DRIVER'S HANDBOOK

Chapter 1: The Class Licence System and Graduated Driver Licensing

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    The Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Program is a three-stage licensing process that is designed to help new drivers, regardless of age, acquire the knowledge and skill needed to safely operate a motor vehicle.

    Whether you are 16 or 60 years old, GDL enables new drivers to gain experience under conditions where the risk of having a collision is lower.

    The three stages of GDL are the Learner Stage, the Intermediate Stage and the Full Stage. Each stage has specific restrictions for new drivers that reduce the opportunity and likelihood for risky driving behaviour.

    Class 5L Licence (Learner Stage) (minimum 9 months)

    The first licence for a new driver is a Learner Stage licence. To be eligible to apply for a Learner licence, you must be at least 16 years of age, or a minimum of 151/2 years of age and enrolled in a high school driver education course that is currently in progress. Parental consent is required if you’re under 18 years of age. You must pass a knowledge test and meet the vision and medical standards.

    Learner drivers must follow these restrictions:

    • cannot have drugs or alcohol in your system
    • be accompanied by a qualified supervising driver as the only front seat passenger (The supervising driver must hold a valid licence and have held a Class 5F licence for at least three years. The supervising driver must have less than .05 blood alcohol concentration and must not fail a drug screening test.)
    • restrict other passengers to the back seat(s) up to the number of functioning seatbelts in the back seat of the vehicle
    • no towing of vehicles
    • no operating of Class 3 motor vehicles registered as a farm truck
    • no operating of off-road vehicles (ORVs) along or across highways

    Class 5I Licence (Intermediate Stage) (minimum 15 months)*

    To graduate to this stage, you must pass a road test. While in the Intermediate Stage, you must follow these restrictions:

    • cannot have drugs or alcohol in your system
    • restrict passengers between 5 a.m. to midnight to one passenger in the front seat and passengers in the back seat(s) up to the number of functioning seatbelts in the back seat of the vehicle
    • restrict passengers between midnight to 5 a.m. to either one passenger or a qualified supervising driver in the front seat and passengers in the back seat(s) up to the number of functioning seatbelts in the back seat of the vehicle

    Drivers in the Intermediate Stage may tow vehicles, operate a Class 3 motor vehicle registered as a farm truck, and operate ORVs along or across highways.

    * A driver is only required to complete the Intermediate Stage once. Therefore, time served in the Intermediate Stage in Class 5 will be applied to the Intermediate Stage in Class 6 and vice-versa.

    Class 5F Licence (Full Stage)

    After spending a minimum of 15 months in the Intermediate Stage, you will graduate to the Full Stage. For the first 36 months you must continue to have no drugs or alcohol in your system. You’re eligible for a Full Class 1-4 driver’s licence after passing appropriate tests if you are at least 18 years of age and meet medical standards. You may supervise novice drivers after three years in the Full Stage.