Rules of the road

Your Licence & Penalties

G1 restrictions, demerit points, and how you can lose your licence.

A G1 driver needs a qualified supervisor in the front passenger seat, must have zero blood alcohol, cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m., and cannot use certain high-speed highways.

Every condition printed on a G1 licence exists for a specific, checkable reason. Knowing the exact numbers, not just the general idea, is what the test actually asks for.

Key facts

A G1 driver’s supervising driver must hold a full Class G licence (or higher), have at least four years of driving experience, have a blood-alcohol level under .05%, and sit in the front passenger seat.
A G1 driver must have a blood-alcohol level of zero and cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m.

Know who can supervise you

Your supervising driver must hold a full Class G licence or higher, have at least four years of driving experience, and have a blood-alcohol level under .05%. They must sit in the front passenger seat, and Ontario law does not allow anyone else to occupy that seat while supervising you.

An experienced friend is not automatically a valid supervisor: check that they actually hold the right licence class and have the required years of experience before you let them supervise a drive.

Follow the zero-alcohol and curfew rules

As a G1 driver, your own blood-alcohol level must be zero: there is no tolerance level below the fully licensed .05% limit. Separately, you must not drive at all between midnight and 5 a.m., regardless of how experienced your supervising driver is.

These two conditions are independent of each other: a fully compliant supervising driver does not exempt you from the zero-alcohol rule or the midnight curfew.

Know which roads you cannot drive on

A G1 driver cannot use any 400-series highway with a posted speed limit over 80 km/h, and is also barred from the Queen Elizabeth Way, the Don Valley Parkway, the Gardiner Expressway, the E.C. Row Expressway in Windsor, and the Conestoga Parkway in Kitchener-Waterloo.

This restriction lifts only if your supervising driver is a licensed driving instructor. Level One normally lasts 12 months before you can attempt the G2 road test, or 8 months if you complete an approved driver-education course.

Common mistakes

Assuming any experienced adult can supervise without checking their actual licence class and years of experience.
Treating the G1 zero-alcohol rule as the same as the fully licensed .05% limit.
Driving shortly after midnight because the trip feels short and the road looks quiet.
Driving on a 400-series highway because the speed limit sign is not immediately visible.

Check your understanding

1. What are the requirements for someone to legally supervise a G1 driver?

They must hold a full Class G licence or higher, have at least four years of driving experience, have a blood-alcohol level under .05%, and sit in the front passenger seat.

2. What is the permitted blood-alcohol level for a G1 driver themselves?

Zero. A G1 driver must not have any alcohol in their system while driving.

3. Between what hours is a G1 driver prohibited from driving?

Midnight and 5 a.m., regardless of how experienced the supervising driver is.