Policy

The Graduated Driver Licence (GDL) Program, is a two-stage program designed to permit newly licensed drivers the time to acquire, on a gradual basis, the support, skills, and experience needed to safely operate a passenger car, light truck and/or motorcycle. The two stages are:

• 12 months as a Class 7 GDL learner.
• 24 months as a Class 5, 6 or 5 6 GDL driver.
  • Class 5, 6, or 5 6 GDL drivers may complete an approved driver training course to reduce their probation period by up to six months, providing all other eligibility requirements are met.

The GDL Program applies to all newly licenced Class 7, 5 and 6 drivers, regardless of age.

• Clients with a Class 7 GDL learner licence are clients who have never held a higher non-GDL licence class.
  • Clients whose Class 7 learner licence was issued prior to May 20, 2003 are included in the GDL program.
• Clients with a Class 5 GDL, 6 GDL or 5 6 GDL driver’s licence are clients who have either:
  • Never held a higher licence class.
  • Not acquired the required two years driving experience, with the last year of the probationary period being suspension and traffic contravention free.

As of April 1, 2023, GDL clients are no longer required to complete an Advanced Road Test to become a fully licensed driver. Once the probationary period is complete, the client is automatically removed from the GDL Program and the driving record will no longer indicate the client is a GDL Driver. All clients will receive a letter advising they have been removed from the GDL Program. A client may choose to attend a registry office to have a new driver’s licence issued or wait until such time that they require a driver’s licence service for another reason.

GDL clients cannot upgrade to a Class 1, 2, 3 or 4 driver’s licence until they successfully exit the GDL Program.

For additional GDL Program information regarding suspensions, demerits, fines and penalties, and for information on the Immediate Roadside Sanctions (IRS) Program of ZERO: Novice, see the Government of Alberta website at www.alberta.ca.

GDL Exemption Program

The following clients are exempt from being placed in the GDL Program:

• Clients who have held a Class 5, 6 or 5 6 Alberta driver’s licence prior to the GDL implementation date of May 20, 2003.
• A client exchanging a Class 1, 2, 3 or 4 driver’s licence from another Canadian jurisdiction.
• Clients with two or more years driving experience exchanging a:
  • Canadian driver’s licence.
  • Driver’s licence from a country with a reciprocal agreement with Alberta.
  • Driver's licence from a non-reciprocal jurisdiction upon approval from the Special Investigations Unit (SIU); see 3.10.15 Non-Reciprocal Out of Country Drivers.
• Client’s whose date first licenced record, has been set to a non-GDL status by Motor Vehicles and Registries Administration or by Driver Fitness and Monitoring.
• A client whose driver’s licence is being declassified from a non-GDL Class 5, 6 or 5 6 to a non-GDL Class 7.

GDL Conditions

Class 7 GDL Learner Conditions

• Must be accompanied by a fully licenced (non-GDL) driver who is at least 18 years of age and is seated next to the driver.
• Subject to a zero alcohol tolerance.
  • Any driver's licence suspensions while in a Class 7 GDL stage, will delay the upgrade to a higher class of licence.
• Not permitted to have more passengers than seat belts.
• Not permitted to drive a vehicle from midnight to 5 a.m.
• Must comply with the demerit point standards as established for GDL clients.
  • Any driver’s licence demerit suspensions while in a Class 7 GDL stage, will delay the upgrade to a higher class of licence; see 3.30.02 Demerit Points / Suspension .
• For a motorcycle, the client must:
  • Be 16 years of age.
  • Drive during daytime hours, the period starting one hour before sunrise and ending one hour after the following sunset.
  • Be accompanied by an 18 year old, or older, fully licenced driver who is either seated on the motorcycle or following on/in another motor vehicle.
  • When unsure of a motorcycle category; see QR 4.4 Motorcycle Classes (pdf).

Class 5, 6 and 5 6 GDL Conditions

• Must spend 24 months as a probationary driver.
  • Driver’s may be eligible to exit the GDL program after spending 18 months as a probationary driver if they complete an approved driver education course which results in having a Condition Code U added to their driving record; see QR 3.3 Condition Codes - Endorsements.
  • Be suspension free for the last year of their probationary stage.
    • When a suspension occurs during the last year of the GDL driver phase, the one-year consecutive term starts over immediately following the reinstatement of the licence.
  • Be traffic contravention free for the last year of their probationary stage.
    • When a traffic contravention occurs during the last year of the GDL probationary period, the one-year consecutive term starts over immediately following the conviction date of the offense.
• Cannot serve as an accompanying driver to a GDL learner.
• Subject to a zero alcohol tolerance.
  • Any licence suspensions while in a Class 5, 6 or 5 6 GDL stage, will delay the upgrade to a higher class of licence.
• Not permitted to have more passengers than seat belts.
• Cannot upgrade to a commercial licence (Classes 1, 2, 3 or 4).
• Must comply with the demerit point standards as established for GDL clients.
  • Any driver’s licence demerit suspensions while in a Class 5, 6 or 5 6 GDL stage, will delay the upgrade to a higher class of driver's licence; see 3.30.02 Demerit Points/Suspension.

Requirements

Class 7 GDL Learner

To acquire a Class 7 GDL learner licence, a client must meet all appropriate licensing requirements; see 3.00.01 Driver Licence Classifications.

Class 7 GDL Learner to Class 5GDL, 6 GDL or 5 6 GDL

To reclassify a Class 7 GDL learner licence to a Class 5 GDL, 6 GDL or 5 6 GDL the client must:

• Meet all appropriate licensing requirements; see 3.00.01 Driver Licence Classifications.
• Hold a learner’s licence (Class 7) for at least one year.
• Be suspension free.
• Have less than 8 demerit points.
• Pass a Class 5 and/or 6 Road Test.

Class 5 GDL, 6 GDL or 5 6 GDL to Class 5, 6 or 5 6 (fully licenced)

To successfully exit the Class 5, 6 or 5 6 GDL Program, the client must:

• Meet all appropriate licensing requirements; see 3.00.01 Driver Licence Classifications.
• Spend a minimum of 24 months as a GDL probationary driver.
  • Class 5 GDL, 6 GDL, or 5 6 GDL drivers may complete an approved driver training course to reduce their probation period by up to six months, providing all other eligibility requirements are met; see QR 3.3 Condition Codes - Endorsements.
• Be suspension, traffic contravention, and cancellation free for the last year of their probationary stage.

Driver’s Licence Exchange

Canadian Out of Province Drivers

As of May 20, 2005, clients from another Canadian jurisdiction who hold a drivers licence equivalent to a Class 5, 6 or 5 6 must meet the Alberta GDL exit timelines before being issued a non-GDL driver’s licence.  To calculate driving experience; see 3.05.04 Date First Licenced (DFL).

MOVES will assess a client’s GDL status using:

• The client’s date first licensed.
• The client’s previous jurisdiction driver profile.

For licensing requirements for clients that have had a Canadian Driver’s Licence valid within the last three years; see the appropriate sub-section in 3.10 Reciprocal Licensing.

Reciprocal Out of Country Drivers

Clients with a valid driver’s licence from a country that holds a reciprocal licensing agreement with Alberta must meet the Alberta GDL exit timelines before being issued a non-GDL driver’s licence.

The client must provide proof of their date first licenced, see 3.05.04 Date First Licenced (DFL).  If proof is not available, or the client chooses to exchange their out of country driver’s licence before submitting proof of their driving experience the service date must be used and a GDL licence will be issued until proof can be provided.

For licensing requirements for clients that have had a United States driver’s licence valid within the last three years; see 3.10.13 United States Driver’s Licence.

For licensing requirements for clients coming from countries that have a Reciprocal Licensing Agreement with Alberta; see 3.10.14 Reciprocal Agreement Jurisdictions.

If the client has held an ID card, the client’s Date First Licenced display must be reviewed to determine if they should be in the GDL Program or not; see 3.15.04 Operator Reclassification.

Non-Reciprocal Out of Country Drivers

Clients originating from a jurisdiction that has not signed a Reciprocal Licensing Agreement with Alberta are subject to the GDL Program; however, these clients may apply to be exempted from the GDL Program. For information on the GDL Exemption Program, see 3.10.15 Non-Reciprocal Out of Jurisdiction Drivers.

For licensing requirements for clients coming from countries that do not have a reciprocal licensing agreement with Alberta; see 3.10.15 Non-Reciprocal Out of Country Drivers.

If the client has held an ID card, client’s Date First Licenced display must be reviewed to determine if they should be in the GDL Program or not; see 3.15.04 Operator Reclassification.

Date Originally Issued: May 20, 2003
Date Last Revised: Nov 09, 2023