G1 Licence Restrictions

You must always have an accompanying driver

The central restriction on a G1 licence is that you can never drive alone. A fully licensed driver — someone holding a full G licence with at least 4 years of driving experience — must sit in the front passenger seat any time a G1 driver is behind the wheel. This isn’t a suggestion; driving without a qualifying accompanying driver present is itself an offence, separate from anything else that might happen on the drive.

The accompanying driver is expected to be attentive and able to take over responsibility for the vehicle if needed, which is part of why the experience threshold exists. A newly licensed full-G driver with less than 4 years behind the wheel does not qualify to supervise a G1 driver.

Zero blood alcohol, no exceptions

G1 drivers must maintain zero blood alcohol whenever they are driving. This is stricter than the legal limit that applies to most fully licensed adult drivers, and it applies regardless of the driver’s age. For more on how this rule fits into the bigger picture across licence classes, see our page on zero blood-alcohol rules.

Other general novice-driver conditions

As a new entrant to the graduated licensing system, a G1 driver is subject to the general novice-driver framework that also touches G2 drivers, including different demerit-point thresholds than fully licensed drivers. Our novice-driver penalties page explains how these thresholds work and why a ticket can carry different stakes at this stage. It’s a good idea to review any current route and highway restrictions with an official Ontario source before you start driving regularly, since novice-driver rules are periodically updated.

What happens if restrictions aren’t followed

Driving without a qualifying accompanying driver, or otherwise breaching G1 conditions, is treated as a Highway Traffic Act matter in its own right and can also affect your progress through the graduated licensing system. If you’re unsure whether a specific situation complies with your G1 conditions, confirming with ServiceOntario or a legal professional before you drive is the safer approach than guessing.

Working toward G2

These restrictions aren’t permanent. Once you’ve held your G1 for the required minimum period and passed the G2 road test, the accompanying-driver requirement drops away. See getting a G2 licence for that next step, and G2 licence restrictions for what still applies after that.

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