Zero alcohol in Quebec until 22: rules and penalties

Photo: Gabriel Picard, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In Quebec, you must have no alcohol at all in your body when you drive if you are under 22, or if you hold a learner’s or probationary licence at any age. Break the rule and you face an immediate 90-day licence suspension, 4 demerit points and a fine of $300 to $600. This page explains who the rule covers, the penalties, and how drugs are treated. For the national picture, see impaired driving in Canada for new drivers.

Who must follow Quebec’s zero alcohol rule?

So a driver who gets a regular licence at 19 still has zero alcohol until 22, and someone who starts learning at 30 has zero alcohol through the learner and probationary stages.

Penalties for breaking the zero alcohol rule in Quebec

• Immediate 90-day licence suspension at the roadside.
• Fine of $300 to $600.
• 4 demerit points if convicted.

For learner and probationary licence holders, 4 points is the limit, so a conviction also revokes the licence for at least 3 more months after the suspension. See Quebec probationary licence rules and Quebec learner’s licence rules.

Scenario

A 20-year-old with a probationary licence has one beer at dinner and drives home. Police detect alcohol. The licence is suspended on the spot for 90 days and a fine of $300 to $600 follows. On conviction, 4 demerit points are added, which revokes the licence for at least another 3 months. That is roughly six months off the road for one drink.

Drugs and cannabis

Quebec’s Highway Safety Code also deals with drugs:

• A police officer can immediately suspend your licence for 90 days if an evaluating officer finds you impaired by cannabis, another drug, or drugs combined with alcohol.
• Refusing or failing to do physical coordination tests or give a saliva sample when ordered also brings an immediate 90-day suspension.
• Consuming cannabis or other drugs in a road vehicle is prohibited.
• The Code contains a “zero drug tolerance” rule (no detectable cannabis or other drug in saliva) that comes into force once police detection equipment is approved for use in Quebec. Check its current status with the SAAQ.

Impaired driving is also a Criminal Code offence everywhere in Canada, with separate and heavier penalties.

What the driving course teaches

Module 10 of the Quebec driving course, Alcohol and Drugs, sits in Phase 3 (semi-guided driving). It covers how alcohol and drugs affect driving and the penalties above. See Quebec’s mandatory driving course.

Common questions

Is it zero alcohol until 21 or 22 in Quebec?

Until 22. The SAAQ says the rule applies to drivers under 22.

Does the rule apply if I am 25 and on a probationary licence?

Yes. All learner and probationary licence holders must have zero alcohol, whatever their age.

Can I drive the morning after drinking?

Only if no alcohol remains in your body.

Do the zero alcohol rules apply to off-road vehicles?

The Government of Quebec says the zero alcohol rule for young drivers also applies to off-road vehicle drivers.

Is the 90-day suspension the same as a criminal charge?

No. The 90-day suspension is an administrative penalty under the Highway Safety Code. Criminal Code impaired driving charges are separate.

Sources

• SAAQ, “Drinking and Driving: Impairment and Consequences” (saaq.gouv.qc.ca)
• SAAQ, “First Driver’s Licence” (saaq.gouv.qc.ca)
• SAAQ, “Demerit Points: Driver’s Licence” (saaq.gouv.qc.ca)
• SAAQ, “Phase 3, Semi-Guided Driving: Module 10 Alcohol and Drugs” (saaq.gouv.qc.ca)
• Government of Quebec, “Amendments to the Highway Safety Code in relation to the legalization of cannabis” (quebec.ca)
• Government of Quebec, “Rules for off-road vehicles” (quebec.ca)
• Government of Quebec, “Alcohol” (quebec.ca)