public Insurance, “Class Licence System” (apps.mpi.mb.ca)
- SGI, “Saskatchewan Driver’s Handbook 2026-27” and “Auto Fund Administrative Fee Changes”, December 2016 (sgi.sk.ca)
- Service Nova Scotia, “Learner’s (Beginner’s) Licence” (novascotia.ca)
- Service Nova Scotia, “Newly Licensed Driver” (novascotia.ca)
- Service New Brunswick, “Graduated licences” (gnb.ca)
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Motor Registration Division, “Fees policy”, 21 December 2023 (gov.nl.ca)
- Government of Prince Edward Island, “Instruction permit” (princeedwardisland.ca)
- Government of Yukon, “Get a driver’s licence” (yukon.ca)
- Government of the Northwest Territories, Driver and Vehicle Services (gov.nt.ca)
- Government of Nunavut, “Driver’s Licence Regulations, Schedule E” (gov.nu.ca)