About Ontario Drivers’ Licences
In Ontario, there are 12 different license classes. Each one qualifies you to drive a different type of vehicle.
There are passenger vehicle licence types and commercial (classified) vehicle licence types. You may hold a licence in more than one class, and licence types may be combined
The class of licence you have must match the type of vehicle you are driving. To earn a driver’s licence, you must meet a set of minimum requirements and complete the required tests.
Tests for cars, vans, and small trucks must be completed at a DriveTest Centre. Tests for motorcycles and commercial vehicles may be completed at a DriveTest Centre or at certain professional or academic organizations authorized by the Ministry of Transportation
Minimum Requirements for Drivers’ Licences
Note to Experienced Drivers:
Ontario has licence exchange agreements with certain provinces, states, and countries. If you have previous driving experience outside of Ontario, that experience may be acknowledged through licence exchange privileges, reduced/waived testing requirements, or foreign licence experience credits. Specific conditions and requirements apply. Please see the Licence Exchange page for details.
Military DND (Department of National Defence) 404 permit holders (both active and retired members) may have driver’s licence testing requirements waived. Drivers with a DND 404 permit and a valid licence (within the last 3 years) issued by another Canadian licensing jurisdiction may be eligible, with appropriate ID and documentation, for Ontario licence classes A, C, D, F, G, and Z endorsement without testing and without surrendering their permit. Please see the Waived Testing Requirements for DND 404 Holders page for details.
License Types (All Classes)
There are 12 different licence classes that correspond to a variety of vehicle types.
Like many other countries and provinces, Ontario has instituted a graduated licensing program for new drivers of cars, vans, small trucks, motorcycles, scooters, and mopeds. Those in the graduated licensing program will have a class G1, G2, M1, or M2 licence. Graduated licensing does not apply to commercial licences.
Endorsements and conditions provide extra information to the police and regulators about the type of vehicle you are legally allowed to drive (e.g., Z endorsement for air brakes, L for limited-speed motorcycle) or describe the circumstances under which you are allowed to drive (e.g., only with prescribed glasses).