Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In the Northwest Territories, GDL drivers and anyone under 22 must have zero alcohol and zero drugs. Any amount means an automatic 30-day suspension. A GDL driver who reaches 6 demerit points is suspended for a month and spends an extra month in their stage. This page sets out the NWT impaired driving penalties, the ignition interlock program and both demerit systems, for new drivers and their parents.
Key facts
- Zero tolerance: Class 7 and 5P drivers, drivers under 22 and certain commercial drivers.
- Any driver at .05 or more: 24-hour suspension, rising to 30 days for repeat offences.
- Any driver charged at .08 or more, or refusing a breath or blood demand: automatic 90-day suspension.
- Criminal Code conviction: at least one year without a licence.
- GDL demerits: 6 points means a 1-month suspension; 12 means 3 months; 15 means 6 months.
- Phone at the wheel: $322 fine ($644 in school and construction zones) and 3 demerits.
NWT alcohol and drug limits by driver
| Driver or reading | What happens |
|---|---|
| GDL driver or under 22, any alcohol or drugs | Licence suspended automatically for 30 days |
| Any driver, .05 or more | 24-hour suspension; 30 days for repeat offences |
| Any driver charged at .08 or more, or refusing a sample | Automatic 90-day Administrative Licence Suspension, on top of any court prohibition |
| Fatigued driving (reasonable grounds) | 24-hour roadside suspension |
An Administrative Licence Suspension (ALS) is issued by police on behalf of the Registrar. No conviction is needed. Fully licensed NWT drivers get a 7-day temporary permit before a 90-day ALS starts, but GDL drivers do not.
Impaired driving covers cars, trucks, boats, snowmobiles and off-road vehicles, by alcohol, drugs or both. Medical cannabis users follow the same laws. Cannabis in a vehicle must be in its original sealed package or a closed container that nobody in the vehicle can reach.
Alcohol facts from the NWT manual
- Coffee does not sober you up. Only time removes alcohol from your body.
- Alcohol slows your thinking and reaction time while giving you false confidence, so you may feel you are driving better when you are not.
- Mixing alcohol with other drugs can cause a serious reaction and make you unfit to drive.
- Plan ahead: leave the car at home, pick a designated driver who drinks nothing, or take a taxi, stay the night or call someone to pick you up.
Penalties after a Criminal Code conviction in the NWT
On top of what the court orders, the territory disqualifies you under the Motor Vehicles Act:
| Convictions within 10 years | NWT disqualification |
|---|---|
| First | 1 year |
| Second | 3 years |
| Third | 5 years |
| Fourth or more | Indefinite, at least 5 years |
| Impaired driving causing death (even a first offence) | Indefinite, at least 5 years |
The NWT suspension runs at the same time as a court prohibition, so the longer one decides when you can drive. A Criminal Code conviction stays on your record for at least 10 years and can affect travel abroad. Before getting your licence back, expect conditions such as a driver assessment, a driver improvement program, alcohol awareness and treatment programs, and a reinstatement fee.
The Canada-wide picture is in impaired driving in Canada for new drivers.
How the NWT ignition interlock program works
If you are convicted of impaired driving under the Criminal Code, you may be eligible for the NWT Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program. Being approved and having a device installed can shorten your driving prohibition. To start the vehicle, you blow into the handset:
| Breath reading (mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood) | Result |
|---|---|
| Below 20 | Pass: vehicle starts |
| 20 to 29 | Warn: vehicle starts, but a warn violation is recorded |
| 30 or more | Fail: vehicle will not start, and a fail violation is recorded |
Driving while suspended
Driving under an ALS, a suspension or a disqualification can bring 5 demerit points, a 30-day vehicle seizure, and charges under the Motor Vehicles Act or the Criminal Code with fines of at least $345. Jail terms are common. The vehicle is impounded even if you don’t own it, and the registered owner pays the towing and storage.
NWT demerit points for GDL drivers
| Points | Suspension | Extra time in your stage |
|---|---|---|
| 6 or more | 1 month | 1 month |
| 12 or more | 3 months | 3 months |
| 15 or more | 6 months | 6 months |
Each suspension also needs a reinstatement fee. Points stay on your record for 24 months. Because you need 12 suspension-free months on Class 5P before upgrading, a suspension also delays your full licence.
NWT demerit points for fully licensed drivers
- 8 points: warning letter. No restrictions.
- 12 points: letter requiring an interview. Miss it and your licence is suspended until the interview is held.
- 15 points within two years: 1-month suspension and a reinstatement fee. Your licence comes back with 7 points.
- After three or more demerit suspensions: each further 15 points can mean a suspension of more than one month and up to 24 months, set by the Registrar. You can appeal this in writing to the Registrar.
- Driver improvement course: once every two years, an approved course removes half your points, or all of them if you have 5 or fewer. It is not offered by the territorial government.
To appeal the length of a suspension, get an appeal package from a Driver and Vehicle office within 45 days of the notice.
Separately, the Registrar can suspend any driver for reasons such as a poor driving record, failure to pay a judgment or medical grounds, and can order a written or practical exam before you drive again.
Distracted driving in the NWT
Holding, operating or touching a cellphone, data device, audio or video player or handheld GPS while driving is illegal. Expect a $322 fine ($644 in school and construction zones) and 3 demerit points. A second, third or fourth offence within two years also brings a licence suspension. For a GDL driver, two phone tickets add up to 6 points and a suspension.
Common questions
I’m 21 with a full licence. Can I have one drink and drive?
No. Drivers under 22 in the NWT must have no alcohol or drugs, whatever licence they hold.
Does a GDL driver get a temporary permit after a 90-day suspension?
No. The 7-day temporary permit applies only to fully licensed NWT drivers.
How long do demerit points last in the NWT?
24 months from when the Registrar becomes aware of the offence.
Can a GDL driver take a course to remove points?
The manual describes the driver improvement course under the rules for fully licensed drivers. Ask Driver Services whether it applies to a GDL record.
Is cannabis treated differently from alcohol?
No. Novice drivers and drivers under 22 must have no drugs in their system, and impaired driving by drug is a Criminal Code offence.
Can I appeal a demerit suspension?
Only if the points were assigned in error, according to the manual. Driver Services lets you appeal the length of a suspension within 45 days.
Back to the full guide: Learning to drive in the Northwest Territories. See also NWT learner and probationary rules and Canadian graduated licensing compared.
Sources
- Government of the Northwest Territories, Department of Infrastructure, “Driver’s Manual: A guide to safely operate cars and light trucks”, Chapters 7 and 9 (idmv.inf.gov.nt.ca)
- Government of the Northwest Territories, “Demerit points and suspensions” (idmv.inf.gov.nt.ca)
- Government of the Northwest Territories, “Ignition Interlock Program” (idmv.inf.gov.nt.ca)
- Government of the Northwest Territories, Department of Infrastructure, “Impaired Driving” (inf.gov.nt.ca)
- Government of the Northwest Territories, Department of Infrastructure, “Distracted Driving” (inf.gov.nt.ca)