What is the best way to study for the G1 test?

Read the whole Official MTO Driver's Handbook, since DriveTest says the questions are based on it. Then practise multiple-choice questions until you can score well above 80% on both signs and rules.

What happens if I fail the G1 test?

You can pay the fee and try again. DriveTest lists $16.00 per extra attempt, and if you re-try within one year you only redo the sections that did not meet MTO standards.

Should I study signs or rules first for the G1?

Study both, because the test is split into sections such as signs and rules of the road. You can start with signs because shapes and colours are quick to learn, then spend more time on rules.

How long should I study for the G1 test?

There's no official study time. Study until you can explain the handbook rules in your own words and consistently score well above 80% on practice questions.

G1 Test Tips: Common Mistakes and How to Study

Why people fail the G1 test

People usually fail the G1 knowledge test for a handful of fixable reasons: they skip parts of the handbook, mix up specific numbers, neglect one section, or rush. None of these are about intelligence. They're about preparation.

The test is multiple choice, split into two or three sections such as signs and rules of the road, and you need a total score of at least 80%. DriveTest says the questions are based on the Official MTO Driver's Handbook. If you know the handbook, you can pass.

Wondering how many questions you can get wrong? See how many mistakes are allowed on the G1, G2 and G test; this guide covers the most common G1 mistakes and how to avoid them.

Mistake 1: Studying only the signs

Signs are quick to learn, so it's tempting to stop there. But DriveTest describes the test as having separate sections, typically one on signs and one on rules of the road. If you re-try within a year, you redo only the sections that didn't meet MTO standards, which tells you each section counts.

Fix: split your study time across both. Signs first if you like, then the rules chapters.

Mistake 2: Mixing up the numbers

The handbook is full of specific distances, speeds and times. In a multiple-choice question, a wrong option can be a real number from a different rule, so a rough memory isn't enough. Know these cold:

Rule	Number
Stop behind a school bus with red lights flashing	At least 20 metres
Stop for an approaching train	At least 5 metres from the nearest rail or gate
Low beams for an oncoming vehicle	Within 150 metres
Low beams when following a vehicle	Within 60 metres
Minimum following distance in ideal conditions	Two seconds
Default speed limit in cities, towns and villages	50 km/h
Default speed limit elsewhere	80 km/h
No parking near a fire hydrant	Within 3 metres
Stay behind streetcar doors	At least 2 metres
Don't follow a fire vehicle responding to an alarm	Within 150 metres
No passing near a pedestrian crossover	Within 30 metres
Slow-moving vehicle sign	40 km/h or less

Fix: make your own flashcards from the handbook. Write the situation on one side and the number on the other.

Mistake 3: Not knowing the licence rules

The handbook says the written test may ask about driver licence suspensions and the demerit point system, as well as seatbelts. These are easy marks if you've read the Getting Your Driver's Licence and Keeping Your Driver's Licence chapters, and easy to miss if you haven't.

Key facts to know:

G1 conditions: zero blood alcohol, an accompanying driver with at least four years of experience, no driving midnight to 5 a.m., no 400-series highways or listed expressways. See G1 rules.
New drivers (G1 and G2) get a warning letter at 2 or more demerit points and a 60-day suspension at 9 or more.
Demerit points stay on your record for two years from the date of the offence.

Mistake 4: Confusing look-alike signs

Some signs share a shape and differ only in colour. A yellow diamond is a warning sign. An orange diamond is a temporary condition sign. A green circle means you may or must do something. A red circle with a line means you may not.

Fix: learn signs by shape and colour first, then by meaning. Our Ontario road signs guide groups them the way the handbook does.

Mistake 5: Rushing the test

The G1 test is not timed. DriveTest says you can take all the time you need until the office closes. Read every question and every answer option before choosing. Watch for words like "first", "must" and "never", which change what's being asked.

The one time pressure you can control is arrival. DriveTest recommends arriving at least an hour before closing, especially on Saturdays and school holidays.

Mistake 6: Showing up without the right ID

This won't fail you, but it can send you home. You need original, valid ID proving your legal name and full date of birth. Check G1 requirements before you go.

Which handbook sections to study

DriveTest recommends studying from the official driver's handbook for your licence class. For the G1, focus on these chapters of the Official MTO Driver's Handbook:

Getting Your Driver's Licence: graduated licensing, G1 conditions and the test checklist.
Safe and Responsible Driving: driving along, sharing the road, intersections, stopping, changing directions and positions, parking, freeway driving, particular situations, night and bad weather, and emergencies.
Traffic Signs and Lights: signs, traffic lights, pedestrian signals and pavement markings.
Keeping Your Driver's Licence: demerit points, suspensions and licence laws.
Test yourself: the handbook's own sample knowledge test questions.

You can read the handbook online at ontario.ca, or buy a printed copy at a DriveTest centre (cash only) or from many retail stores.

A simple practice plan

Read one handbook chapter at a time and note every number and rule.
Quiz yourself right after each chapter while it's fresh.
Take a full practice test mixing signs and rules. Start with our 20 G1 practice questions.
Review every wrong answer by finding the exact line in the handbook.
Repeat until you're scoring well above 80% on both signs and rules.

For more question volume, practise with G1 Prep, which has practice questions for the G1 knowledge test.

If you don't pass

It happens. DriveTest lists $16.00 for each extra knowledge test attempt. Your results stay valid for one year, and within that year you only redo the sections that did not meet MTO standards. Use the gap to study the section you missed.

Once you pass, you'll start your G1 period and work toward the G2 road test. Roadity helps with that step, offering practice routes with spoken turn-by-turn guidance at Ontario DriveTest centres. For the full picture, visit the G1 test hub.