Minimum age for a car driving licence in Canada (2026)
Last reviewed: 9 October 2026
In short: The minimum age for a car driving licence is set by each province and territory, so there is no national rule. Among the jurisdictions checked, learner licences start at 14 in Alberta, 15 in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and 16 elsewhere.
| Rule | What applies |
|---|
Related pages
Canada: rules by state or province
| Province or territory | Minimum age for a car licence | Earliest age to drive a car supervised | Driving before the minimum age | Visitors on a foreign licence: age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 16 (Class 5-GDL, after 12 months as a learner) | 14, with a supervisor aged over 18 | Class 5-GDL from 16 after 12 months; full at 18 | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| British Columbia | ⚠ Not yet verified | 16, with a supervisor aged 22+ (from 19 Oct 2026) | L at 16, N road test, then record check (from 19 Oct 2026) | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Manitoba | ⚠ Not yet verified | 16, with an experienced supervisor | 15½ in the Driver Z Program | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| New Brunswick | ⚠ Not yet verified | 16 (stage one learner's licence) | Stage 1 at 16; stage 2 after 8-12 months; licence after 24 | 16+ with a valid home licence |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | ⚠ Not yet verified | 16, with an experienced supervisor | Level I: 8-12 months before road test | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Northwest Territories | 16 (Class 5P, after a year as a learner) | 15, with a supervisor (24 months' experience) | Class 5P from 16 after one year as a learner | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Nova Scotia | ⚠ Not yet verified | 16, with a licensed supervisor | 12 months as a learner, or 9 with a course | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Nunavut | 16 (Class 5) | 15 (Class 7 learner's licence) | Class 5 from 16 with a learner's licence | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Ontario | ⚠ Not yet verified | 16, with a supervising driver | G1 at 16; G2 after 8-12 months | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Prince Edward Island | 16 (Stage 2) | 16, with a qualified supervisor | Stage 2 after 365 days (275 with a course) | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Quebec | ⚠ Not yet verified | 16, with an accompanying driver (2+ years) | Learner licence 12 months before road test | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Saskatchewan | 16 (Class 5, after 9 months as a learner) | 16, supervised (15 with driver education) | 15 with high school driver education | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Yukon | 16 | 15 (learner's licence) | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified |
General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.