G2 Licence Restrictions in Ontario

What a G2 licence lets you do

A G2 licence lets you drive without an experienced driver in the car, on all Ontario roads, including 400-series highways and high-speed expressways. In most cases you can drive at any time of day.

That's a big step up from G1. But G2 is still a novice licence in Ontario's graduated licensing system, so a few conditions apply until you earn your full G licence. For the bigger picture, see graduated licensing in Ontario.

The G2 rules at a glance

Zero alcohol and zero drugs

As a G2 driver, your blood-alcohol level must be zero every time you drive. Ontario.ca says drivers with G1, G2, M1 or M2 licences, and all drivers 21 and under, must have no alcohol and no drugs in their system. The zero-tolerance rule covers cannabis.

The age rule matters too. The Official MTO Driver's Handbook says all drivers 21 and under, regardless of licence class, must have a blood-alcohol level of zero. So if you're under 22, passing your G road test doesn't change this.

Penalties for young and novice drivers, according to Ontario.ca:

A conviction also brings a fine of $60 to $1,000, and your licence can be suspended for an additional 30 or 90 days, or cancelled, depending on your age and licence class.

Seat belts and passenger numbers

You can't carry more passengers than there are working seat belts in your vehicle. The handbook puts it simply: each person in the vehicle must have a working seat belt.

Night passenger limits for drivers 19 and under

If you're 19 or under, extra passenger rules apply between midnight and 5 a.m.:

• First six months with your G2: only one passenger aged 19 or under.
• After six months, until you get your full G licence or turn 20: up to three passengers aged 19 or under.

These limits don't apply if:

• a fully licensed driver with at least four years of driving experience is in the front passenger seat, or
• the passengers are immediate family members, such as a parent, brother or sister.

Once you turn 20, the night passenger limits no longer apply to you. The seat belt and zero alcohol rules still do.

What happens if you break a G2 condition

Breaking a novice condition has bigger consequences than you might expect.

The handbook says a novice driver convicted of violating any novice condition, or of an offence worth four or more demerit points, receives the penalty for that offence plus a Novice Driver Escalating Sanction licence suspension.

G2 drivers also have a stricter demerit point system than fully licensed drivers:

• 2 or more points: warning letter
• 6 points: second warning letter
• 9 or more points: 60-day licence suspension

How long your G2 licence is valid

Your G2 licence is valid for the rest of the five-year period your G1 was issued for. It doesn't start a new five-year clock.

Inside that window you need to hold your G2 for at least 12 months before you can take the G road test. Most people finish graduated licensing in about 20 to 24 months, which leaves room for practice and a retest if needed.

If your G2 is close to expiring and you haven't passed the G road test, you can requalify. DriveTest says you can stay a G2 driver for another five years by passing the G2 road test again, with road test and licensing fees. Under the regulation, requalification happens within the six months before your licence expires. The ministry sends G1 and G2 drivers a notice before their expiry date explaining their options.

If your G2 expires before you pass the G road test or requalify, you won't have a licence to drive, and you'll have to reapply at the G1 level.

Make the most of your G2 year

Your G2 period is your chance to build the highway and city experience you'll need for the G road test. You'll even have to declare your recent highway driving before that test. See what to do after passing your G2 for a practice plan.

Find more lessons in the free Roadity Library, or visit the G road test hub.