Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Prince Edward Island’s graduated licence has three stages, and Stages 1 and 2 have the tightest rules. In Stage 1 you drive only with a supervisor licensed for at least four years. In Stage 2 you can carry only one passenger from outside your family. If you are under 21, neither stage allows driving between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. on your own. This guide lists every PEI GDL restriction, the decals, the curfew exemption and the penalties.
PEI GDL restrictions by stage
| Rule | Stage 1 (L, Instruction Permit) | Stage 2 (G, Class 5) | Stage 3 (G, Class 5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervisor | Always, in the front seat | Not required (except curfew hours) | Not required |
| Passengers | Only the supervisor’s immediate family | One non-family passenger; the rest must be your immediate family | Any, up to the number of seatbelts |
| Seatbelt limit | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. (under 21) | No driving, no exemptions | Only with a qualified supervisor, or with a work exemption | No curfew |
| Alcohol and drugs | Zero | Zero | Zero |
| Hand-held devices and headphones | Banned | Banned | Banned |
| Decal | Yellow with black “L” | Yellow with black “G” | Same G decal |
| Minimum age | 16 | 17 (16 years + 275 days with driver ed) | 18 (17 years + 275 days with driver ed) |
A hands-free phone is permitted for GDL drivers. The 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. rule does not apply once you are 21.
Stage 1 rules in PEI
Who can supervise a Stage 1 driver?
Under the Highway Traffic Act, your accompanying driver must:
- be fully licensed
- have held a valid licence in PEI or another jurisdiction for at least four years
- hold a licence class that covers the vehicle you are driving
- meet any conditions on their own licence
- sit in the front seat the whole time
- have a blood alcohol concentration under 50 mg in 100 mL of blood (0.05)
- not be impaired by a drug, or by alcohol and a drug together, and not refuse a police demand for a breath, blood or coordination test
Only you and your supervisor may sit in the front seat. An out-of-country supervisor counts only if PEI has a reciprocal licensing agreement or unilateral exchange with their country. Police can ask to see the supervisor’s licence.
Stage 1 passengers
The only other passengers allowed are the supervisor’s immediate family. During a driving school lesson, the instructor can carry up to four people plus themselves.
Stage 1 penalties
Any violation that carries demerit points suspends your Instruction Permit for at least 30 days.
Stage 2 rules in PEI
You enter Stage 2 when you pass the road test and get a Class 5 licence. Stage 2 lasts one year.
The Stage 2 passenger rule
You may carry one passenger who is not in your immediate family. Every other passenger must be your immediate family, and there can never be more passengers than seatbelts. You can be fined for any passenger not wearing a seatbelt.
The 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. curfew
If you are under 21, you may drive between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. only with a supervisor who:
- is fully licensed and sits beside you
- has held a driver’s licence for at least four years
- has a blood alcohol level below 0.05
- is not impaired by a drug, or by alcohol and a drug together
Work exemption: Stage 2 drivers can apply for an exemption from the curfew for work. Forms are at every Access PEI location and on the PEI government website (search “night-time driving restriction”). Stage 1 drivers cannot get an exemption.
Who counts as immediate family?
The Highway Traffic Act (s. 92.1(1)) defines immediate family of the newly licensed driver as:
- your spouse
- your parents and their spouses
- your children and your spouse’s children
- your grandchildren
- your brothers and sisters
- your grandparents
- your spouse’s parents and their spouses
- any relative who lives permanently with you, or with whom you live permanently
Friends and relatives outside this list, such as cousins who live elsewhere, do not count. In Stage 2 they take your single non-family seat.
PEI GDL decals
- Where: inside the windshield, just above the motor vehicle inspection sticker.
- When: on any vehicle you drive. The decal peels off so you can move it between vehicles.
- Cost: free, including replacements from any Access PEI location.
- Forgot it or lost it after hours: the GDL booklet lets you use a temporary paper decal on the windshield.
- Motorcycles: a small yellow L or G decal on the back of your helmet.
- Stage 3: keep the G decal on until Stage 3 ends, then remove it.
Penalties for GDL drivers in PEI
| Offence or total | Result |
|---|---|
| Stage 1: any offence with demerit points | Permit suspended for at least 30 days |
| Seatbelt or passenger restriction fine (Stages 2 and 3) | 30-day suspension for a first offence, 90 days for a second; the time is added to your stage |
| Stage 2: 3, 4 or 5 demerit points | Warning |
| Stage 2: 6 demerit points | One-month suspension |
| Stage 3: 5 to 8 demerit points | Warning |
| Stage 3: 9 demerit points | One-month suspension |
| Any blood alcohol above zero | 24-hour roadside suspension and 90-day administrative prohibition; 12 demerit points on conviction |
The handbook says safety specialists take corrective action during or shortly after a suspension. GDL drivers can also have vehicles impounded for Highway Traffic Act offences such as excessive speeding.
Scenario: can I drive my friends home after a game?
Stage 1, aged 17: only if your supervisor is in the front seat and the friends are the supervisor’s immediate family. In practice, no.
Stage 2, aged 18, at 11 p.m.: one friend, plus any of your own immediate family, up to the number of seatbelts. Two friends is a passenger restriction offence and a 30-day suspension.
Stage 2, aged 18, leaving at 1:30 a.m.: only with a supervisor licensed four or more years and under 0.05, unless you hold a work exemption for that trip.
For the full route from permit to Stage 3, see learning to drive in PEI. Alcohol and phone rules are in PEI impaired and distracted driving. To compare PEI’s curfew and passenger limits with other provinces, see graduated licence rules by province.
Common questions
What time is the PEI new driver curfew?
1 a.m. to 5 a.m., for Stage 1 and Stage 2 drivers under 21.
How many passengers can a Stage 2 driver have in PEI?
One non-family passenger. Your own immediate family can fill the remaining seatbelts.
Can my boyfriend or girlfriend ride with me in Stage 2?
Yes, as your one non-family passenger, unless they are your spouse, who counts as immediate family.
Can I use Google Maps on my phone as a GDL driver?
Not hand-held. GDL drivers cannot use any hand-held device. A hands-free phone is permitted.
Do I have to display the decal if I am over 21?
Yes. Decals apply to all GDL drivers regardless of age.
Does a suspension make my GDL longer?
Yes. Suspension time for seatbelt or passenger offences is added to the length of Stage 2 or Stage 3.
Sources
- 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, Highway Safety Division, “Co-pilot: A Guide for Parents and Guardians of New Drivers” (princeedwardisland.ca)
- Government of Prince Edward Island, Highway Safety, “Prince Edward Island Driver’s Handbook” (princeedwardisland.ca)
- Government of Prince Edward Island, “Highway Traffic Act Graduated Driver Licensing Regulations”, sections 2 and 3 (princeedwardisland.ca)