B.C. graduated licensing changes on 19 October 2026: what changes for you

2026-10-03

On 19 October 2026, B.C. changes its Graduated Licensing Program (GLP). The biggest change: novice drivers no longer take a second road test to reach a Class 5 licence. A driving record assessment takes its place, followed by a 12-month restricted period (BC Gov News, 20 July 2026; ICBC: Graduated Licensing Program changes). Most of the new rules are in Order in Council 350/2026 (BC Laws).

The driving guide Learn to Drive Smart is the March 2026 edition and still describes the old rules (Learn to Drive Smart). Below, each rule is given both ways: before 19 October 2026, and from that date.

What does not change

You can still get a learner's (L) licence from age 16 by passing the knowledge test, which has 50 questions; you need 40 correct (ICBC: Get your L). You still pass a Class 7 road test to become a novice (N) (BC Gov News).

If you are a learner, or about to be one

Time before the Class 7 road test. Before 19 October 2026, at least 12 months as a learner (ICBC: Get your L). From that date, learners aged 25 and up need only 9 months; for everyone younger it stays one year (BC Laws).
Your supervisor. Before 19 October 2026, they must be at least 25 and hold a valid licence in any of classes 1 to 5 (ICBC: Get your L). From that date, 22 or older; and someone who has just moved up to Class 5 cannot supervise you until their own 12-month restricted period is over (BC Laws).
Passengers. The two-person limit stays; from 19 October 2026, members of your immediate family are left out of that count (BC Laws; BC Gov News).
Parent or guardian consent. Before 19 October 2026, applicants under 19 need a parent or legal guardian's consent (Learn to Drive Smart, p.137). From that date, under 18: Order in Council 350/2026 brings into force the amendment that changes the age in section 32 of the Motor Vehicle Act from 19 to 18 (BC Laws: Order in Council 350/2026; Motor Vehicle Act, s.32).

If you are a novice

Before 19 October 2026, you take the Class 5 road test, about an hour long, after 24 months in a row as a novice without a driving prohibition (Learn to Drive Smart, p.141). An approved GLP course taken as a learner can take six months off, if your first 18 months as a novice have no at-fault crashes, violations or prohibitions (ICBC: Get your L).

From 19 October 2026, the driving record assessment checks that you have:

24 months or more of safe driving as a novice (18 if you are under 25 and finished an approved GLP course during your learner stage), or 12 months or more if you are 25 or older;
and, over that whole period, no conviction for excessive speeding (more than 40 km/h over the limit; Motor Vehicle Act, s.148) or for using an electronic device at the wheel, and no prohibitions or suspensions.

These criteria come from ICBC's changes page (ICBC); the regulation counts the same sanctions (BC Laws). Once you meet them, you visit a driver licensing office, by appointment or as a walk-in. Online booking for this service is at ICBC driver licensing offices (ICBC).

Two more things for current novices:

If your second road test is booked for 19 October 2026 or later, ICBC will cancel it and email you (ICBC).
If you hold a valid Class 7 licence on 19 October 2026 and already meet the new criteria, the regulation treats you as holding a Class 5 licence (unless you also hold a motorcycle Class 8 or 8L licence) (BC Laws). The government calls this a one-time, automatic upgrade without an in-office assessment, and says ICBC is sending letters to drivers in the program (BC Gov News).

The N sign and the one-passenger limit. Before 19 October 2026, every Class 7 novice displays the N sign and carries at most one passenger. From that date, both apply only to Class 7 novices under 25. A Class 8 (motorcycle) novice still displays the N sign at any age (BC Laws).

After the assessment: the 12-month restricted period

Your first Class 5 licence comes with a restricted period. The government's announcement describes it as 12 months of zero alcohol and zero drugs in your blood (BC Gov News). The regulation names alcohol, cocaine and THC, and ends the period once you have built up 12 months of compliant driving on that licence (BC Laws).

If you are 25 or older

The path is shorter: a learner stage of at least 9 months, followed by a 12-month novice stage, then the assessment (BC Gov News; ICBC).

ICBC's changes page has a short question tool that tells you which of these apply to your licence.

Before you go

Most of the test is about rules and signs from Learn to Drive Smart. You can work through our free practice questions, which we wrote from that guide. They are our own questions, not ICBC's.