G1 Rules and Restrictions in Ontario

G1 licence conditions at a glance

A G1 licence lets you drive a car, van or small truck only under set conditions. These come from Ontario Regulation 340/94 under the Highway Traffic Act, and the Official MTO Driver's Handbook explains them in plain language.

As a G1 driver in Ontario, you must:

• Keep a zero blood alcohol level. No alcohol at all.
• Drive with a qualified accompanying driver in the front passenger seat.
• Keep the front seat for your accompanying driver only.
• Have a working seatbelt for every passenger and make sure each one wears it.
• Stay off 400-series highways and listed high-speed expressways.
• Not drive between midnight and 5 a.m.

These conditions are also likely topics on the G1 knowledge test. The handbook lists driver licence suspensions, the demerit point system and seatbelts among the things the written test may ask about.

Who can be your accompanying driver?

Your accompanying driver must sit in the front passenger seat, and they're the only other person allowed in the front. The handbook says they must have:

• A valid Class G licence or higher
• At least four years of driving experience
• A blood alcohol level of less than .05% while accompanying you, or zero if they are 21 or under

Two details from the handbook worth knowing:

• Time the accompanying driver spent at the G2 level counts toward their four years, as long as that G2 wasn't suspended.
• Their licence may have demerit points, but it cannot be suspended.

Which highways can't G1 drivers use?

G1 drivers can't drive on the highways listed in section 5 of Ontario Regulation 340/94. As of the current version on ontario.ca/laws, those are:

• Highways 400, 400A, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 409, 410, 412, 416, 417, 418, 420 and 427, on the parts with posted speed limits greater than 80 km/h
• All of Highway 407 and Highway 407 East
• The Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW)
• The Don Valley Parkway, the Gardiner Expressway and the E.C. Row Expressway
• The Conestoga Parkway, between its intersection with Highways 7 and 8 and its intersection with Highway 86

The exception: if your accompanying driver is a driving instructor licensed in Ontario, the highway restriction doesn't apply. All the other G1 conditions still do.

Hours and passengers

Hours: you may not drive between midnight and 5 a.m.

Passengers: only your accompanying driver can sit in the front. In the back, the regulation says the number of passengers can't exceed the number of working seatbelts in those seats. The handbook puts it simply: each person in the vehicle must have a working seatbelt.

Seatbelts matter for demerit points too. The handbook's demerit table lists two points for a driver who doesn't ensure a passenger under 16 is wearing a seatbelt.

Blood alcohol

You must have a zero blood alcohol level whenever you drive with a G1. The handbook also notes that all drivers 21 and under, in any licence class, must have a blood alcohol level of zero.

How long does a G1 last?

A G1 licence is valid for five years, under section 28 of Ontario Regulation 340/94. That five-year window covers the whole graduated licensing process. Ontario.ca says you have up to five years to finish, and if you don't get your full G licence by then, you start over.

Before you can take the G2 road test, you must hold your G1 for a minimum time:

If your G1 is about to expire and you haven't moved up, the handbook says you can requalify by passing a test and paying the five-year licensing fee. A notice is mailed to G1 drivers before expiry explaining the options. If your G1 expires, ontario.ca says you'll need to start over and pay the test fees again.

How BDE affects your timing

A ministry-approved beginner driver education course cuts your G1 waiting period by four months, from 12 months to 8. The handbook says approved BDE courses run at least 40 hours: at least 20 hours in class, 10 hours in the vehicle and 10 hours of flexible instruction.

The regulation adds a timing detail: the course certificate is valid for two years from its issue date for the purpose of shortening your G1 period. BDE is optional, and the handbook says it may also bring savings on your car insurance.

See the full timeline in our graduated licensing guide.

What happens if you break a G1 rule?

The handbook explains that a novice driver (G1 or G2) convicted of violating a novice condition receives the appropriate penalty plus a Novice Driver Escalating Sanction licence suspension.

Demerit points also add up faster for new drivers:

Demerit points stay on your record for two years from the date of the offence.

Study the rules, then practise

Know these conditions for the road and for the test. Our G1 practice questions include rules questions based on the handbook, and you can practise with G1 Prep for more.

When your G1 waiting period is up, you'll take the G2 road test. Roadity helps you get ready with practice routes and spoken turn-by-turn guidance at Ontario DriveTest centres.