Class 7 to Class 5 in Alberta: Every GDL Step

Getting a full driver's licence in Alberta happens in three stages. You start as a learner with a Class 7. You pass a road test to get a Class 5 GDL. Then, after at least two years on probation, you move up to a full Class 5. Alberta says the whole path takes at least three years.

This guide walks through each stage, its rules and where a driving course fits. Every rule comes from Alberta government pages, listed at the end.

Stage 1: Get your Class 7 learner's licence

To get a Class 7 learner's licence, you must:

• be 14 years of age or older
• have consent from a parent or guardian if you are under 18
• pass a knowledge test at a registry agent office
• pass a vision test
• bring acceptable ID

The knowledge test has 30 multiple choice questions. You need 25 correct answers to pass. You can take it once a day, and you pay a fee each time. The questions come from Alberta's Driver's Guide, so that is the book to study.

If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian must go with you to the registry. They show proof of guardianship and sign a consent form.

Once you pass both tests, you can buy your Class 7 licence card. A temporary licence covers you for 30 days or until the card arrives by mail, in about 21 business days.

The rules for Class 7 learners

A learner may drive a car only with a supervising driver in the front passenger seat. That driver must be 18 or older and hold a full Class 5 licence or higher. A GDL driver cannot be your supervisor.

Learners must also follow these rules:

• no driving between midnight and 5 a.m.
• zero alcohol and zero drugs when driving
• no more passengers than there are seat belts
• a licence suspension at 8 demerit points

How long you stay a learner

You must hold your Class 7 for at least 12 months. A suspension makes that time longer. You must also be at least 16 before you can take the road test.

So a student who gets a learner's licence at 14 still waits until 16. A student who starts at 15 and a half can move on at 16 and a half.

Use the learner year to practise in every season, including an Edmonton winter.

Stage 2: Pass the Class 5 road test

Class 5 road tests are run by driver examiners through registry agents. You book with a registry that offers road tests. Alberta has a map of these registries on alberta.ca, and each one links to its own booking site.

You need your MVID number to book. It is the 9 digit number near the barcode on your Alberta licence. Any fines you owe the Government of Alberta must be paid before you can book.

Each registry sets its own road test fee and must publish its fees online. When you book, ask about its cancellation and no show rules.

The road test takes about 45 minutes. That includes the examiner's instructions at the start and a summary of your results at the end. The examiner looks at:

• steering, braking and speed control
• choosing the right lane for turns
• obeying speed zones
• right of way at intersections and during lane changes
• parking, including parallel parking

You earn points for mistakes. More than 75 points on a Class 5 test is a fail. Some mistakes fail you right away, no matter your points. These include speeding, not stopping fully at a stop sign or before a right turn on a red light, and failing to yield.

Your car must be in good working order, with valid plates and insurance, working lights, brakes, horn and mirrors, a clear windshield, good tires and enough fuel.

After you pass, take your road test permit to a registry agent. You pass a vision test there, and then you can buy your Class 5 GDL licence card.

The rules for Class 5 GDL drivers

A Class 5 GDL lets you drive on your own. Some limits stay in place:

• no more passengers than there are seat belts
• a licence suspension at 8 demerit points
• zero alcohol and zero drugs when driving
• no upgrade to a Class 1, 2, 3 or 4 licence
• you cannot supervise a learner

You must stay in this probation stage for at least two years.

Stage 3: Move to a full Class 5

To leave the GDL program, you must:

• be at least 18 years of age
• finish 24 months of probation driving
• have no suspensions or demerits in the last 12 months

Since April 1, 2023, you no longer need an advanced road test to leave GDL. With a full Class 5, you can upgrade to a commercial class, you are allowed more demerits, the zero alcohol and drug rule is removed, and you can supervise a learner.

Where a driving course fits

Alberta does not require a driving course for a Class 5 licence, but it recommends one. A course from a licensed driver training school can help in two ways.

First, it can shorten your GDL probation by up to 6 months, as long as you meet all the other rules, including the age of 18.

Second, when you finish, the school gives you a Notice of Driver Education Course Completion. You may be able to use it for a discount on your car insurance. To earn that notice, Alberta requires at least 15 hours of classroom training and 10 hours of training in the car. You must also pass the knowledge and practical assessments.

Orchard Driving School's Standard Course matches those hours: 15 hours of theory and 10 hours of driving. You choose classroom theory or online theory.

• Edmonton and Beaumont: $495 with classroom theory, $545 with online theory
• Leduc, Sherwood Park and St. Albert: $600 with classroom theory, $650 with online theory

If you want more practice before your road test, our More Road Time course gives you 14 hours of driving. With classroom or online theory, it is $680 or $735 in Edmonton and Beaumont, and $820 or $870 in Leduc, Sherwood Park and St. Albert. All prices are plus GST. We pick you up at home, school or work, 7 days a week.

See all Orchard courses and prices

A sample timeline

Here is how the minimum times add up for a new driver who starts at 16:

1. Age 16: pass the knowledge test and get a Class 7.
2. Age 17: after 12 months as a learner, pass the road test and get a Class 5 GDL.
3. Age 19: after 24 months on probation with a clean last year, move to a full Class 5.

With an approved course, step 3 can come 6 months sooner, at 18 and a half. That is three years in total, or two and a half years with a course.