VANCOUVER: British Columbia’s second road test for new drivers will disappear on Oct. 19, when the province replaces it with a records-based check of a driver’s experience and shortens the path out of the graduated licensing program for many drivers.
The changes, set out in a B.C. government news release updated July 20, apply to people in the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP), the system that moves new drivers from a learner’s licence to a novice (N) licence and then to a full Class 5 licence. They also apply to people who have not yet started the program.
What replaces the second road test
Under the current system, novice drivers take a second road test to leave the program. From Oct. 19, they will instead complete what the province calls a driving record assessment, which checks whether the driver has met the minimum novice driving experience. According to the release, drivers who pass can move to a Class 5 licence that carries a 12-month restricted period. During that period a zero blood-alcohol and drug restriction applies, and violations get closer scrutiny.
The province says convictions for excessive speeding or electronic device use will restart the novice period. The assessment will be offered at all Service BC offices, driver licensing agent offices and ICBC driver licensing offices, according to the release.
Shorter timelines for some drivers
The release says drivers aged 25 and older get a shorter pathway: the learner phase drops from 12 months to nine, and the novice phase drops from 24 months to 12. Drivers under 25 who complete an ICBC-approved GLP course will have a novice phase of 18 months. The minimum age to apply for a licence drops from 19 to 18.
The release also adds an exemption from passenger limits for immediate family. ICBC’s website says the minimum age for a supervisor, the licensed driver who accompanies a learner or novice, drops to 22 on Oct. 19. ICBC says the supervisor must hold a Class 5 licence without the zero blood-alcohol and drug restriction.
Automatic upgrades for some current novice drivers
The province says some drivers already in the program may receive a one-time automatic upgrade from Class 7 (novice) to Class 5 on or after Oct. 19, without completing an in-office assessment. Daily Hive, which reported on the changes, says that applies to eligible drivers. The release says ICBC will send letters in early fall to drivers already enrolled, explaining how they are affected and what to do next.
The sources reviewed do not spell out the full eligibility test for the automatic upgrade, and the ICBC page reviewed for this report still described the existing upgrade process, including a second road test, in places. Drivers with a road test booked for Oct. 19 or later should check their booking and any ICBC letter. Anyone unsure of their status can contact ICBC.
What officials say
Nina Krieger, the minister of public safety and solicitor general, said in the release: “Evidence shows that driving experience gained over time predicts long-term safety as reliably as a single road test.”
Attorney General Niki Sharma said the province is “making that step more accessible for people, while maintaining our roads’ safety,” according to the release. The release also says ICBC president and CEO Jason McDaniel described the changes as making it easier for qualified people in Indigenous, rural and remote communities to get licensed. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, welcomed the lower licensing age and the mature licensing program, which the release says implement recommendations from the union’s Road to Reconciliation discussion paper.
The release says rule changes for motorcyclists under the Motorcyclist Licensing Program take effect in 2027.
Sources: B.C. government news release 2026PSSG0061-000847 (news.gov.bc.ca); ICBC, “You have a Class 7 licence and you’re under 25” (icbc.com); Daily Hive, “B.C. announces when driver’s licence changes come into effect, eliminating second road test.”
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