# G1 vs G2 vs G: Ontario’s three licence levels

> Ontario’s G1, G2 and G licences side by side: how you get each one, the waits (12 months, or 8 with BDE, then 12), who can drive alone, highway and night rules, and every fee.

Canonical: https://g2test.ca/vs/g1-vs-g2-vs-g
Last updated: 2026-10-29

Ontario licenses new drivers in three steps. The G1 is a learner’s licence, the G2 lets you drive alone with a few conditions, and the G is a full licence. Most people take 20 to 24 months to go from G1 to G, and you have 5 years to finish.

Updated 2026-10-29 · By the G2 Test team

## The three levels side by side

|  | G1 | G2 | G |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| How you get it | Pass a vision test and the G1 knowledge test | Pass the [G2 road test](https://g2test.ca/g2-road-test) | Pass the [G road test](https://g2test.ca/g-road-test) |
| Earliest | Age 16 | 12 months after your G1 (8 with an approved BDE course) | 12 months after your G2 |
| Drive alone | No: a fully licensed driver with 4+ years’ experience beside you | Yes | Yes |
| Blood alcohol | Zero | Zero | Zero if you’re 21 or under |
| Midnight to 5 a.m. | No driving | Allowed; drivers 19 or under have passenger limits | No graduated limits |
| 400-series highways | No, unless the person beside you is a driving instructor | Yes | Yes |
| Test fee | $159.75 package: knowledge test, first G2 road test and a five-year licence | $53.75 for each retest | $91.25 |
| Time limit | Finish G1 to G within 5 years | Finish G1 to G within 5 years | Full licence |

From ontario.ca’s [new drivers page](https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-g-drivers-licence-new-drivers) (checked October 29, 2026) and DriveTest’s [car licences](https://drivetest.ca/licences/drivers-licences-cars/) and [fees](https://drivetest.ca/tests/fees/) pages.

## G1: the learner’s licence

- Your blood-alcohol level must be zero.
- A fully licensed driver with at least four years of experience sits in the front passenger seat. Their blood-alcohol level must be under 0.05 (zero if they’re 21 or under).
- Every passenger wears a seat belt.
- No driving between midnight and 5 a.m.
- No 400-series highways or high-speed expressways (401, 403, QEW, Gardiner, Conestoga Parkway…), unless the accompanying driver is a licensed driving instructor.

Practise for the knowledge test with our [free G1 practice test](https://g2test.ca/g1-practice-test).

## G2: driving alone

- Your blood-alcohol level must be zero (and every driver 21 or under must be at zero, whatever their licence).
- Every passenger wears a seat belt.
- You can drive alone, at any time, on every road, including 400-series highways.
- If you’re 19 or under, between midnight and 5 a.m.: one passenger aged 19 or under in your first six months, then up to three. This doesn’t apply with a fully licensed driver (four or more years) beside you, or when the passengers are immediate family.

## G: the full licence

Pass the G road test, which adds expressway driving, and the graduated conditions end. The zero blood-alcohol rule still applies to every driver 21 or under. The quickest path is 20 months: 8 on a G1 with BDE, then 12 on a G2.

New to Ontario with a licence from elsewhere? You may not need to start at G1: [licences for newcomers](https://g2test.ca/for/newcomers).

Sources, checked October 29, 2026: [ontario.ca new drivers](https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-g-drivers-licence-new-drivers), [DriveTest car licences](https://drivetest.ca/licences/drivers-licences-cars/), [DriveTest fees](https://drivetest.ca/tests/fees/).

## More comparisons

- [G2 vs G road test](https://g2test.ca/vs/g2-vs-g-road-test)
- [Ontario driver’s licence for newcomers](https://g2test.ca/for/newcomers)
- [Best G1 practice test](https://g2test.ca/best/g1-practice-test)
- [All comparisons](https://g2test.ca/compare)

## Questions people ask

### What’s the difference between a G2 and a G licence?

A G2 driver can drive alone on any road, but must keep a zero blood-alcohol level, and drivers 19 or under have passenger limits from midnight to 5 a.m. A G licence has no graduated conditions, apart from zero alcohol for drivers 21 or under.

### How long does it take to go from G1 to G?

At least 20 months with a BDE course (8 + 12), or 24 without. Most people take 20 to 24 months. You have 5 years in all.

### How much does it cost to go from G1 to G?

$251.00 if you pass every test first time: the $159.75 G1 package plus $91.25 for the G road test.

## Related

- [G1, G2 and G licence rules](https://g2test.ca/graduated-licensing)
- [G1 practice test](https://g2test.ca/g1-practice-test)
- [Ontario driver’s licence and test fees](https://g2test.ca/fees)