Photo: Adam Moss, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
To get a full G licence in Ontario you pass a vision and knowledge test to get a G1, hold it for 12 months (8 with an approved driver education course), pass the G2 road test, hold a G2 for 12 months, then pass the G road test. Most people take about 20 months, and you have five years to finish. This guide covers every step, the fees, what to bring and where each detailed Ontario guide fits.
Key facts
- Minimum age to apply: 16. You must be an Ontario resident, not a visitor.
- Two learning levels (G1 and G2) and two road tests (G2 test, then G test).
- G1 lasts 12 months, or 8 months if you pass a government-approved beginner driver education (BDE) course.
- G2 lasts at least 12 months.
- Five-year limit to complete graduated licensing, or you start again.
- Testing is run at DriveTest centres. Knowledge tests need no appointment.
How to get a G licence in Ontario: step by step
- Study the Official MTO Driver’s Handbook. It is free online. A printed copy costs $14.95 plus tax at DriveTest centres (cash only) and many retail stores.
- Apply and take the vision and knowledge tests at any DriveTest centre (no appointment) or the ServiceOntario Bay and College location in downtown Toronto (appointment only). See the Ontario G1 knowledge test guide.
- Drive as a G1 with a qualified accompanying driver, under the G1 rules (no driving midnight to 5 a.m., no 400-series highways, zero alcohol).
- Pass the G2 road test (the G1 exit test) after 12 months, or 8 with BDE. It is a city test of basic skills. See the G2 road test guide.
- Drive as a G2 for at least 12 months. You can drive alone on all roads, but zero alcohol still applies, and drivers 19 and under have late-night passenger limits.
- Pass the G road test (the G2 exit test), which includes expressway driving and a signed Declaration of Highway Driving Experience. See the G road test guide.
Ontario graduated licensing at a glance
| Stage | Minimum time | Main rules | To move up |
|---|---|---|---|
| G1 | 12 months (8 with BDE) | Accompanying driver with 4+ years on a full licence; zero alcohol; no midnight to 5 a.m.; no 400-series highways or listed expressways unless with a driving instructor | G2 road test |
| G2 | 12 months | Zero alcohol; one passenger per working seatbelt; extra midnight to 5 a.m. passenger limits if 19 or under | G road test |
| G | None | Zero alcohol until you turn 22 (the rule covers drivers 21 and under) | Full licence |
What does a G licence cost in Ontario?
You pay when you apply. The handbook says this fee covers the knowledge test, your first road test and a five-year licence. The second road test and any retests cost extra, and you must prepay a road test to book it.
| Item | Fee listed by DriveTest |
|---|---|
| G1 package (knowledge test, G2 road test, five-year licence) | $159.75 |
| G road test | $91.25 |
| G2 road test retest | $53.75 |
| Knowledge test retest | $16.00 |
These are DriveTest’s listed fees (effective July 12, 2019), still shown as of November 2026. Fees are set by the Government of Ontario, so check the current figure on DriveTest before you go. If you cancel a road test with less than 48 hours’ notice or miss it, you lose the prepaid fee. Details are in booking, rescheduling and failing a DriveTest road test.
What to bring when you apply
- Original, valid ID showing your legal name and full date of birth. Photocopies and expired documents are refused. Accepted documents include a Canadian or foreign passport, a Canadian Citizenship Card with photo, a Permanent Resident Card, or immigration documents such as a study or work permit (IMM 1442).
- Payment: cash, debit or credit card.
- Glasses or contact lenses if you need them to drive.
You will also answer health questions. Since May 11, 2026, applicants for a class G or M licence must declare that Ontario is their primary place of residence and that their presence in Canada is legal.
The five-year limit and requalification
You have five years from entering graduated licensing to get your full G. If your G1 or G2 is about to expire before you finish, you can “requalify”: pass a test and pay the five-year licensing fee to keep the same class. Ontario.ca gives two examples:
- G2 about to expire: pass the G2 road test (the G1 exit test) again to get five more years as a G2.
- G1 already expired: you start over and pay the test fees again.
The ministry mails a notice to G1 and G2 drivers before expiry explaining the options.
Moving to Ontario with a licence
New residents can drive on a valid licence from elsewhere for 60 days. Ontario exchanges licences with every Canadian province and territory and with countries including the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, Japan and the Republic of Korea. Since July 1, 2026, drivers from countries without an agreement can claim up to 12 months of foreign experience. The full rules are in New to Ontario, and the Canada-wide picture is in exchanging a foreign or out of province licence.
Choosing a driving school
Only a government-approved BDE course cuts G1 to 8 months. Check the school is on the ministry’s approved list and not on its revoked list. The handbook also warns:
- The ministry and DriveTest do not charge fees to book road tests.
- Avoid anyone promising a licence without testing, guaranteeing a pass, or charging more than the posted fees.
- Use only ontario.ca and drivetest.ca for road test information.
- Do not share your licence details or post photos of your licence online.
Whether the course is worth the money is covered in Is the Ontario BDE course worth it?
Keeping your licence once you have it
As a G1 or G2 driver you can be suspended at 9 demerit points, and serious offences trigger escalating suspensions with no points needed. Read Ontario demerit points for new drivers and distracted, careless and stunt driving penalties.
Other duties that come with a licence:
- Tell the ministry within six days if you change your name or address. You get a new licence at no charge.
- Never lend your licence, let anyone else use it, use an altered or fake licence, or hold more than one Ontario licence.
- Renewal forms come by mail. An expired licence can be renewed within one year without tests. If it has been expired, suspended or cancelled for more than three years, you reapply and go through graduated licensing again.
- From age 80, drivers renew every two years, with a vision test and a short screening at a ServiceOntario appointment.
Every Ontario learner guide
- Tests: G1 knowledge test, G2 road test, G road test, booking and failing a road test
- Rules: G1 rules, G2 rules for under 19s, demerit points and escalating sanctions, distracted, careless and stunt driving
- Study topics: traffic signs and pavement markings, intersections, roundabouts and pedestrian crossovers, sharing the road, freeway driving, parking
- Other: BDE driver education, new to Ontario
- Canada-wide: learning to drive in Canada, graduated licensing compared, winter driving, impaired driving, school buses, slow down, move over, wildlife on the road
Common questions
How long does it take to get a G licence in Ontario?
At least 20 months with a BDE course (8 months G1 plus 12 months G2), or 24 months without one. Ontario.ca says most people take about 20 months.
Can I get my G1 at 15?
No. You must be at least 16 to apply.
Do I need an appointment for the G1 test?
Not at DriveTest centres. The ServiceOntario Bay and College location in Toronto is appointment only.
Can I skip G2 if I am older?
No. Every new driver goes through both levels and both road tests, whatever their age. The only shortcuts are a BDE course and credited experience from another jurisdiction.
What happens if my G1 expires before I take the road test?
You have to start the process again and pay the test fees again.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, “Get a G driver’s licence: new drivers” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: Getting your driver’s licence” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: Keeping your driver’s licence” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “Government-approved driving schools” (ontario.ca)
- DriveTest, “Fees” (drivetest.ca)