By the ChowChow Labs editorial team · Updated October 22, 2026 · How we check our content
The short answer: On a G1 you must have zero blood alcohol, drive with a fully licensed driver who has at least four years’ experience in the front seat, stay off 400-series highways posted over 80 km/h and a few named expressways, and not drive between midnight and 5 a.m. Everyone in the car needs a working seatbelt.
The G1 conditions
- Zero alcohol. Your blood-alcohol level must be zero every time you drive. Drivers 21 and under must also be at zero, whatever licence they hold.
- An accompanying driver. They sit in the front passenger seat and must hold a full Class G (or higher) licence, have at least four years of driving experience and have a blood-alcohol level under .05. Time they spent on a G2 counts toward the four years if that licence wasn’t suspended. They can have demerit points, but their licence can’t be suspended.
- Only the accompanying driver in the front. Others may ride in the back, as long as each person has a working seatbelt.
- Restricted highways. No 400-series highways where the limit is over 80 km/h, and no Queen Elizabeth Way, Don Valley Parkway, Gardiner Expressway, E.C. Row Expressway or Conestoga Parkway. These are allowed only when your accompanying driver is a licensed driving instructor.
- No night driving. You may not drive between midnight and 5 a.m.
G1 vs G2 at a glance
| Rule | G1 | G2 |
|---|---|---|
| Blood alcohol | Zero | Zero |
| Drive alone | No; accompanying driver required | Yes |
| Highways | Restricted (see above) | All roads |
| Midnight to 5 a.m. | No driving | Drivers 19 and under: one passenger aged 19 or under in the first 6 months, then up to three, unless a fully licensed driver is in the front seat or the passengers are immediate family |
| Seatbelts | A working seatbelt for every person | A working seatbelt for every person |
| Minimum time | 12 months, or 8 with an approved driver education course | 12 months |
Getting from G1 to a full licence
- Pass the vision test and the G1 knowledge test.
- Hold your G1 for 12 months, or 8 months if you pass an approved beginner driver education course (at least 40 hours: 20 in class, 10 in the car and 10 flexible).
- Pass the G1 exit road test to get your G2.
- Hold your G2 for at least 12 months, then pass the G2 exit road test, which includes highway driving.
So the shortest path is about 20 months, or 16 with an approved course. On road tests, driving aids such as cruise control, parking assist and lane monitoring aren’t allowed.
What happens if you break a G1 condition
Breaking a novice condition brings an escalating suspension: 30 days the first time, 90 days the second, and cancellation of your licence the third time. Read more in our demerit points lesson.
Official source
See Getting Your Driver’s Licence in the MTO Driver’s Handbook. Checked October 2026.
Check yourself
Try these 7 questions from our free mock exams, then tap Show answer. For more, take the rules of the road practice test.
Question 1 · G1 Licence Rules
Without completing an approved driver education course, how long is the Level One (G1) period?
- A. 12 months
- B. 6 months
- C. 8 months
- D. 18 months
Show answer
Answer: A. 12 months
The G1 period is 12 months. Completing an approved course shortens it to 8 months.
Question 2 · G1 Licence Rules
Which highway restriction applies to a G1 driver?
- A. 400-series highways are off-limits to them wherever the posted limit exceeds 80 km/h
- B. They may drive on any 400-series highway if accompanied
- C. They may only drive on highways during the day
- D. There are no highway restrictions for G1 drivers
Show answer
Answer: A. 400-series highways are off-limits to them wherever the posted limit exceeds 80 km/h
G1 drivers are banned from 400-series highways where the posted limit is higher than 80 km/h.
Question 3 · G1 Licence Rules
How much driving experience must the licensed driver who supervises a G1 driver have?
- A. At least one year
- B. At least two years
- C. At least ten years
- D. At least four years
Show answer
Answer: D. At least four years
The supervising driver needs a minimum of four years behind the wheel.
Question 4 · G1 Licence Rules
In which seat must your supervising driver ride while you drive on a G1?
- A. Next to you, up front
- B. Behind you
- C. Wherever they like
- D. In a car travelling behind you
Show answer
Answer: A. Next to you, up front
The accompanying driver has to sit in the front passenger seat beside the G1 driver.
Question 5 · G1 Licence Rules
Taking a ministry-approved driver education course lets you finish Level One in how long?
- A. 8 months
- B. 4 months
- C. 6 months
- D. 10 months
Show answer
Answer: A. 8 months
The normal Level One period is 12 months; an approved course cuts it to 8.
Question 6 · G1 Licence Rules
What is the minimum amount of time you must hold a Level Two (G2) licence?
- A. 6 months
- B. 8 months
- C. 24 months
- D. 12 months
Show answer
Answer: D. 12 months
Level Two lasts a minimum of 12 months.
Question 7 · G1 Licence Rules
A G2 driver aged 19 or under has held the licence for more than six months. Between midnight and 5 a.m., how many passengers aged 19 or under may they carry?
- A. Two
- B. Four
- C. Five
- D. Three
Show answer
Answer: D. Three
Once six months have passed, as many as three young passengers (19 or under) are allowed.
Next: 7-day G1 study plan. A day-by-day plan that links each topic to free practice.