Class 5 · Car · Quebec

Learner's licence in Quebec: steps, rules and timelines

The learner's licence is the first step towards your driver's licence. Here is how to get it, the rules to follow and when you can move on to the next step.

By AlloPermis, SAAQ-recognized driving school · Updated October 8, 2026 · Our courses are given in French.

Step 1 LearnerAlways accompanied
Step 2 ProbationaryAlone · 24 months
Step 3 RegularThe full licence

You are here: learner's licence, at least 12 months before the road test.

The learner's licence at a glance

16: Minimum age to get the licence
12 months: Minimum with this licence before the road test
0 alcohol: Not a single drop before driving
4 points: Demerit point limit

How to get the learner's licence

Five steps, from registration to the licence. The SAAQ issues the licence, not the school.

Step 1 : Register

With a driving school recognized by the SAAQ
Step 2 : Pass phase 1

Modules 1 to 5, including the school's evaluation
Step 3 : Be 16

Under 18: consent from a parent or guardian
Step 4 : Go to the SAAQ

Medical declaration, vision test and fees
Step 5 : Learner's licence

Issued by the SAAQ

Phase 1 has 5 theory modules, taught remotely (in French) at AlloPermis. See the modules (in French)

Work out my earliest dates

Enter the date of the first class of the program (module 1, phase 1). It stays in your browser: nothing is sent or saved.

Date of the first class (module 1, phase 1)

Which date? The first class of the program: module 1 of phase 1 (theory).

Not the date you registered or paid, and not your first road session.

Already have your learner's licence? Your road test is possible at the earliest 12 months after the date it was issued.

Earliest dates, if nothing is delayed. You must also be 16: if your birthday comes after the end of phase 1, the learner's licence and the following dates move back by the same amount. The phases are detailed in our interactive licence timeline guide.

The learner's licence rules

Four rules to know by heart before you get behind the wheel.

Always accompanied

Never alone at the wheel. The accompanying driver has held a valid licence of the appropriate class for at least 2 years. They sit beside you and can help and advise you.

No driving from midnight to 5 a.m.

The ban covers class 5 learner drivers, even when accompanied. Plan your evening trips accordingly.

Zero alcohol

Driving after drinking even a single drop of alcohol is an offence for a learner driver.

A limit of 4 demerit points

Reaching this limit means losing your licence for a set period.

Example: using a cell phone while driving is worth 5 points, more than the limit on its own.

Learner's or probationary licence?

The probationary licence comes after you pass the road test. What changes:

Rule	Learner	Probationary
Drive alone	No	Yes
Accompanying driver	Required, seated beside you	Not required
Midnight to 5 a.m.	No driving	If you are 19 or under: 1 passenger aged 19 or under for the first 6 months, then 3
Alcohol	Zero	Zero
Demerit points	Limit of 4	Limit of 4
Duration	At least 12 months before the road test	24 months, then the regular licence

Drive alone

Learner: No
Probationary: Yes

Accompanying driver

Learner: Required, seated beside you
Probationary: Not required

Midnight to 5 a.m.

Learner: No driving
Probationary: If you are 19 or under: 1 passenger aged 19 or under for the first 6 months, then 3

Alcohol

Learner: Zero
Probationary: Zero

Demerit points

Learner: Limit of 4
Probationary: Limit of 4

Duration

Learner: At least 12 months before the road test
Probationary: 24 months, then the regular licence

Learner's licence FAQ

What is a learner's licence?

It is the first licence on the way to driving a car (class 5) in Quebec. It lets you learn to drive on the road, always with an accompanying driver. Next come the probationary licence, then the regular licence.

At what age can you get a learner's licence?

From 16, once phase 1 of the driving course is passed. Under 18, you need consent from a parent or guardian. The theory course itself can start before 16.

Can you drive alone with a learner's licence?

No. You must always be accompanied by a person who has held a valid licence of the appropriate class for at least 2 years, seated beside you and able to help and advise you.

Can you drive at night with a learner's licence?

Not between midnight and 5 a.m. This ban applies to class 5 (car) learner drivers, even when accompanied.

How much does the learner's licence cost?

The fees are set by the SAAQ and paid to the SAAQ, not to the school. They change every year: check the current amount on saaq.gouv.qc.ca. The driving course is a separate price.

How long is the learner's licence valid?

The expiry date is printed on your licence. Check it, especially as your road test gets closer, and contact the SAAQ if it comes first.

What happens after the learner's licence?

You continue the course (phases 2 to 4). After at least 12 months with the learner's licence and passing the SAAQ knowledge test, you can take the road test. If you pass, you get the probationary licence for 24 months, then the regular licence.

Start phase 1

The learner's licence starts with phase 1 of the driving course. AlloPermis, an SAAQ-recognized driving school in Montreal, offers the full program. Our courses are given in French.

Before you register, see the prices and terms.

References:

This page is written by AlloPermis. It does not replace the SAAQ's official instructions. Rules can change: always check with the SAAQ.