G1 Rules in Ontario: What You Can and Can't Do (2026)

So you passed your G1 test. Nice. Now you're holding that paper licence and wondering what you're actually allowed to do with it.

I'm Isaac. I'm a certified driving instructor and I run Rydbie Driving School here in Toronto. The G1 rules in Ontario come up more than almost anything else I get asked, usually by a parent standing next to the car.

The rules are short. People still get them wrong. So let's go through them the way I'd explain them on a first lesson.

G1 rules in Ontario, the short list

On a G1 you have to:

• Drive with a full G driver next to you, every single time
• Have zero alcohol in your system
• Be off the road from midnight to 5 a.m.
• Stay off 400-series highways and fast expressways like the Gardiner, unless you're with a certified instructor
• Have a working seatbelt for every person in the car

Everything else in this post is just the details.

I pulled these from the Ontario government's licence page, which was updated in September 2026. If you're reading this a lot later, give it a quick look in case something changed.

Who's allowed to sit beside you

This is where most families slip up. Just having a licence isn't enough. Your supervisor needs:

• A full G (a G2 doesn't count)
• At least four years of driving
• Blood alcohol under .05, or zero if they're 21 or younger

They also have to be the only other person up front. Friends can sit in the back.

So your older brother who got his full G last spring? Not yet. Your aunt who's been driving for 20 years? Yes.

Honestly though, the licence part is the easy bit. The hard part is finding someone who stays calm. If every practice drive with your dad ends in an argument, you're not the only one. A lot of adult learners book lessons for exactly that reason. If that's you, here's our guide for nervous and first-time drivers, plus a few tips on picking the right instructor.

Can a G1 drive on the highway?

With a parent or a friend, no. G1 drivers can't go on 400-series highways where the limit is over 80 km/h, or on high-speed expressways. Around Toronto that means the 401, 400, 404, 427, the QEW, the Gardiner and the DVP.

With a certified driving instructor, yes. You can drive on any road.

I tell every new driver this. A lot of people pass their G2 without ever merging onto a highway. Then one day they're allowed on the 401 by themselves, at rush hour, with a transport truck on their right. That's a rough first time.

Two or three highway lessons on your G1 change that. You practise using the on-ramp to get up to speed, checking your blind spot when everyone's doing 100, and keeping your space when traffic suddenly brakes. It also sets you up for the full G road test, which is mostly highway.

Not ready for that yet? Totally fine. Start with the quieter spots on our list of the best places to practice driving in Toronto.

Driving at night, and alcohol

No driving between midnight and 5 a.m. Even with a supervisor. Even if you're two streets from home. If you're out practising late, be parked by 11:45.

Before midnight is fine, and you should get some driving in the dark. By November it's dark around 5, so evening practice is easy to fit in. Night driving feels different. There's glare, and people in dark clothes are a lot harder to spot. You'll be doing it alone soon enough. Snow makes it trickier again, so read our winter driving and road test guide before the first storm.

Alcohol is zero. Not one beer. Not a glass of champagne at a wedding. Same goes for cannabis. That's the rule for every G1 and G2 driver, whatever your age.

How long you're on a G1

Usually 12 months before you can book your G2 road test.

Take a government-approved BDE course and that drops to 8. That's four months earlier, and many insurers give you a discount for it too. Here's what a BDE course actually covers.

Keep an eye on the bigger deadline as well. You get five years from your G1 to finish everything and get your full G. Run out of time and you start over. Already getting close? Here's what to do when your licence is about to expire.

Not sure how much practice you need before you book? I broke it down in how many lessons it takes to pass your G2. And if you're budgeting, here's what driving lessons cost in Toronto.

What happens if you break a rule

New drivers don't get much slack. Drive alone, or with any alcohol in you, and you can lose your licence right there at the roadside.

It also stacks up. Ontario uses escalating penalties for new drivers, so each time is worse than the last, and enough of them can cancel your licence and send you back to the start. The details are on the government's demerit points and new driver penalties page.

Then there's insurance. A suspension this early can follow you for years and make your premiums painful, right when someone's about to add you to their policy.

The rules are easy to follow. Breaking them gets expensive fast.

Quick answers

Can a G1 driver drive alone in Ontario?

Nope. Someone with a full G and at least four years of driving has to be in the front seat every time.

Can I drive with someone who has a G2?

No. They need their full G.

Can a G1 drive on the DVP or Gardiner?

Only with a certified driving instructor. Not with family or friends.

Can I drive my friends around on a G1?

Yes, as long as your supervisor is the only one up front and everyone has a seatbelt.

Can a G1 driver drive at night?

Yes, until midnight. Midnight to 5 a.m. is off limits.

Does the car need anything special?

Valid plates, an owner's permit and insurance. Give the owner's insurance company a quick call before you start, so nobody gets a surprise later.

How old do I have to be to get a G1?

You have to be at least 16. Here's how to get your G1 licence, step by step.

I already have a licence from another country. Do the G1 rules apply to me?

If you're starting out on an Ontario G1, yes. Your driving experience back home can shorten the wait for your road test though. Here's how it works for newcomers.

The bottom line

The G1 rules in Ontario really come down to five things. A full G driver beside you. Zero alcohol. Nothing between midnight and 5. No highways unless you're with an instructor. A seatbelt for everyone.

Stick to those and use this year to get comfortable everywhere, including the roads you'll be driving alone on soon. When you're ready for the next step, here's how to pass your G2 road test in Toronto and how to book it.

If you want highway practice before your G2, or you'd just like someone calmer than your dad in the passenger seat, we can help. Rydbie Driving School is MTO-approved and all our instructors are certified. Book a lesson at a time that works for you.