Photo: Richard Martin, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Yukon novice drivers can drive alone, except between midnight and 5 a.m., when a co-driver must be with them. The other novice rules: zero alcohol and drugs, no hand-held or hands-free devices, and no towing. You stay in the novice stage for at least 18 months before you can apply for a full licence. This guide explains each rule, who counts as a co-driver, and how the 50-hour log fits in.
Key facts (Yukon, as of November 2026)
- You reach the novice stage by passing the Yukon road test.
- Co-driver required midnight to 5 a.m. A midnight work exemption may apply.
- Co-driver: valid full-privilege licence, held for at least 2 years.
- Zero tolerance for alcohol and drugs, for you and your co-driver.
- No hand-held or hands-free electronic devices. No towing.
- Minimum 18 months in a row (540 days) before applying for a full licence. Breaking a condition resets the clock.
The co-driver rule for Yukon novice drivers
As a learner, you needed a co-driver every time. As a novice, you only need one between midnight and 5 a.m. The co-driver must:
- hold a valid full-privilege licence
- have held it for at least the 2 years immediately before co-driving
- be free of alcohol and drugs. Zero tolerance applies to your co-driver as well as you.
Another Government of Yukon document on co-drivers says two suspension-free years on a full Class 5. Choose someone who meets that higher bar.
Midnight work exemption
If you work shifts that start or end after midnight, the co-driver rule may not apply once you have been approved for a midnight work exemption. Ask Motor Vehicles how to apply. Don’t drive after midnight alone until the approval is in place.
Zero tolerance
Novice drivers in Yukon must have no alcohol or drugs in their system when driving, and neither may their co-driver. This is stricter than the limits for fully licensed adults. For how penalties for new drivers work across Canada, see impaired driving penalties in Canada for new drivers.
No devices, not even hands-free
Novices may not use any hand-held or hands-free electronic device while driving. Only full-licence holders may use a device set up and used hands-free. For any driver, hand-held use is allowed only when the vehicle is legally and safely parked, out of the way of traffic.
In practice: set your music and navigation before you leave, put your phone where you can’t reach it, and pull over safely if you must take a call.
No towing
Novice drivers may not tow a trailer. That includes boat trailers, utility trailers and campers, so plan summer trips around it.
Passengers
As a novice you may not carry more passengers than the vehicle has seatbelts, and nobody may ride in the box of a truck. You may only drive a passenger vehicle up to 4,000 kg gross weight with 9 seats or fewer, including yours, and only vehicles your licence covers. Learners have a tighter passenger limit: 2 including the co-driver, plus immediate family.
The 50-hour log: where it fits
The 50 hours belong to the learner stage. You need them before you can book the road test that makes you a novice. They are recorded on the Government of Yukon’s “GDL Driver record and declaration” form, which your parent, guardian or co-driver signs. Keep a copy. Practice doesn’t need to stop at novice: keep logging new conditions, such as your first winter highway drive or your first night on gravel.
What resets your novice time
The 18 months must run in a row. Your GDL clock goes back to zero, and you restart the stage, if you drive against your conditions, use a device, reach 7 demerit points or break the zero-tolerance rule. Your record is closely watched: a ticket can also bring a warning letter, and serious offences can mean a suspension of two months to a year or more. Once you finish, apply for your full licence at any Motor Vehicles office. See Yukon impaired driving and demerit points.
Learner vs novice in Yukon
| Rule | Learner | Novice |
|---|---|---|
| Co-driver | Always | Midnight to 5 a.m. |
| Driving hours | 5 a.m. to midnight | Any time |
| Devices | None | None |
| Towing | No | No |
| Alcohol and drugs | Zero | Zero |
| Minimum time | 6 months | 18 months |
Common questions
How long is the novice stage in Yukon?
At least 18 months in a row (540 days) without breaking your conditions before you can apply for a full licence. The earliest age for a full Class 5 is 17.5.
Can a Yukon novice driver drive at night?
Yes, until midnight alone. Between midnight and 5 a.m. you need a qualified co-driver, unless you have an approved midnight work exemption.
Can I use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto as a novice?
No. Novices may not use hands-free devices either.
Can I tow my friend’s trailer?
No. Towing is not allowed in the novice stage.
Can my 19-year-old friend be my co-driver after midnight?
Only if they have held a full-privilege licence for at least 2 years, and have no alcohol or drugs in their system.
Does my novice time count if I move to another province?
Each province and territory has its own rules on credit for time served. See graduated licence rules by province, then check with the new jurisdiction.
Back to the full guide: learning to drive in Yukon. Related: Yukon road test, Yukon learner licence rules and driving the Alaska Highway and Yukon winter roads.
Sources
- Government of Yukon, “Get a driver’s licence” (yukon.ca)
- Government of Yukon, “Learn about distracted driving” (yukon.ca)
- Government of Yukon, “GDL Driver record and declaration” (yukon.ca)
- Government of Yukon, “Getting you ready for your road test: Tuning up for drivers” (yukon.ca)