G1 or G2 about to expire? What to do in Ontario

The five-year clock

• A G1 is issued for five years.
• A G2 doesn’t start a fresh five years. It runs for whatever is left of the five years that started with your G1.
• You need to reach a full G within those five years, or start over.

You’ll get a notice, but don’t wait for it

The Ministry mails G1 and G2 drivers a notice before their licence expires, explaining their options. Keeping your licence valid is still your responsibility, notice or not, and road test dates can be weeks away, so look at your expiry date now.

If your G1 is about to expire

1. Pass the G2 road test before it expires. That moves you up to a G2 for the rest of your five years.
2. Or requalify for another G1 term. In the six months before your expiry date, pass the knowledge test again and pay the fee for a five-year licence.

If your G2 is about to expire

1. Pass the G road test before it expires. You get your full G.
2. Or requalify for five more years as a G2. In the six months before your expiry date, pass the G2 road test again and pay the licence fee. No knowledge test is needed, and you can do it again in five years if you have to.

From DriveTest’s fee list, requalifying works out to $143.75: $53.75 for the G2 road test and $90 for the licence. If you passed a G2 road test in the 12 months before your expiry date, you may not have to take it again.

The 42-day road test extension

If you booked your road test before your licence expired, a DriveTest centre can extend your licence up to the test date, for a maximum of 42 days. The extension ends on test day. If you don’t pass, you can’t book another test until you meet the other requirements, such as passing a new knowledge test.

If it has already expired

An expired G1 or G2 can’t be renewed. You apply again as a new driver: a new application, a new knowledge test, and the fees again, starting with the $159.75 G1 package.

There’s some relief: if your novice licence expired less than three years ago, you may not have to sit out the waiting periods again. Ask at a DriveTest centre how it applies to you.

Can you drive on an expired licence?

No. An expired licence isn’t a valid licence, and driving without one can mean a fine of $200 to $1,000 if you’re convicted. Ontario’s standard auto policy also forbids driving unless you’re legally allowed to, so an expired licence can put your insurance coverage at risk too.

Renewing a full G later on

Once you have your full G, it’s renewed every five years for $90. You can renew up to 180 days before it expires, a notice arrives by mail or email about two to three months ahead, and you can sign up for free reminders by email, text or phone. G1 and G2 licences can’t be renewed online, because requalifying needs a test at DriveTest.

A plan so it never comes to this

1. Find the expiry date on your licence card and put a reminder in your phone six months before it.
2. Book your road test early: dates are posted up to six months ahead.
3. For the G test, get your highway trips in. You need at least five in the three months before the test.
4. Book a few lessons ahead of the test, so you go in ready rather than rushed.