The Ins and Outs of Driving Age in Canada

Are you a teenager living in Canada who is excited about the idea of getting a driver’s license? If so, you should find out what the driving age in Canada is before getting too far ahead of yourself.

You might be under the impression that the legal driving age in Canada is the same all throughout the country. But in reality, the driving age in Canada by province can vary.

Today, we’re going to discuss everything related to the age limit for driving in Canada. It should give you some valuable insight on when you can score your Canada driving license.

Continue reading to learn about all the ins and outs of the driving age in Canada.

Most Canadians Can Get a Learner’s Permit After Turning 16

The good news for all the teenagers out there living in Canada is that they won’t have to wait until their late teens to secure a learner’s permit. Almost every province in Canada will allow teenagers to get learner’s permits as soon as they turn 16.

The driving age in Canada for those looking to get a learner’s permit will be 16 in the following provinces:

  • British Columbia
  • Manitoba
  • New Brunswick
  • Newfoundland
  • Nova Scotia
  • Ontario
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Quebec
  • Saskatchewan

If you live in one of these provinces and you’re on the verge of turning 16, it would be worth exploring the idea of getting your learner’s permit. With a learner’s permit, you’ll be able to drive with someone who has a full license so that you can learn the rules of the road on their watch.

Some Canadians Can Obtain a Learner’s Permit Prior to Their 16th Birthdays

For the most part, the legal driving age in Canada is going to be 16 when it comes to obtaining a learner’s permit. But we should point out that some Canadians can start to drive at 14 (yes, 14!) if they would like.

If you happen to live in Alberta, it’s the one province that will permit you to get a learner’s permit at just 14. You may want to consider taking full advantage of this if you’re up for the challenge of driving at 14.

Some other provinces have also started to allow those who sign up for driving lessons to get their learner’s permits at 15. Quebec and Manitoba are two good examples of this.

Canadians Will Need to Keep Learner’s Permits for Different Lengths of Time

Once a teenager is able to get their learner’s permit, they’ll be able to hit the open road (with a fully licensed driver in the car, of course!). From there, they can work their way towards getting a full license.

But there will be different lengths of time that Canadians will need to drive around with learner’s permits before getting full licenses. It’ll be up to you to see how long you’ll need to hang onto a learner’s permit before converting it into a full license.

In Prince Edward Island, for example, teenagers only need to spend 12 months with a learner’s permit before turning it into a full license. In Ontario, on the other hand, the magic number will be 20 months.

And in most other Canadian provinces, teenagers will need to keep their learner’s permits for between 2 and 3 years prior to obtaining full licenses. You need to abide by the legal driving age in Canada by province to stay within the limits of the law.

Going to a Driving School Can Help Canadians Get a Full License Faster

Teenagers aren’t always the most patient people in the world. They don’t want to have to wait for months on end to secure their full licenses after getting their learner’s permits.

If you fall into this category, you should know that there are some things you can do to speed up how quickly you can get a full license in Canada. Some provinces will allow you to get your full license faster than you would be able to otherwise by signing up for a driving school.

You’ll be able to learn so much about driving by attending a school. You should just make sure that you’re ready to go on your first day by making the necessary preparations.

Use this reviewer for G1 test site to see how simple it can be to prepare yourself for driving school.

Certain Canadians Will Face Restrictions Even After Getting a Full License

Even after getting a full license in Canada, you might have to abide by certain restrictions that will be placed upon you. While some provinces allow teenagers to drive without any restrictions when they have a full license, others will continue to restrict new drivers when they’re out on the road.

The previously mentioned Quebec and Manitoba provinces both have minor restrictions that teenagers must keep in mind when driving with full licenses. If you don’t follow these restrictions, it could result in you losing your full license almost as soon as you get it.

It’s just one more thing you’ll need to remember as far as the legal driving age in Canada is concerned.

It’s Important to Know All About the Legal Driving Age in Canada

It can be a little bit confusing for teenagers to learn everything they need to know about the legal driving age in Canada. Because things vary from one province to the next, you’ll need to know what the age limit for driving is in your specific province.

Be sure that you find out how your province handles new drivers when it comes to both learner’s permits and full licenses. It’ll ensure that you don’t try to drive too soon and pay the price for doing it.

Get some great tips for new drivers by browsing through our other informative blog articles.