Driver Licence Alberta Class 5: From GDL to a Full Licence

The driver licence Alberta Class 5 comes in two stages, and the order matters. First you pass the Class 5 road test and hold a Class 5-GDL probationary licence. Then, after 24 months and a clean final year, it becomes a full Class 5. This guide takes a Class 7 driver through both stages and names the course that helps at each step.

The two stages of a driver licence Alberta Class 5

Alberta's Graduated Driver Licensing program, GDL for short, has three licences. The Class 5 covers the last two.

1. Class 7 learner's licence. You drive with a supervisor.
2. Class 5-GDL probationary licence. You drive alone, with extra rules.
3. Full Class 5 licence. The GDL rules end.

Stage 1 to stage 2 needs a road test. Stage 2 to stage 3 needs time and a clean record, and no second test. Alberta says the whole path takes a minimum of 3 years.

Step 1: qualify for the Class 5 road test

Alberta sets three conditions before you can take the test:

• be 16 years of age or older
• have held a Class 7 learner's licence for at least 12 months
• have parental or guardian consent if you are under 18

Practise in the months before the test. Our 6 Hour on Road Training, from $360 plus 5% GST, is six hours in the car with a certified instructor. You work on the skills the examiner scores, and our instructor is your supervisor in every lesson.

Step 2: book and pass the road test

Book the test through an Alberta registry agent, in person or online. You need your Motor Vehicle Identification (MVID) number, the 9-digit number near the barcode on your licence. Registry agents set their own road test fees and must publish them online, so ask when you book.

The car you bring

Alberta says your vehicle must meet all legal and safety requirements. Many drivers find the family car is not free on test day. Our Car Use for Road Test, $90 plus 5% GST, puts our car at the registry for your test. Car Use with Training, $150 plus 5% GST, adds one hour with an instructor before the test.

How the test is scored

Errors add points, and Alberta gives three examples:

• not showing a needed skill, such as not checking mirrors or blind spots
• not following the rules of the road, such as missing a road sign or making a wrong turn
• doing a manoeuvre poorly, such as signalling too soon or too late

You fail the Class 5 test if you collect more than 75 points. You also fail at once if you endanger a pedestrian or another driver, drive unsafely or break a traffic law.

Step 3: drive under the GDL licence rules in Alberta

Pass, and your driver licence Alberta Class 5 starts as the Class 5-GDL probationary licence. You may now drive most cars, trucks or vans by yourself, under five conditions:

1. You must have a zero drug or alcohol level when driving.
2. Your licence is suspended at 8 demerit points, not 15 as for a fully licensed driver.
3. You cannot carry more people than there are seat belts.
4. You cannot be the accompanying driver for a Class 7 learner.
5. You cannot upgrade to a Class 1, 2, 3 or 4 licence while in GDL.

The demerit rule is the one to watch.

What happens at 8 demerit points

Alberta's rules are tighter for GDL drivers:

• 4 to 7 points: Alberta sends you a cautionary notice.
• 8 or more points within 2 years: your licence is suspended for one month.
• A second suspension within a year: 3 months.
• A third suspension within 2 years: 6 months.

When a suspension ends, the licence comes back with 3 demerit points, which stay for 2 years from the reinstatement date. Other points stay on your record for 2 years from the conviction date.

A suspension also costs time. To leave GDL you need 12 clean months, so a suspension means at least 12 more months in GDL.

An approved defensive driving course can remove up to 3 demerit points, once every 2 years. Our Defensive Driving Course is $150 plus 5% GST.

Step 4: how to get a full Class 5 licence in Alberta

Alberta lists three conditions for the full, non-GDL Class 5:

• be at least 18 years of age
• have completed the 24 months of probationary driving
• be suspension and demerit free for the last 12 months

Meet all three and you leave GDL.

New Class 5 licence rules in Alberta: no advanced road test

Since 1 April 2023, Alberta no longer requires the advanced road test to exit the GDL program. You take the Class 5 road test once, with no second test at the end.

Cutting the 24 months with driver training

You may be eligible to cut the 24 months by up to 6 months with a Class 5 or Class 6 driver training program. The school must be licensed by the Alberta government. Alberta's Class 5 driver training page lists at least 15 classroom hours and 10 in the car for Class 7 or Class 5-GDL drivers. Our Full Course has 15 hours of theory and 10 in the car, from $545 plus 5% GST in Zone A. Confirm the reduction with your registry agent.

What City Driving School offers

City Driving School is Alberta Transportation approved and has taught in Edmonton since 2009. Our instructors, men and women, are certified by Alberta Transportation. Two courses fit the driver licence Alberta Class 5 stage:

• 6 Hour on Road Training, from $360 plus 5% GST, before your road test.
• Car Use for Road Test, $90 plus 5% GST, our car on test day.

Pickup and drop-off are free for in-car lessons inside our service areas: Edmonton South, Beaumont, Edmonton Downtown, Edmonton North and Sherwood Park. Bring your Class 7 licence to every lesson.