Alberta Driver's Licence: Class 7, GDL and Full Class 5

Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

To get a driver’s licence in Alberta you move through three stages: a Class 7 learner’s licence from age 14, a probationary Class 5-GDL licence after at least 12 months and a road test, and a full Class 5 licence after 24 months of probation with a clean record. The whole process takes at least 3 years. This guide is for new Alberta drivers and their parents, and it links to a detailed guide for every step.

Key facts (Government of Alberta, checked November 2026)

Class 7 learner: age 14 or older, parental or guardian consent under 18, pass a knowledge test and a vision test.
Class 5-GDL: age 16 or older, at least 12 months on a Class 7, pass a road test.
Full Class 5: age 18 or older, 24 months of probation (up to 6 months off with licensed driver training), no suspensions or demerits in the last 12 months.
The advanced road test was removed on 1 April 2023. You no longer need a second road test to leave the GDL program.
Learners and GDL drivers have zero alcohol and drug tolerance and a lower demerit limit (8 points) than fully licensed drivers (15 points).

The three stages at a glance

Stage	Minimum age	How you get it	Main restrictions
Class 7 learner’s licence	14	Knowledge test and vision test at a registry agent	Supervisor 18+ with a full Class 5 in the front seat; no driving 12 a.m. to 5 a.m.; zero alcohol; no more passengers than seat belts; suspended at 8 demerits
Class 5-GDL (probationary)	16	At least 12 months on Class 7, then pass the Class 5 road test and a vision test	Zero alcohol and drugs; no more passengers than seat belts; suspended at 8 demerits; cannot supervise a learner; no commercial upgrades
Full Class 5 (non-GDL)	18	24 months as a GDL driver, no suspensions or demerits in the last 12 months	Standard rules; demerit suspension at 15 points

Step 1: Get your Class 7 learner’s licence

Study the Alberta Driver’s Guide (cars and light trucks). Use the Alberta Driver’s Guide study plan to work through it.
Go to a registry agent with acceptable ID and take the knowledge test: 30 multiple-choice questions, 25 correct to pass, once per day, with a fee each attempt. Full details are in the Alberta Class 7 knowledge test guide.
Pass the vision test at the registry.
Buy your Class 7 licence card. You get a temporary licence valid for 30 days; the card should arrive by mail within 21 business days.

The rules you must follow as a learner are covered in Alberta Class 7 learner rules.

Step 2: Practise for at least 12 months

You must hold your Class 7 for at least 12 months before you can take the Class 5 road test, and you must be at least 16. Driver education is recommended but not mandatory. A licensed course in Alberta means at least 15 hours of classroom and 10 hours of in-vehicle instruction, and finishing one can later cut up to 6 months off your probation.

Hours alone are not enough. To get the school’s Notice of Driver Education Course Completion you must attend all classes and pass the course’s knowledge and practical assessments. Keep the notice: it is what insurers ask for if they offer a discount. These course assessments are separate from the government knowledge and road tests.

Use this time to cover the topics the road test checks:

Step 3: Pass the Class 5 road test

Book through a registry agent or online through the Alberta Road Test Scheduler. You need your 9-digit Motor Vehicle Identification (MVID) number from your licence, and any outstanding Government of Alberta fines must be paid first. Registry agents set their own Class 5 road test fees and must publish them online. You fail with more than 75 points, or automatically for dangerous or illegal driving. See the Alberta Class 5 road test guide.

After you pass the road test and a vision test, you buy a Class 5-GDL licence card at the registry.

Step 4: Complete 24 months of probation

As a GDL driver you keep zero alcohol and drug tolerance, the seat belt passenger limit and the 8-point demerit limit. To exit you need to be at least 18, have completed 24 months of probation and have no suspensions or demerits in the last 12 months. The full rules, and how the 6-month driver training reduction works, are in Alberta Class 5 GDL probationary rules.

Any demerits or an impaired driving sanction can delay your full licence. Read Alberta demerits and Immediate Roadside Sanctions before you start driving alone.

What changed in Alberta driver licensing

1 April 2023: the advanced road test was removed. GDL drivers no longer take a second road test to get a full Class 5.
Driver’s Guide: check that you are studying the current edition from alberta.ca (see the study plan for how to check).

What a Class 5 licence lets you drive

A 2-axle single motor vehicle (car, SUV, pickup).
A recreational vehicle (motorhome) with up to 3 axles.
A 2-axle vehicle or 2-axle recreational vehicle towing a trailer with any number of axles, if the trailer has no air brakes.
A 3-axle recreational vehicle towing a trailer with 1 or 2 axles and no air brakes.
A moped.
Any vehicle with air brakes also needs an air brake (Q) endorsement.

A Class 7 learner may ride a moped alone, but can drive Class 5 or Class 6 vehicles only with a qualified supervisor.

Documents, medical rules and your licence card

Carry your licence whenever you drive. A peace officer can ask for your licence, vehicle registration and insurance card (the pink financial responsibility card).
A parent or guardian who signed consent for a minor can withdraw it in writing until the minor turns 18, and the licence is then suspended.
After passing a knowledge test or road test, take the permit you bought for the test to a registry agent so your licence record is updated. The road test permit is not a licence.
You must disclose any medical or physical condition that could affect your driving. You may be asked for a Medical Examination for Motor Vehicle Operators form, completed by a doctor or nurse practitioner. Drivers 75 and older need one when they apply or renew.
Condition codes on the card show requirements such as corrective lenses (A) or automatic transmission only (K); the U endorsement records a completed driver education course.
Report a lost, stolen or damaged licence to a registry agent straight away (a stolen licence to police too), and update your name or address there. Alberta no longer mails renewal reminders, so renewing on time is up to you.
Vehicles and trailers must be registered and insured. A vehicle owner moving to Alberta has three months to register the vehicle.

Moving to Alberta with a licence

New permanent residents must exchange their licence within 90 days. If you have held a Class 5 for less than 2 years, you may be placed in the GDL program. See exchanging a foreign or out of province licence in Canada. Temporary residents such as students and visitors cannot get an Alberta licence but may be able to keep using their home licence.

Visitors: a valid out-of-province licence lets you drive the same class of vehicle in Alberta for up to one year.
Full-time students: you may drive on your home licence if it is valid for that vehicle, you carry the documents your home jurisdiction requires, and you carry proof you are a full-time student in Alberta.
From elsewhere in Canada: surrender your old licence within 90 days. It is illegal to hold more than one licence.
Reciprocal countries (Class 5 exchange): the Spring 2023 guide lists Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Isle of Man, Japan, the Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. US Class 5 holders can also exchange. Confirm the current list with a registry agent.
Other countries: you can apply to have your previous driving history credited. If approved, you skip the GDL program and can road test for Class 5 without holding a Class 7 for a year.

Common questions

Can I get my learner’s licence at 14 in Alberta?

Yes. The minimum age for a Class 7 is 14, with written parental or guardian consent if you are under 18.

How long does it take to get a full licence in Alberta?

At least 3 years: 12 months as a learner, then 24 months on a Class 5-GDL. Licensed driver training can cut the GDL period by up to 6 months.

Do I still need the advanced road test?

No. It was removed on 1 April 2023.

Is driver education mandatory in Alberta?

No, it is recommended. Completing a licensed Class 5 course can shorten your probation and may lower your insurance rate.

Can a GDL driver supervise a learner?

No. The supervisor must be 18 or older and hold a full (non-GDL) Class 5 or higher.

How does Alberta compare with other provinces?

Alberta has the youngest learner age in Canada. See Canadian graduated licensing compared and learning to drive in Canada.

Sources

Government of Alberta, “Driver’s Guide to Operation, Safety and Licensing: Cars and Light Trucks”, Spring 2023 edition (alberta.ca)
Government of Alberta, “Steps to getting your licence” (alberta.ca)
Government of Alberta, “Class 7 learner’s licence” (alberta.ca)
Government of Alberta, “Class 5 driver’s licence” (alberta.ca)
Government of Alberta, “Driver’s knowledge test” (alberta.ca)
Government of Alberta, “Driver’s road test” (alberta.ca)
Government of Alberta, “Class 5 driver training” (alberta.ca)
Government of Alberta, “Demerit driving suspension” (alberta.ca)
Government of Alberta, “Exchange a licence from outside Alberta” (alberta.ca)

How to Get a Driver’s Licence in Alberta: Class 7 to Full Class 5