Photo: Nick3501, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Every province and territory bans holding or using a phone while driving, but the penalties for a new driver range from a fine and points to an immediate licence suspension, a seized car or the loss of your graduated licence. This page compares distracted driving fines, points and suspensions in each jurisdiction, then explains what learner and novice drivers may and may not use: hands-free calls, GPS, phone mounts and CarPlay or Android Auto.
Key facts
- BC (L and N), Saskatchewan (all GDL stages) and Yukon (learner and novice) ban hands-free use too. New drivers there may not use a phone at all while driving.
- Ontario G1 and G2 drivers get no points for a phone conviction but lose their licence for 30 days on a first conviction, 90 days on a second, and have it cancelled on a third.
- Manitoba suspends your licence at the roadside: 3 days for a first offence, 7 days for each one after.
- Quebec gives 5 demerit points for a first offence. That is more than the 4-point limit for a learner or probationary licence.
- Saskatchewan seizes the vehicle for 7 days on a second device offence within 12 months, whoever owns it.
Distracted driving fines and points by province
| Jurisdiction | Fine (first offence) | Points or rating | Suspension or seizure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | $615 if settled out of court; up to $1,000 in court (up to $2,000 second, $3,000 third) | Full licence: 3 points (6 for later convictions). G1/G2: no points | Full licence: 3, 7, then 30 days. G1/G2: 30 days, 90 days, then cancellation |
| British Columbia | $368 | 4 penalty points | One device ticket triggers a review of an L or N driver’s record and can lead to a prohibition. Two device convictions in three years trigger the Driver Risk Premium |
| Alberta | $390 | 3 demerit points (GDL suspension at 8) | None stated for a first offence |
| Saskatchewan | $580 | 4 demerit points | Second offence within 12 months: 7-day vehicle seizure (fine $1,400); third: another seizure (fine $2,100) |
| Manitoba | $672 on conviction | 5 levels down the Driver Safety Rating scale | Roadside licence suspension: 3 days first offence, 7 days each later offence |
| Quebec | $300 to $600 | 5 demerit points | Repeat within two years: immediate suspension of 3, then 7, then 30 days |
| Nova Scotia | Up to $400 | 4 demerit points (Nova Scotia Reg. 223/2026). Points count towards the learner (4) and newly licensed (6) limits | 4 points alone reaches the learner suspension limit; 6-month suspension at the GDL limit |
| New Brunswick | $340.50 | 5 demerit points | Check with Service New Brunswick |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Check with Motor Registration | 4 demerit points (novice limit 6 in a year) | 2-month first suspension at the novice limit |
| Prince Edward Island | $250 to $400 in the PEI Driver’s Handbook. Check the current amount with Highway Safety | 3 demerit points in the handbook. Stage 1: any demerit offence suspends the permit for at least 30 days | See points |
| Yukon | Check with Yukon Driver Services | Check with Yukon Driver Services | Being caught means restarting the graduated licensing program |
| Northwest Territories | $322 ($644 in school and construction zones) | 3 demerit points (GDL limit 6) | Administrative suspensions for a 2nd, 3rd and 4th offence within two years |
| Nunavut | Check with Motor Vehicles | Check with Motor Vehicles | Check with Motor Vehicles |
Figures as of November 2026 from each government’s published penalties. Fines change, and courts can set higher amounts. Where a cell says “check”, confirm the current figure with that province.
What one phone ticket does to a new driver
- Ontario G2: $615, no points, 30 days without a licence, plus a reinstatement fee and an insurance increase.
- Quebec probationary: 5 points goes past the 4-point limit, so the licence is revoked for at least 3 months.
- Northwest Territories GDL: 3 points. A second ticket reaches the 6-point limit.
- Newfoundland and Labrador Level II: 4 points. Add a small speeding ticket (2 points) and you hit the 6-point suspension.
- BC N: $368, 4 points, a likely record review, and the conviction stops you passing the Driving Record Assessment for your full licence.
- Alberta GDL: $390 and 3 of your 8 points.
Can new drivers use GPS, a phone mount or CarPlay?
| Jurisdiction and stage | Hands-free calls | GPS, maps, CarPlay screen |
|---|---|---|
| BC L and N | No | No electronic devices, even hands-free. Plan the route before you leave and let a passenger navigate |
| Saskatchewan, all GDL | No | Hands-free cellphones are prohibited for GDL drivers. Calls to 9-1-1 and calls while parked at the roadside are allowed |
| Yukon learner and novice | No | No hand-held or hands-free devices. Hand-held use is allowed only when legally and safely parked |
| PEI GDL | Check: Stage 2 rules ban hand-held phones and headphones | No hand-held devices, GPS units included |
| Ontario G1 and G2 | Yes, but only to turn it on or off | A securely mounted phone or GPS may be touched only to start, answer or end a call. Program GPS by voice only |
| Alberta Class 7 and GDL | Yes, voice or one touch, not held | A GPS display is allowed if it is fixed to the vehicle and programmed before you start, or voice-activated |
| Other provinces | Hands-free generally allowed for drivers unless a GDL rule says otherwise | Follow the hand-held ban: mounted, set before you leave, no typing while moving |
Safe set-up that works everywhere
- Set the destination and music before you put the car in gear.
- Mount the phone where it doesn’t block your view, or put it in the glovebox if your licence bans all devices.
- Turn on a “driving focus” or do-not-disturb mode.
- Pull over and park safely before you touch the phone. In a BC N or Saskatchewan novice car, that is the only time you can use it.
Distraction is more than phones
Alberta’s law also covers reading, writing, grooming such as shaving or putting on makeup, and entering information on a GPS, even while stopped at a red light. Ontario does not treat eating or drinking as distracted driving, but you can still be charged with careless driving (6 points, fines up to $2,000) if it puts others at risk. Saskatchewan says passengers must not distract or interfere with other road users either.
Common questions
Can I use my phone at a red light?
No. Alberta and Ontario say the law applies while you are stopped in traffic or at a red light. Treat this as the rule everywhere.
Can a G2 driver use Bluetooth in Ontario?
Yes, hands-free with one touch to turn it on or off. BC N drivers and Saskatchewan novices cannot.
Is holding the phone without using it illegal?
In Ontario, yes: simply holding a phone or other device while driving is prohibited. Quebec, Saskatchewan and the NWT also ban holding a device.
Can I call 9-1-1 while driving?
Yes. Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and PEI all allow emergency calls. Pull over first if you can do it safely.
Do learner drivers get the same fine as everyone else?
Usually the same fine, but tougher consequences: a suspension in Ontario, a likely prohibition review in BC, and points that hit lower GDL limits elsewhere.
Will a distracted driving ticket raise my insurance?
Yes. In BC, two device convictions in three years trigger the Driver Risk Premium, and Manitoba drops you five levels on the Driver Safety Rating scale. Private insurers see convictions on your record.
Related: distracted, careless and stunt driving in Ontario, Saskatchewan speeding, stunting and distracted driving, BC penalty points and the Driver Risk Premium, Manitoba Driver Safety Rating, Quebec demerit points table, excessive speeding and stunt driving penalties. Back to learning to drive in Canada.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, “Distracted driving” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “Understanding demerit points” (ontario.ca)
- ICBC, “Learn to Drive Smart, Chapter 9: Your licence” (icbc.com)
- ICBC, “Driver Risk Premium” (icbc.com)
- Government of Alberta, “Distracted driving” and “Demerit points” (alberta.ca)
- SGI, “Saskatchewan Driver’s Handbook: A guide to safe driving 2026-27”, section 3.2 and “Vehicle impoundments” (sgi.sk.ca)
- SGI, “Distracted driving penalties” (sgi.sk.ca)
- Manitoba Public Insurance, “Driver’s Handbook: Distractions” (apps.mpi.mb.ca)
- Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec, “Portable Electronic Devices: Prohibited While Driving” and “Demerit Points: Driver’s Licence” (saaq.gouv.qc.ca)
- Service Nova Scotia, “Learner’s Licence” and “Newly Licensed Driver” (novascotia.ca); Nova Scotia Reg. 223/2026 (Summary Offence Ticket Regulations)
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Motor Registration Division, “Demerit Point System” (gov.nl.ca)
- Government of Prince Edward Island, “Summary Proceedings Act Ticket Regulations” and “Highway Traffic Act Graduated Driver Licensing Regulations” (princeedwardisland.ca)
- Government of Prince Edward Island, “Driver’s Handbook”, February 2022 (princeedwardisland.ca)
- Government of New Brunswick, “Driver distraction” (gnb.ca)
- Government of Yukon, “Get a driver’s licence” (yukon.ca)
- Government of the Northwest Territories, “NWT Driver’s Manual” (inf.gov.nt.ca)