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- calendar_today October 19, 2026
B.C. Changes Licensing for Novice Drivers
Starting Monday, British Columbia's novice drivers, or "N" drivers, will no longer need to pass a second road test to obtain their full driver's licence. This significant change affects the province’s graduated licensing program, with authorities claiming it will help improve access to driver licensing, particularly in First Nations and rural communities.
How the System Worked Before
The previous graduated licensing program (GLP) had a three-step structure. It began with a learner's permit at age 16, followed by a road test to advance to a novice licence. After spending at least a year as a learner, new drivers then had to pass a second road test before qualifying for a full licence. The removal of this requirement marks a considerable shift in the province’s driver licensing system.
New Route to a Full Licence
Under the updated rules, drivers with a clean driving record can now upgrade to a Class 5 licence after spending between 12 and 24 months as a novice, depending on their age and whether they completed an approved GLP course. After obtaining the Class 5 licence, drivers face a 12-month restricted period, during which zero blood-alcohol and drug content is required while driving. These changes also apply to motorcycle riders seeking to upgrade to a combined Class 5 and 6 licence. For those under 25, a minimum of 24 months as a novice driver or 18 months with a completed GLP course is necessary. Those 25 and older need 12 months with a clean driving record to qualify.
Mixed Reactions From Road Safety Advocates
While the province maintains that the change will increase licensing access, especially in communities with limited ability to book appointments at local ICBC branches, not everyone supports the decision. Critics, including several road safety advocates, say that a clean record alone may not adequately demonstrate safe driving.
Kate Harris, CEO of DriveWise B.C., highlighted that the second road test served as an important safety check, noting that about one third of novice drivers failed it on the first attempt. "Essentially the day that the experiment begins," Harris remarked with concern for future accident rates involving new drivers.
Mihai Cirstea of Vision Zero Vancouver described the move as "pretty irresponsible," asserting that more driver training is necessary, not less. Cirstea argued that there must be ongoing monitoring of collision rates among newly licensed drivers to assess the new system’s effects.
Government and ICBC Response
Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger stated that current evidence shows that accumulated driving experience predicts long-term safety as reliably as a single road test. The government referenced Transport Canada data indicating that three out of four Canadian provinces with the lowest vehicle fatality rates do not have a second exit test. The province also believes that the 12-month restricted period following the upgrade to a Class 5 licence is designed to "help flag and correct mistakes made by new drivers." According to ICBC, safe driving includes having no convictions for excessive speeding, using electronic devices, or being subject to prohibitions or suspensions during the novice period.
What’s Next for Novice Drivers?
With the new rules now in effect, the impact on driver safety and road outcomes remains to be seen. Road safety groups have called for the province to closely monitor and analyze collision and incident data to ensure public safety is not compromised.
About the Author
Arden McLeod is an associate producer with CBC News in Vancouver. He specializes in community storytelling and local news coverage.
Source: cbc.ca.
