If you’re a recent G1 licenseholder in Ontario, you’re probably itching to get your full G license – or at least a G2 – without having to wait for years and years. The G1 license, while helpful, comes with a set of restrictions that make it impossible to drive on your own. If you’re looking to drive independently, with minimal restrictions, you’ll need your G2 or G license. To learn more about how to get your G2 or G license faster, read on below:
How long after getting my G1 license do I have to wait before getting my G2?
In Ontario, you’re allowed to get your G2 license 12 months after getting your G1. If you’re born on January 1st, for example, and you get your G1 license on your birthday (as soon as you turn 16), you’ll be able to go for your G2 test on January 1st the following year. If you try logging into the DriveTest website and booking a road test before a year passes, the DriveTest system won’t let you book. The Ministry of Transportation institutes this year-long wait requirement to ensure that student drivers practice enough before going for their G2 exam. Driving is a large responsibility, and isn’t something you can master overnight.
How can I get my G2 license faster?
If a year sounds like too long of a wait to get your G2 license, you can get your G2 license in 8 months instead if you complete a Ministry of Transportation (MTO)-approved Beginner Driver Education Course. In order to qualify, a driving school course must have 10 hours of in-car instruction, 20 hours of in-class or online theory, and 10 hours of “flex time” – this can include practice quizzes, additional in-car practice, or additional classroom time, and be certified by the Ministry of Transportation.
When you complete a Beginner Driver Education Course, the driving school you enroll with will upload a record of your completion to the MTO website. There’s no actual physical certificate needed; rather, it’s an electronic certification that appears on your permanent driving record. Once your driving school has uploaded your record of completion to the MTO website, you’ll be able to book your road test in 8 months instead of a year.
Is it possible to get my G2 in less than 8 months?
Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to get your G2 in less than 8 months. While the Ministry of Transportation recognizes that driving school makes for better drivers, and consequently reduces the wait time from a year to 8 months, they still want to make sure you’re getting sufficient practice in. Cutting the time to get your driver’s license to less than 8 months, therefore, isn’t possible.
Where can I take a driver’s ed course that will allow me to get my G2 in 8 months?
To take advantage of the 8-month rule, look for a Ministry of Transportation (MTO)-approved driving school that offers a Beginner Driver Education course. If a driving school you come across is not on this list, do not enroll in classes with them, as the course will not allow you to get your G2 in 8 months instead of 12 – and won’t allow you to qualify for the insurance discount either.
While we don’t like to toot our own horn, at Kruzee we offer an MTO-approved Beginner Driver Education course that can allow you to get your G2 in 8 months, save on insurance, and save $400 on your first vehicle (if you purchase it from Clutch). Learn more about Kruzee in the Toronto Star here.
How long after my G2 can I get my G license?
You need to wait at least 12 months after getting your G2 license to get your G. As with the G1 to G2 transition, the Ministry of Transportation wants to make sure that students have sufficient time on the road to practice with their G2 before they have the chance to go for the G exam. In order to get your G license in Ontario, you need to demonstrate proficiency with highway driving, which is considerably more challenging and dangerous than residential driving.
In addition to the one-year rule, students taking their G test must have driven at least 5 times on the highway in the 3 months prior to their exam. When you go for your G exam, you’ll be required to enter the amount of times you’ve driven on a highway in the DriveTest system. If you’ve been on the highway less than 5 times, you won’t be allowed to take your test.
Is there any way to get my G license faster?
Unfortunately, there is no way to accelerate the process of getting your G license – even if you go to driving school. The 8-month rule mentioned above only applies to students going from their G1 to their G2; G students unfortunately don’t receive similar treatment.
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