Most of DriveCentral's licence guides focus on Ontario's G1 → G2 → G system, simply because it's the system most of our readers are going through. But Canada doesn't have one national driver's licence program — each province and territory runs its own graduated licensing system, with its own stage names, timelines, and rules.
This guide gives you a clear, honest comparison of how new drivers get licensed in every Canadian province and territory, so you know what to expect no matter where you live.
Every province updates its fees, hold periods, and exact rules from time to time. The structure described below (stage names, general order, and core restrictions) is stable and well-established, but you should always confirm exact current numbers — fees, exact hold periods, exemptions — with your own provincial licensing authority before relying on them. Links to official authorities are included for each province below.
The Common Pattern: Graduated Licensing
Despite the different names, almost every province uses some version of a graduated licensing system (GLS) — a model that was adopted across Canada starting in the 1990s because it measurably reduces collisions among new drivers. The general shape is the same everywhere:
- Learner stage: Pass a knowledge/vision test, then drive only when supervised by a fully licensed driver, usually with a zero blood-alcohol requirement and other restrictions.
- Intermediate/probationary stage: Pass a road test, then drive independently but with continued restrictions (often around passengers, night driving, or highway speeds).
- Full licence: Pass a final road test (or simply complete the intermediate stage cleanly, depending on the province) and graduate to full, unrestricted driving privileges.
What changes from province to province is the names of these stages, how long you must hold each one, and the fine print of the restrictions.
Province-by-Province Comparison
| Province / Territory | System & Stages | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | G1 (learner) → G2 (probationary) → G (full) | ServiceOntario / MTO |
| British Columbia | L (Learner) → N (Novice) → Full | ICBC |
| Alberta | Class 7 Learner's → Class 5 GDL (Probationary) → Class 5 (Full) | Alberta Transportation & Economic Corridors |
| Quebec | Learner's licence → Probationary licence → Full licence | SAAQ |
| Manitoba | Stage 1 (Learner) → Stage 2 (Intermediate) → Full, via the Driver Z / Graduated Driver Licensing program | Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) |
| Saskatchewan | Learner's licence → Novice 1 → Novice 2 → Full | SGI (Saskatchewan Government Insurance) |
| Nova Scotia | Learner's licence → Newly Licensed Driver stage → Full | Access Nova Scotia / Service Nova Scotia |
| New Brunswick | Learner's licence (Stage 1) → Intermediate licence (Stage 2) → Full | Service New Brunswick |
| Prince Edward Island | Learner's licence → Newly Licensed Driver → Full | PEI Highway Safety Division |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | Learner's licence → Provisional licence → Full | Motor Registration Division |
| Yukon / NWT / Nunavut | Territorial GDL programs broadly similar to provincial models, with local variations | Territorial transportation departments |
The names differ, but notice the shape repeats everywhere: a supervised learner stage, an independent-but-restricted middle stage, and a full licence at the end.
British Columbia (ICBC)
BC's system runs through ICBC, the province's public insurer. New drivers start with an L (Learner) licence after passing a knowledge test, and must drive supervised by a licensed co-driver with zero blood alcohol. After a minimum holding period (commonly reduced if you complete an approved driving course) and passing a road test, you move to N (Novice), which allows independent driving but with passenger limits and other restrictions for a set period before graduating to a full licence.
Alberta (GDL)
Alberta's Graduated Driver Licensing program starts with a Class 7 Learner's licence, which can be obtained earlier than in most provinces, subject to supervision rules and a zero blood-alcohol requirement. After the minimum hold period and a road test, drivers move to a Class 5 GDL (probationary) licence, which carries its own restrictions for a set number of years before becoming a full Class 5 licence.
Quebec (SAAQ)
Quebec's licensing is managed by the SAAQ. New drivers hold a learner's licence for a minimum period (shorter if an approved driving course is completed), always under supervision. After passing the practical road test, drivers receive a probationary licence for a set number of years, during which a zero blood-alcohol rule and a strict demerit-point threshold apply, before progressing to a full licence.
Manitoba, Saskatchewan & the Prairies
Manitoba's program (through MPI) is built around the Driver Z/GDL curriculum, moving learners through a supervised Stage 1, an intermediate Stage 2 with restrictions, and finally a full licence. Saskatchewan's SGI uses a similar multi-stage Novice 1 / Novice 2 structure between the learner's licence and full licensing, with required holding periods at each step.
Atlantic Canada
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland & Labrador each run a graduated system with a learner's licence stage followed by an intermediate stage (variously called "Newly Licensed Driver," "Intermediate," or "Provisional" depending on the province) before full licensing. The core restrictions — supervision while learning, zero blood alcohol, and limits during the intermediate stage — are broadly consistent with the rest of the country.
What Stays the Same Everywhere
- You'll take a written knowledge test before driving unsupervised, and a practical road test before getting a full licence
- Zero blood alcohol and drug tolerance applies to new drivers in every province
- Supervision by a fully licensed driver is required during the learner stage everywhere
- Completing an approved driver education course can shorten your minimum holding period in most provinces
- Demerit points, fines, and licence suspensions apply to new drivers in every jurisdiction — often with lower thresholds than for fully licensed drivers (see our demerit points guide)
Moving Between Provinces
If you move to a new province with a valid licence, you generally won't have to start the graduated licensing process completely over — most provinces have reciprocal agreements that recognize licensing stages from other Canadian jurisdictions. However, the exact transfer rules (what stage you're placed into, whether you need a new road test) vary and are decided by the receiving province. Contact that province's licensing authority directly when you move, and bring proof of your driving history.