Photo: Robert Linsdell, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The PEI road test is how you move from a Class 7 Instruction Permit (Stage 1) to a Class 5 licence (Stage 2). To book, contact Access PEI once your waiting period is over and you have finished the Novice Driver Course. Driver education students are usually tested by their driving school. This guide covers eligibility, what to bring, what the examiner checks and what happens after a pass or a fail.
Key facts
- Earliest road test: 365 days after your permit is issued, or 275 days if you are enrolled in certified driver education.
- You need a valid Instruction Permit and a completed Novice Driver Course.
- You provide the vehicle and must arrive with a driver who has been licensed for at least four years.
- If you fail, wait at least two weeks before the next attempt.
- Fees change, so check the current road test fee with Access PEI when you book.
Are you eligible for the PEI road test?
- You have held your Class 7 permit for 365 days (275 with driver education).
- Your permit is still valid. It lasts two years from issue.
- You have completed the Novice Driver Course, or driver education, which covers it.
- You have no suspension.
How to book a road test in PEI
| Your route | Who tests you | How to book |
|---|---|---|
| No driver education | A Highway Safety examiner | Contact Access PEI for an appointment. The province lists driving exams at Access PEI in O’Leary, Summerside, Charlottetown, Montague and Souris. |
| Certified driver education | Your driving school, unless Highway Safety randomly selects you | Through your driving school |
Exam locations can change, so confirm when you call Access PEI. Driver education students can also be asked to take a second road test with a Highway Safety examiner during their probation. That evaluation is free.
What to bring to the PEI road test
- Your valid Instruction Permit
- Proof you completed the Novice Driver Course
- A licensed driver who has held a valid licence for at least four years, is not a novice (GDL) driver and can lawfully take control of the vehicle if needed
- A safe vehicle with valid registration
- Proof of public liability insurance (the pink insurance card)
- Glasses or contacts, if your permit requires corrective lenses
Vehicle check before the test
The examiner checks the vehicle first. No test is given in an unsafe vehicle. Check these at home:
- valid licence plates and a valid inspection sticker
- lights (including signals and brake lights) and horn
- rear-view mirror, adjusted so nothing in the car or its load blocks a view at least 60 metres behind you
- windshield and window glass: a windshield cracked or shattered enough to be a hazard is not allowed on the road
- seatbelts
- windshield wipers, in good working order
- muffler
- brakes and tires: the legal minimum tread depth is 1.6 mm, measured at three points around the tire, and a damaged sidewall or low pressure is a problem even above that
- speedometer, in working condition
Put your L decal on the windshield above the inspection sticker.
What the PEI examiner checks
The handbook calls the road test a sample of your ability to do certain manoeuvres properly and safely. You are assessed on:
- starting
- stopping
- turning
- parking
- traffic signs and signals
- controlled, partly controlled and uncontrolled intersections
- anticipating potential hazards
- your attitude toward others
- the other safe driving practices in the handbook
The purposes of the road test
The handbook gives four purposes:
- to measure whether you can drive properly and safely in typical conditions
- to decide whether you need retraining
- to serve as a basis for further training
- to help you correct errors found during the test
The Co-pilot guide says you fail through too many mistakes, a law violation or a dangerous action.
How to behave during the test
- Ask any questions before you start. The examiner will not coach you during the test.
- Do not chat. Unnecessary talk distracts you.
- Afterwards, the examiner reviews your driving and suggests improvements.
Your accompanying driver during the test
The handbook says no one else may ride along during the test. PEI’s newer Driver Testing Regulation Acknowledgement Form (2025) describes a different set-up, and both you and your accompanying driver sign it:
- Your accompanying driver sits in the front passenger seat.
- Neither of you may talk to, or signal to, the other except for safety. Your accompanying driver may speak only to step in during an emergency.
- Any other communication between you means a failed road test, so practise making your own decisions before test day.
- The test may be filmed, and video, audio and written information is collected to assess you.
- Your pass or fail result is given in person, by phone or by email within one business day.
Ask Access PEI which arrangement applies when you book.
Skills worth extra practice for the PEI road test
These are taken from the handbook’s driving chapters:
| Skill | What the handbook expects |
|---|---|
| Stop signs | A full stop before the crosswalk or stop line, never a rolling stop. In rural areas, stop before the road edge and look both ways twice, starting left. |
| Following distance | At least three seconds in normal conditions, four or more in bad weather |
| Right on red | A complete stop, then yield to traffic and pedestrians, unless a sign forbids the turn |
| Roundabouts | Yield to traffic already inside and to pedestrians; signal right before your exit |
| Parking and backing | Parallel and angle parking, backing with full observation |
| Speed | Stay within limits and adjust for conditions, including school zones |
The full rules are in PEI rules of the road.
If you fail the PEI road test
- Wait at least two weeks before trying again. Parents may choose to wait longer.
- Go over the examiner’s feedback with your supervisor and practise those areas.
- PEI’s permit page says retaking a failed road test costs nothing extra. Confirm with Access PEI when you rebook.
- Watch your permit’s two-year expiry date. See learning to drive in PEI for what happens if it lapses.
After you pass
- You get a Class 5 licence and a yellow G decal, and you enter Stage 2. See PEI Stage 1 and Stage 2 rules.
- If you passed with a driving school, get your Class 5 photo licence at Highway Safety or Access PEI within 30 days. Otherwise you may need a retest with a Highway Safety examiner and pay the fees again.
- You are on probation for two years, and Highway Safety monitors your record.
Common questions
How do I book my road test in PEI?
Contact Access PEI. If you are in certified driver education, your driving school normally conducts the test.
Can I use a driving school car for the PEI road test?
Driver education students are usually tested by their school. Otherwise you supply a registered, insured and safe vehicle yourself.
How long do I wait to retake the road test in PEI?
At least two weeks after a failed attempt.
Can my parent sit in the car during the test?
Your parent can be the accompanying driver if they have held a licence for at least four years and are not in GDL. Under PEI’s 2025 acknowledgement form, the accompanying driver sits in the front passenger seat but must not speak to you except to step in during an emergency. The older handbook says only you and the examiner ride, so confirm the format when you book.
What happens if my car fails the pre-test check?
The test is not given in a vehicle that is unsafe or does not meet equipment requirements. You will need to rebook.
Is there a separate highway test in PEI?
PEI has one Class 5 road test. It moves you from Stage 1 to Stage 2, and you move to Stage 3 automatically after a year.
Sources
- Government of Prince Edward Island, Highway Safety, “Prince Edward Island Driver’s Handbook” (princeedwardisland.ca)
- Government of Prince Edward Island, Highway Safety Division, “Co-pilot: A Guide for Parents and Guardians of New Drivers” (princeedwardisland.ca)
- Government of Prince Edward Island, Highway Safety Division, “Graduated Driver’s Licensing Program (GDL)” booklet, December 2022 and August 2023 editions (princeedwardisland.ca)
- Government of Prince Edward Island, “Getting an Instruction Driver’s Permit in PEI” (princeedwardisland.ca)
- Government of Prince Edward Island, “Driver Testing Regulation Acknowledgement Form”, 2025 (princeedwardisland.ca)
- Government of Prince Edward Island, “Highway Traffic Act”, sections 122, 129, 131 and 134, consolidated to May 29, 2026 (princeedwardisland.ca)