Driving With a G1: What You Can and Can't Do

A G1 licence lets you start driving to learn, but only with an experienced driver beside you and a handful of rules to follow. Here's exactly what you can and can't do while you hold your G1.

The big one: you can't drive alone

With a G1, you must always have an accompanying driver in the front passenger seat. This isn't optional, and it's the rule that trips new drivers up the most.

Your accompanying driver must:

• Hold a valid full Class G licence (or higher).
• Have at least four years of driving experience.
• Keep their blood-alcohol level under .05 the whole time they're supervising you.

That person is also the only passenger allowed in the front seat, and they have to wear their seatbelt just like everyone else in the car.

Zero alcohol for you, every time

As a G1 driver, your own blood-alcohol level must be zero. There's no small allowance and no exception. If you're driving on a G1, you don't drink first. Full stop.

This is one of the most tested ideas on the knowledge test, and it stays with you through G2 as well.

No driving between midnight and 5 a.m.

You can't drive between midnight and 5 a.m. on a G1, not even with your accompanying driver in the car. Plan your practice sessions for daytime and evening hours instead.

No big highways (with one exception)

G1 drivers can't drive on 400-series highways where the posted speed limit is over 80 km/h. The same goes for certain named expressways, including the QEW, the Don Valley Parkway, and the Gardiner Expressway.

There's one exception: you can drive on these roads if your accompanying driver is a licensed driving instructor. For most learners, that means high-speed highways wait until you reach G2.

What you can do

It's easy to focus on the limits, so here's the good news. With your accompanying driver beside you, you can:

• Practise on city and town streets.
• Drive during the day and evening (just not midnight to 5 a.m.).
• Build real experience toward your road test for G2.

Every hour of good practice counts. The whole point of the G1 stage is to get comfortable behind the wheel before you go solo.

Learn the rules by practising them

The rules above aren't just for real driving. They're some of the most common questions on the G1 knowledge test. The fastest way to lock them in is to answer them as questions until they feel obvious. You can practise licensing questions for free and see a clear explanation for each one.

Want the bigger picture of how the stages connect? Our guide to Ontario's graduated licensing shows what comes after G1, and getting your G1 at 16 covers how to earn it in the first place.

Follow the rules, build the hours

The G1 rules can feel like a lot at first, but they add up to one simple idea: learn safely, with an experienced driver beside you, until you're ready to drive alone. Follow them, log your practice hours, and you'll roll into your G2 road test with real confidence. Keep at it. Every drive makes you better.