Both the G1 and G2 driver’s licences are valid for a maximum of 5 years from the date you pass your written G1 knowledge test. Under the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Graduated Licensing System (GLS), every novice driver is granted a single five-year window to complete all intermediate requirements and graduate to a permanent, non-expiring Class G licence.

Contrary to common misconceptions, novice licences cannot be continuously renewed at ServiceOntario counters like standard adult licences. If your five-year deadline passes before you earn your full G licence, your legal driving privileges terminate immediately, and you may be forced to restart the entire graduated process from day one.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                 NOVICE LICENCE EXPIRY TIMELINE              │
├──────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────┤
│ Day 0                        │ Pass G1 knowledge test;      │
│                              │ 5-year countdown begins.     │
├──────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────┤
│ Month 8 to 12                │ Pass G2 road test; licence   │
│                              │ retains original expiry date.│
├──────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────┤
│ Year 5 (Expiry Date on Card) │ Must hold full Class G;      │
│                              │ otherwise privileges end.    │
└──────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────┘

Why Does Ontario Impose a 5-Year Expiry Window?

The Graduated Licensing System is designed to guide inexperienced motorists through progressive stages of risk while ensuring continuous learning.

When you pass your written exam at DriveTest, your $159.75 package fee covers a five-year licensing term. When you subsequently pass your G2 road test, your physical card receives an updated designation, but the expiration date does not reset to five new years. Instead, it carries over the remaining balance of the initial five-year term established on the day you earned your G1.

What to Do If Your G2 Licence Is Expiring Soon

If you check your wallet and realize your G2 card is expiring in a matter of months or weeks, your next steps depend on your driving history and remaining time.

Scenario A: You Have Held Your G2 for at Least 12 Months

If you have held your G2 for at least one full year, you are legally eligible to take the full Class G road test immediately.

  • The Strategy: Do not wait. Visit DriveTest online or utilize our road test services to secure an examination slot before your card reaches its printed expiration date.

  • The Outcome: Passing the exam instantly elevates you to a full Class G licence, eliminating the novice five-year countdown permanently.

Scenario B: You Have Less Than 12 Months Before Expiry and Cannot Qualify for the G Test

If you passed your G2 road test late in your five-year window (for example, with only 6 months remaining on your card), you cannot fulfill the mandatory 12-month G2 holding period before the card expires.

  • The MTO Exception Policy: In this specific scenario, the MTO allows you to pay a $90.00 licensing renewal fee at ServiceOntario to extend your G2 licence for a fresh five-year term. This provides the necessary time to satisfy the 12-month rule and schedule your full G exam.

Scenario C: You Are Not Ready for the Highway or Test Dates Are Unavailable

If your G2 is expiring and you cannot secure a G test appointment in time, you are permitted to requalify by retaking the G2 road test.

  • The Requalification Process: Before your current card expires, book and pass another G2 road test. Passing this exam proves your basic competence and grants you another five-year G2 licence upon paying the standard $90 renewal fee.

What Happens If Your Licence Fully Expires?

If your G1 or G2 licence passes its expiration date without a scheduled exam or requalification, your legal authorization to drive is revoked immediately.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│              EXPIRED NOVICE LICENCE CONSEQUENCES            │
├──────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────┤
│ Expired Less Than 3 Years    │ Re-write G1 knowledge test;  │
│                              │ mandatory wait periods waived│
├──────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────┤
│ Expired More Than 3 Years    │ Complete restart: mandatory  │
│                              │ 8-12 month waiting periods   │
└──────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────┘

  1. Expired Under 3 Years: You must visit DriveTest, pay the G1 application fee, and pass the vision and written knowledge tests again. However, because your prior experience is logged in the system, the MTO will waive the standard mandatory waiting period, allowing you to book a road test as soon as an appointment opens.

  2. Expired Over 3 Years: You lose all accumulated credits. You must re-enter the graduated system as a brand-new driver, observe the full 8-to-12-month waiting periods, and retake every test. You can shorten this waiting period back to 8 months by enrolling in an approved BDE program.

(Regulatory data verified against ontario.ca driver licensing statutes as of October 2026).