G Driver's Licence in Ontario (Graduated Licensing G1 to G2 to G)

Researched from official sources · May 9, 2026

Ontario issues the Class G driver's licence (passenger car, van, or small truck) through a graduated path.

The path runs G1 learner permit, G2 probationary licence, and full G. Each stage carries its own restrictions and minimum hold period. New residents who hold a valid licence from a designated jurisdiction may exchange directly instead of starting at G1.

Estimated time

About 20 months minimum from G1 entry to full G; 8 months G1 hold if an MTO-approved driver-education course is completed

Cost

C$90 for the original licence package (covers G1, G2, and G); test-specific and retest fees set by DriveTest and published at drivetest.ca

What You Need

Tap to check off items as you gather them

Additional Items

  • Eyewear if you usually wear glasses or contact lenses for driving — bring them for the on-site vision test
  • Roadworthy vehicle for both road tests; for the G2 test, bring a fully licensed accompanying driver
  • Booking confirmation when arriving for either road test
  • Mutual Driver's Licence Exchange path — if you hold a valid licence from a designated jurisdiction, see ontario.ca/page/exchange-out-province-drivers-licence before starting the graduated path
Last checked 1 month ago

Step-by-Step

  1. 1

    Study the Official MTO Driver's Handbook

    1. Buy the handbook online from the publisher or at any DriveTest centre and ServiceOntario centre — C$14.95 plus HST
    2. Cover both the rules of the road and the traffic-signs sections; the G1 knowledge test draws from both
    3. If you prefer French, ask for the Guide officiel de l'automobiliste publié par le MTO

    💡 Tip: The handbook is the only MTO-published study guide for the G1 knowledge test. Third-party practice tests are not authoritative.

    Ontario.ca — Official MTO Driver's Handbook (ontario.ca ↗)
  2. 2

    Gather your identification and confirm eligibility

    1. Confirm you are at least 16 years old and a resident of Ontario (visitors do not qualify)
    2. Pull together the original identification documents from the status flow that matches you — Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or temporary resident
    3. Bring an Ontario Photo Card alongside your status document if you have one — it is accepted across all three flows

    ⚠️ Watch out: Photocopies are not accepted. ServiceOntario and DriveTest counters require the originals listed for your status flow; arriving without them ends the visit.

  3. 3

    Take the vision test and the knowledge test

    New Arrival Resident
    1. Walk in to any DriveTest centre — no appointment is needed for the knowledge test
    2. Or book an appointment at the ServiceOntario Bay and College location in downtown Toronto, the single ServiceOntario centre in Ontario that administers the knowledge test
    3. Pass a vision test at the counter using a standard eye chart
    4. Pass the multiple-choice knowledge test on rules of the road and traffic signs
    5. Pay the C$90 original licence package fee plus the knowledge-test fee published at drivetest.ca/tests/fees

    💡 Tip: If you pass both tests in the same visit, you walk out with a temporary paper G1 — the permanent plastic card is mailed by Canada Post to your Ontario address within 4 to 6 weeks (per ontario.ca's renewal-page delivery window, which applies to original issuances as well).

    ⚠️ Watch out: If you fail the knowledge test, retest fees and any cooldown are set by DriveTest and published at drivetest.ca/tests/fees — verify before rebooking.

    DriveTest — find a centre and book (drivetest.ca ↗) Ontario.ca — Get a G driver's licence (new drivers) (ontario.ca ↗)
  4. 4

    Hold G1, then book the G2 road test

    1. Hold your G1 for at least 12 months — or 8 months if you complete an MTO-approved driver-education course and produce the certificate
    2. Practice within the G1 restrictions: zero blood alcohol; no driving between midnight and 5 a.m.; no 400-series highways; an accompanying driver with at least four years of full-licence experience must be the only other person in the front seat
    3. Book the G2 road test online at drivetest.ca, by phone, or in person at a DriveTest centre

    💡 Tip: An MTO-approved driver-education course is the only way to shorten the G1 minimum hold. The shortcut applies to G1 only — the G2 to G transition still requires a full 12 months.

    ⚠️ Watch out: Cancelling a booked road test less than 48 hours in advance forfeits the booking fee. Reschedule earlier to avoid the loss.

  5. 5

    Pass the G2 road test

    1. Bring your valid G1, the booking confirmation, and a roadworthy vehicle to the DriveTest centre
    2. Bring a fully licensed accompanying driver — G1 driving rules apply on the trip in
    3. Demonstrate the basic skills: turning left and right, stopping, parallel parking, one-way streets, lane changes, three-point turns, residential driving, traffic lights, stop and yield signs
    4. Pay the G2 road-test fee at the DriveTest centre — published at drivetest.ca/tests/fees

    💡 Tip: If you pass, you receive a temporary paper G2 the same day; the plastic card is mailed by Canada Post within 4 to 6 weeks.

  6. 6

    Hold G2 for at least 12 months, then book the G road test

    1. Hold your G2 for at least 12 months — driver education does not shorten this stage
    2. Drive within G2 restrictions: zero blood alcohol; passengers limited to working seatbelts; drivers 19 and under face additional passenger limits between midnight and 5 a.m.
    3. Book the G road test via drivetest.ca, by phone, or in person at a DriveTest centre

    ⚠️ Watch out: If your G2 is about to expire while you still hold it, take the G1 road test again to refresh the five-year window — ontario.ca: "take your G1 road test again and get five more years".

  7. 7

    Pass the G road test and receive your full Class G licence

    1. Demonstrate advanced skills: driving on major roads and expressways, turns, curves, lane changes, intersections, and driving in business areas (no parallel parking, no 3-point turn, no residential driving on this test)
    2. Pay the G road-test fee at the DriveTest centre — published at drivetest.ca/tests/fees
    3. Pass — and you walk out with a temporary paper full-G licence; the permanent plastic card is mailed by Canada Post within 4 to 6 weeks

    💡 Tip: Watch for the plastic card in the mail. If it does not arrive within about six weeks of passing, contact ServiceOntario before assuming it was lost — replacement is C$35.75.

What Could Go Wrong

Pass the knowledge test: Knowledge test failed at the DriveTest centre

Recovery: You may retry. Retest fees and any cooldown rules are set by DriveTest and published at drivetest.ca/tests/fees — verify before booking the next attempt.

Pass the G2 road test: G1 expired before passing the G2 road test

Recovery: Per ontario.ca, you must "start all over and pay the test fees again" — including the knowledge test.

Pass the G road test: G2 about to expire while still holding G2

Recovery: Take the G1 road test again to refresh the five-year window — ontario.ca: "take your G1 road test again and get five more years".

Costs

Item Amount Payment Notes
Original driver's licence package (G1 + G2 + G) C$90 Debit, credit, or cash at a DriveTest centre or ServiceOntario centre Verbatim from ontario.ca/page/driver-and-vehicle-fees: C$90 covers the original licence package across the G1, G2, and G stages. Ontario.ca renders the same figure as $90 per Canadian-domestic convention.
Replace a lost, stolen, or damaged licence C$35.75 Debit, credit, or cash at a ServiceOntario centre Verbatim from ontario.ca/page/driver-and-vehicle-fees: C$35.75. Ontario.ca renders this as $35.75.
Reinstate a suspended driver's licence C$281 Debit, credit, or cash Verbatim from ontario.ca/page/driver-and-vehicle-fees: C$281. Charged on top of any other penalties tied to the suspension.
Official MTO Driver's Handbook (Optional) C$14.95 Card or cash at the point of sale (online or in person) Ontario.ca verbatim: "Cost: $14.95 plus taxes". HST in Ontario is 13%, so the all-in price is roughly C$16.89.
Knowledge test, G2 road test, and G road test fees C$0 Debit, credit, or cash at the DriveTest centre Test-specific fees and retest fees are set by DriveTest and published at drivetest.ca/tests/fees. Cite-not-quote: verify the current schedule on drivetest.ca before booking. Cancellations made less than 48 hours before a road test forfeit the booking fee.
Original driver's licence package (G1 + G2 + G) C$90
Payment:
Debit, credit, or cash at a DriveTest centre or ServiceOntario centre
Notes:
Verbatim from ontario.ca/page/driver-and-vehicle-fees: C$90 covers the original licence package across the G1, G2, and G stages. Ontario.ca renders the same figure as $90 per Canadian-domestic convention.
Replace a lost, stolen, or damaged licence C$35.75
Payment:
Debit, credit, or cash at a ServiceOntario centre
Notes:
Verbatim from ontario.ca/page/driver-and-vehicle-fees: C$35.75. Ontario.ca renders this as $35.75.
Reinstate a suspended driver's licence C$281
Payment:
Debit, credit, or cash
Notes:
Verbatim from ontario.ca/page/driver-and-vehicle-fees: C$281. Charged on top of any other penalties tied to the suspension.
Official MTO Driver's Handbook (Optional) C$14.95
Payment:
Card or cash at the point of sale (online or in person)
Notes:
Ontario.ca verbatim: "Cost: $14.95 plus taxes". HST in Ontario is 13%, so the all-in price is roughly C$16.89.
Knowledge test, G2 road test, and G road test fees C$0
Payment:
Debit, credit, or cash at the DriveTest centre
Notes:
Test-specific fees and retest fees are set by DriveTest and published at drivetest.ca/tests/fees. Cite-not-quote: verify the current schedule on drivetest.ca before booking. Cancellations made less than 48 hours before a road test forfeit the booking fee.
Total: C$406.75

FAQ

General

How long does the full G1 to G journey take?

Ontario.ca: "It will take you about 20 months to finish." The G1 minimum hold is 12 months, or 8 months if you complete an MTO-approved driver-education course. The G2 minimum hold is 12 months and is not shortened by driver education. You have up to five years to finish the entire process — if you do not have your full G after five years, you start over.

What are the G1 driving restrictions?

Ontario.ca verbatim: "maintain a zero blood alcohol level"; "not drive between midnight and 5 a.m."; "not drive on 400-series highways or high-speed expressways"; every passenger must wear a working seatbelt; you must drive with a fully licensed driver who has at least four years of driving experience and whose blood alcohol level is below 0.05 (zero if they are 21 or under). The accompanying driver must be the only other person in the front seat.

What are the G2 driving restrictions?

Ontario.ca verbatim: "have a zero blood alcohol level" and "carry only as many passengers as there are working seatbelts". Drivers 19 and under face additional passenger limits between midnight and 5 a.m. — only one passenger 19 or under in the first six months, and up to three after that. The 19-and-under restriction does not apply when a fully licensed driver with at least four years of experience is in the car, or when the passengers are immediate family members.

I hold a valid foreign or out-of-province licence — do I have to start at G1?

No — Ontario operates a Mutual Driver's Licence Exchange. Holders of valid licences from any Canadian province or territory, all U.S. States, and a designated list including Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Denmark, the Isle of Man, Japan, South Korea, Kosovo, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Ukraine can exchange directly. Driving experience proven by your licence grants up to one year of credit; an Authentication Document from the issuing government is required for credit beyond one year. Applicants from non-designated jurisdictions cannot exchange and must complete the graduated path, though they may still receive driving-experience credit. See ontario.ca/page/exchange-out-province-drivers-licence.

What if I fail a road test?

Ontario.ca verbatim: if your G1 has not yet expired, "you can try the road test again". If your G1 has expired and you fail the road test, you "start all over and pay the test fees again". If your G2 is about to expire while you still hold it, you can take the G1 road test again to refresh the five-year clock. Test-specific retest fees are published at drivetest.ca/tests/fees.

Are the licensing pages and the Driver's Handbook available in French?

Yes. Ontario's French Language Services Act applies to provincial services and ontario.ca canonical pages have French mirrors at /fr/page/. The Official MTO Driver's Handbook is sold in French as the Guide officiel de l'automobiliste publié par le MTO.

After This Process

  • → Watch for the plastic licence in the mail (4 to 6 weeks); keep the temporary paper licence with you until then
  • → Update your auto-insurance policy with your new licence class — premiums change between G1, G2, and full G
  • → If you move within Ontario, update your address with ServiceOntario

Sources

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More in Canada

7 sources cited last accessed 2026-05-09

T1 official portal · T2 embassy/consulate · T3 news · T4 community — higher tier wins on conflict. methodology →

  1. T1
    Ministry of Transportation Ontario (Government of Ontario) 2026-05-09

    Eligibility requires being at least 16 years old, a resident of Ontario (not a visitor), passing a vision test, and passing a knowledge test about the rules of the road and traffic signs. The graduated licensing path is G1, then G2, then full G; the canonical page states "It will take you about 20 months to finish" and "You have up to five years to finish the whole process". Required identification differs by status — Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or temporary resident — with each flow listing accepted original documents (Canadian or foreign passport; Canadian Citizenship Card; Secure Certificate of Indian Status Card issued on or after December 15, 2009; PR Card; Record of Landing IMM 1000; Confirmation of Permanent Residence IMM 5292 with valid passport; Study Permit / Work Permit / Visitor Record / Temporary Resident Permit IMM 1442; Refugee Status Claim IMM 1434; Acknowledgement of Intent IMM 7703 with photo; Report Pursuant to the Immigration Act IMM 1442 with photo; Ontario Photo Card). G1 restrictions verbatim: "maintain a zero blood alcohol level", "not drive between midnight and 5 a.m.", "not drive on 400-series highways or high-speed expressways", and accompanying-driver requirements. G2 restrictions verbatim: "have a zero blood alcohol level" and "carry only as many passengers as there are working seatbelts", with passenger limits for drivers 19 and under. Failure-path verbatim: if G1 has not yet expired and the road test is failed, "you can try the road test again"; if G1 expired, "start all over and pay the test fees again"; if G2 about to expire, "take your G1 road test again and get five more years". The knowledge test is offered walk-in at any DriveTest centre and by appointment at the ServiceOntario Bay and College location in downtown Toronto.

    ontario.ca
  2. T1
    Ministry of Transportation Ontario (Government of Ontario) 2026-05-09

    Ontario driver-licence fee schedule (verbatim, Canadian-domestic single-dollar-sign rendering): original driver's licence (G1 / G2 / G package) $90; replace lost, stolen, or damaged driver's licence $35.75; reinstate a suspended driver's licence $281. Test-specific fees (knowledge test, G2 road test, G road test, retest fees) are set and published by DriveTest at drivetest.ca, and the canonical Ontario fee page links readers to that schedule rather than republishing the figures.

    ontario.ca
  3. T1
    Ministry of Transportation Ontario (Government of Ontario) 2026-05-09

    Mutual Driver's Licence Exchange jurisdictions for direct exchange (verbatim): any Canadian province or territory; Canadian Armed Forces; all U.S. States (does not include U.S. protectorates or U.S. territories); Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Denmark, the Isle of Man, Japan, South Korea, Kosovo, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine. Required documents: "originals of your accepted identity documents showing your legal name and date of birth"; "your original, valid out-of-province/foreign driver's licence"; "any original supporting documents that show proof of your driving experience". Non-English / non-French licences require a certified translation "dated within six months of when you apply". Driving-experience credit verbatim: "You can obtain up to one year of driving experience, by showing a valid, original foreign driver's licence" — credit beyond one year requires an Authentication Document from the issuing government.

    ontario.ca
  4. T1
    Ministry of Transportation Ontario (Government of Ontario) 2026-05-09

    The Official MTO Driver's Handbook is the published study guide for the G1 driver's licence test and the Level 2 (G2) road test. The page lists the price as "$14.95 plus taxes" (Ontario HST = 13%) and notes the handbook is "Disponible en français. Demandez le « Guide officiel de l'automobiliste publié par le MTO »". Distribution channels include the publisher online and DriveTest centres in print.

    ontario.ca
  5. T1
    Ministry of Transportation Ontario (Government of Ontario) 2026-05-09

    Renewal-page delivery flow used as cross-reference for original licence issuance: "new licence arrives in the mail within 4 to 6 weeks". The same paper-then-plastic Canada Post mailing window applies to G1, G2, and G original issuances at DriveTest centres.

    ontario.ca
  6. T1
    Ministry of Transportation Ontario (Government of Ontario) 2026-05-09

    Hub page for Ontario driving services. Links readers from "Get a G driver's licence" (for car, van, or small truck) onward to the Driver's Handbook page, the DriveTest road-test booking site at drivetest.ca, and the Mutual Driver's Licence Exchange page for newcomers. Confirms the canonical division of labour: ontario.ca for licensing rules and provincial fees; drivetest.ca for test booking and test-specific fees.

    ontario.ca
  7. T1
    Serco Canada Inc. (MTO-contracted Driver Examination Services) 2026-05-09

    Canonical fee schedule for the Ontario knowledge test, the G2 road test, the G road test, and any retest fees is published at drivetest.ca/tests/fees. Cite-not-quote: the canonical Ontario page links readers here for current figures rather than republishing them. Cancellations less than 48 hours before a road test forfeit the booking fee.

    drivetest.ca
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