Photo: Dillan Payne, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Under Ontario’s G1 rules you must drive with a qualified accompanying driver, keep your blood alcohol at zero, stay off the roads between midnight and 5 a.m., and keep off 400-series highways and listed high-speed expressways unless your passenger is a driving instructor. This guide sets out each rule, who can supervise you, and what happens if you break one.
The G1 rules in one table
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Zero alcohol | Your blood-alcohol level must be zero. Ontario’s zero tolerance law also covers drugs, including cannabis. |
| Accompanying driver | A fully licensed driver must sit in the front passenger seat. They must be the only other person in the front. |
| No night driving | No driving between midnight and 5 a.m. |
| Highway ban | No 400-series highways with a posted limit over 80 km/h, and no listed high-speed expressways, unless the accompanying driver is a driving instructor. |
| Seatbelts | Every person in the vehicle must have a working seatbelt. |
Who can supervise a G1 driver in Ontario?
Your accompanying driver must:
- hold a valid Class G licence or higher
- have at least four years of driving experience. Time spent on a valid (not suspended) G2 counts.
- have a blood-alcohol level under .05% (under 50 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood) while you drive
- sit in the front passenger seat as the only other person in the front
Their licence can carry demerit points, but it cannot be suspended.
Scenario: can your sister supervise you?
Your sister, 20, got her G2 three years ago and her full G this year. Her valid G2 time counts, but that only gives her three years of experience. She needs four, so she cannot supervise you for another year. When she qualifies, her blood alcohol must be under .05% whenever she supervises you, and zero whenever she drives herself, because she is 21 or under.
Can a G1 drive on the 401 or QEW?
Not with a regular accompanying driver. The handbook bans:
- 400-series highways with a posted speed limit over 80 km/h (for example the 401)
- the Queen Elizabeth Way, Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway in the Greater Toronto Area
- the E.C. Row Expressway in Windsor
- the Conestoga Parkway in Kitchener-Waterloo
- all of Highway 407 (the 407 ETR toll route) and Highway 407 East, whatever the posted limit
The exception: if your accompanying driver is a driving instructor certified in Ontario, you can drive on any road. Beginner driver education courses use this to give G1 drivers supervised highway practice.
Can a G1 drive at night?
Yes until midnight, then not again until 5 a.m. Plan evening practice so you are parked before midnight. Dusk and night driving before midnight is worth practising, since you will be allowed to drive at any hour once you hold a G2.
How many passengers can a G1 driver carry?
Only as many as there are working seatbelts, and only the accompanying driver can sit in the front. There is no separate age limit on back-seat passengers for G1.
What happens if you break a G1 rule?
- Breaking any graduated licensing condition: conviction leads to escalating sanctions: a 30-day suspension for a first offence, 90 days for a second, and cancellation of your novice licence for a third. With cancellation you start again, retake every test and lose any BDE time discount.
- Alcohol or drugs as a G1: a 7-day immediate licence suspension, an 8-hour education course and a $250 penalty for a first time, plus a $60 to $1,000 fine if convicted. Penalties rise for repeat occurrences. See impaired driving in Canada for new drivers.
- Distracted driving as a G1: no demerit points, but a 30-day suspension for a first conviction, plus the fine. See distracted, careless and stunt driving.
How points and sanctions interact is in Ontario demerit points for new drivers.
How long do you stay on a G1?
Usually 12 months. Pass a government-approved beginner driver education course and you can take the G2 road test after 8 months. See whether BDE is worth it. When you go for the G2 road test, your accompanying driver must come with you to the test centre.
Common questions
Can I drive alone with a G1?
No. A qualified accompanying driver must be in the front passenger seat every time.
Can my accompanying driver have had a drink?
Their blood alcohol must be under .05% while they supervise you. Police can breath-test an accompanying driver, and if the reading is at or above that level they can direct you not to drive on with that person. The safest approach is no drinking at all.
Can a G1 drive on Highway 7 or other 80 km/h roads?
The handbook ban covers 400-series highways posted over 80 km/h and the named expressways. Other highways are not on the list, but check the posted signs and road type before you set off.
Can I have friends in the back seat on a G1?
Yes, as long as each one has a working seatbelt and your accompanying driver is the only person in the front.
Does a G1 have to display a sign on the car?
Check with DriveTest or the Ministry of Transportation whether a sign is needed on your car.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, O. Reg. 340/94 (Drivers’ Licences), s. 5, and Highway Traffic Act, s. 48.2 (e-Laws, ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: Getting your driver’s licence” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “Get a G driver’s licence: new drivers” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “Understanding demerit points” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “Impaired driving” (ontario.ca)
- Government of Ontario, “Distracted driving” (ontario.ca)