How to pass the G1 test in Ontario

What the G1 test is

At a DriveTest centre you take two short tests: a vision test, and a knowledge test on the rules of the road and traffic signs. Pass both, pay the fee, and you leave with your G1, Ontario’s learner’s licence. With it, you can start practising with an experienced driver or an instructor beside you.

Who can take it

• You need to be at least 16.
• You need to live in Ontario. Visitors can’t apply.
• Since May 11, 2026, applicants declare that Ontario is their primary place of residence and that they’re legally present in Canada. For a car licence it’s a declaration; you don’t bring extra documents for it.

What’s on the test and how it’s marked

• Multiple choice, written by the Ministry of Transportation and based on the Official MTO Driver’s Handbook.
• Two or three sections, such as road signs and the rules of the road.
• Pass mark: a total score of at least 80%.
• Paper or computer: paper tests are offered everywhere, and computer tests at some centres.
• No time limit: you can take as long as you need until the office closes. Most people finish in 20 to 30 minutes, and it’s marked on the spot.

What to bring

• Original, valid ID showing your legal name and full date of birth. One document can be enough: a passport, a permanent resident card, an Ontario Photo Card, a Canadian or U.S. birth certificate, or a study or work permit.
• Linking documents, such as a marriage or name-change certificate, if your names don’t match across documents.
• Your glasses or contacts, if you need them to see clearly.
• $159.75 for the G1 licence package. DriveTest takes cash, Visa, Mastercard and debit, as well as certified cheques, bank drafts and money orders made out to Serco Canada Inc.

What it costs

The vision test is free. If you need another try at the knowledge test, each attempt is $16. The licence cost guide lists every fee up to a full G.

Taking the test in Hamilton

Knowledge tests are walk-in: no appointment, first come, first served, at any DriveTest centre. Hamilton’s is at 370 Kenora Avenue North. When we checked, its inside services ran Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hours change, so check drivetest.ca before you go.

There’s no online version: knowledge tests are supervised at a DriveTest centre.

Languages and accessibility

The computer version of the G1 test is offered in 32 languages, each with full audio, including Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Farsi, French, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi, Spanish, Tamil, Ukrainian and Urdu. Road tests are only in English or French.

• Every computer kiosk has audio, with headphones provided.
• A spoken test is available by appointment at no extra cost.
• Because the test isn’t timed, nobody needs to ask for extra time.

The vision test

It takes a few minutes: you read letters inside a machine and say which side a flashing light appears on. It checks how sharply you see and how wide your side vision is. The standard for a car licence is vision of at least 20/50 with both eyes open (glasses allowed) and a wide enough field of view. If you don’t pass, DriveTest gives you a form for an eye specialist, and you can come back and continue.

How to study

1. Read the Handbook. The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook is free on ontario.ca, and every question comes from it. Read it once all the way through, then go back to the chapters on driving, changing directions, sharing the road and signs.
2. Learn the signs by shape and colour. Shape and colour tell you what kind of sign it is before you can read it. The road signs guide lays them out.
3. Memorize the numbers. Distances, speeds and blood alcohol limits are easy marks if you know them and easy to lose if you guess.
4. Practise with questions. Try the G1 practice test, and the Handbook’s own sample questions.
5. On the day, bring your ID and glasses, go early, and read every answer before you choose.

If you don’t pass

It happens, and it’s cheap to fix. Another attempt costs $16, there’s no limit on attempts, and DriveTest doesn’t set a waiting period. Your results last a year, so within that year you only redo the sections you didn’t pass.

After you pass

You’re a G1 driver. You can drive with a fully licensed driver who has at least four years of experience beside you, with zero blood alcohol, and not between midnight and 5 a.m. After 12 months (or 8 with an approved driver education course) you can take the G2 road test. Your G1 is valid for five years, and you need to reach a full G within that time. The G1, G2 and G guide covers every rule.