When can I take my G road test in Ontario?

The 12-month rule for G2 drivers

You become eligible for the G road test after 12 months with a G2 licence. Ontario's Drivers' Licences regulation sets a minimum of 365 days at the G2 level before a novice driver can move up to a full G licence.

The Beginner Driver Education course that some learners take only shortens the G1 stage, from 12 months to 8. It does not change the G2 stage. Once you hold a G2, the clock runs for a full year.

DriveTest says most people take about 20 to 24 months to finish graduated licensing from G1 to full G. For the full path, see our graduated licensing overview.

Your G2 must still be valid

Your G2 licence has to be valid when you book and when you take the test. DriveTest states that novice drivers in graduated licensing may not book a road test after their licence expiry date, and you cannot change an existing appointment once your licence has expired.

Your G2 is valid for the rest of the five-year period that started when you got your G1. The Ministry of Transportation gives you up to five years to finish graduated licensing. If you don't get your full G in that time, you need to start over.

If your G2 is close to expiring, you have two options:

• Requalify as a G2. You can pass the G2 road test again to get five more years as a G2 driver. Ontario Regulation 340/94 allows this within the six months before your licence expires. Road test and licence fees apply.
• Ask about an extension. If you book your G road test before your licence expires, DriveTest may grant an extension of up to 42 days. It is valid only until your road test date, and you must visit a DriveTest Centre to arrange it. If you don't pass on an extension, you can't book another road test without meeting other requirements.

Check the expiry date on your licence card now and plan backward from it.

Highway experience you must declare

Before the G road test, you must declare your recent highway driving. The Official MTO Driver's Handbook calls this the Declaration of Highway Driving Experience.

DriveTest asks how many times in the last three months you have driven on a highway with a speed limit of at least 80 km/h or on a 400-series highway. You also give the average length of those trips: under 5 km, 5 to 15 km, or over 15 km.

To qualify, you need at least five trips in the last three months. Roads that count include:

• Highways 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 409, 410, 416, 417, 420 and 427
• Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) and Don Valley Parkway (DVP)
• Gardiner Expressway, E. C. Row Expressway and Conestoga Parkway

Our guide to highway driving for the G test covers how to build this experience and what the examiner looks for.

What you need to book and take the test

To book online through DriveTest, you need your driver's licence number and expiry date, an email address, and a way to pay. The Class G road test fee is $91.25, including taxes, and you pay it when you book. See our step-by-step guide to booking the G road test and our DriveTest fees page.

On test day, DriveTest asks you to bring:

1. A Class G vehicle in good working order, with enough gas for the test
2. Your current driver's licence
3. Glasses or contact lenses, if you need them to drive
4. Your road test confirmation

DriveTest does not provide vehicles. Yours can be owned, borrowed or rented.

If you don't pass

You can take the G road test as many times as you need, as long as your G2 licence is valid. DriveTest says you generally must wait at least 10 days between tests, and the road test fee applies each time.

If your G2 expires before you pass, you have to start over, including paying the fees again. That is why it pays to book your first attempt well before your expiry date, so you have room for a retest.

Make the most of your G2 year

The 12 months on your G2 are your chance to build real highway confidence. G2 drivers can drive on all Ontario roads, including 400-series highways, without an accompanying driver.

Use the time to practise the skills the G road test checks:

• Entering a highway, matching speed and merging smoothly
• Lane changes with mirror and blind-spot checks
• Keeping a two- to three-second following distance at speed
• Exiting without slowing too early
• Turns, curves, intersections and busy business areas

The Roadity iPhone app has practice routes around 19 Ontario DriveTest centres, including G routes with spoken turn-by-turn guidance and hints at highway entrances, merges and exits. Examiners choose the actual route on the day, so treat these as practice, not the official test route. You can download Roadity and pair it with our free G lessons in the Library.

When your 12 months are up and your highway trips are logged, head to the G road test hub to plan your booking.