G1 Licence Restrictions: What New Ontario Drivers Can and Cannot Do
A G1 driver cannot drink, drive alone, use 400-series highways, or drive after midnight. Here is the full list of Ontario's G1 licence restrictions and how long they last.
The G1 licence restrictions are the rules that separate a learner from a full driver, and Ontario enforces them strictly. Break one and you can lose your licence before you ever reach the road test. Here is the full list of what a G1 driver can and cannot do, and the reason behind each rule.
Zero alcohol, every time
Your blood alcohol level must be zero whenever you drive. There is no room for a single drink. The zero limit applies to every novice driver in Ontario through both the G1 and G2 stages, and it sits alongside the wider rules on alcohol, drugs and zero tolerance for new drivers. Fail this and the suspension is immediate.
You cannot drive alone
A G1 driver must always have a fully licensed driver in the front passenger seat. That person needs a Class G licence, at least four years of driving experience, and a blood alcohol level under 0.05 while they supervise. They are there to coach you and to take over if needed, so a friend who only holds a G2 does not qualify.
No highways, and no late nights
Two rules catch new drivers off guard. First, you cannot drive on 400-series highways or other high-speed expressways such as the QEW, the Gardiner or the Don Valley, unless the person beside you is a licensed driving instructor. Second, you cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m. at all. Both rules target the conditions where new drivers are most likely to be hurt: fast, heavy traffic and late-night fatigue.
One seatbelt per person
You may carry only as many passengers as there are working seatbelts, and everyone has to wear one. This is a firm limit, not a suggestion. It stops a G1 driver from filling a car with other new drivers, which is a known factor in serious crashes.
How long the G1 licence restrictions last
You hold your G1 for at least 12 months before you can take the G1 exit test and move up to G2. That drops to 8 months if you pass a Ministry-approved driver education course, which is one of the few ways to shorten the wait. Every restriction above stays in force for the whole period, so learning them early is part of how the G1 test and the road ahead work.
Why these rules matter for the test
The G1 knowledge test does not ask you to recite the restrictions word for word, but it does expect you to understand the conditions attached to a novice licence. Knowing that your blood alcohol must be zero, that a qualified driver has to sit beside you, and that highways and overnight hours are off limits shows you are ready for supervised practice. Treat these as the ground rules for every drive rather than fine print, and the habits you build on your G1 carry straight into your G2 and the road test that follows.
Keep reading: how Ontario graduated licensing works and the complete guide to the G1 test.
Based on the Official MTO Driver’s Handbook and Ontario’s rules for new drivers. Last reviewed July 2026.
A. Shabana
A. Shabana leads editorial at FreeG1, where he turns the official MTO Driver's Handbook and the realities of Ontario's G1 test into clear, practical guides. He writes for first-time and newcomer drivers who want the rules explained simply and accurately, without the filler. Every article is checked against current Ontario government sources, so readers can trust what they're studying.
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