Driver Licence Alberta Class 7: What Learners Need to Know

Every new driver in Alberta starts with the same card: the driver licence Alberta Class 7, known officially as the Class 7 learner's licence. It is the first stage of Alberta's Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program, and every in-car lesson at City Driving School depends on it.

What a Class 7 learner's licence is

The Alberta Class 7 is stage one of three, before the Class 5-GDL probationary licence and the full Class 5. Alberta says the whole path takes a minimum of 3 years.

With a Class 7 you can drive:

• a moped by yourself
• a Class 5 or Class 6 vehicle, with a supervisor in the front passenger seat

The supervisor must be over 18 and hold a full Class 5 licence or higher. In short, it is a licence to learn. Apart from a moped, you never drive alone.

How to get a Class 7 licence in Alberta

Everything happens at an Alberta registry agent office.

Who can apply

Alberta sets four conditions for a Class 7:

• be 14 years of age or older
• have parental or guardian consent if you are under 18
• pass a knowledge test
• pass a vision test

What to bring

Bring original documents that prove your identity, legal presence in Canada and Alberta address, for example:

• a Canadian birth certificate, a Canadian passport or a Permanent Resident card
• proof of your Alberta address dated within the last 90 days, such as a utility bill or a lease
• payment for the knowledge test and the licence card

Every document must be in English or come with a written translation from an approved translator.

The knowledge test

The Class 7 knowledge test has 30 multiple-choice questions, and you need 25 out of 30 to pass. You can take it once per day, and you pay each time. The test is offered in 25 languages. Audio tests and oral tests are also available. Oral tests are done in English.

Study the Driver's Guide: Cars and light trucks, published by the Government of Alberta. Our Class 7 Learner Preparation course walks you through the same material in class.

Once you pass both tests, you can buy your Class 7 learner's licence card. You leave with a temporary licence, valid for 30 days or until the card arrives. The card should arrive within 21 business days.

What it costs

Alberta's Registry Agent Product Catalogue, effective 1 September 2026, sets these government fees, each plus a registry service charge up to a cap:

• Knowledge test: 5 dollars, plus up to 12 dollars and 60 cents.
• Licence card for one year: 17 dollars, plus up to 10 dollars and 50 cents.
• Licence card for five years: 85 dollars, plus up to 13 dollars and 65 cents.

Ask your registry agent for its service charge before you pay.

Rules that come with a driver licence Alberta Class 7

Once the card is in your wallet, five rules apply every time you drive.

1. A supervisor over 18 with a full Class 5 licence or higher must sit in the front passenger seat. A GDL driver cannot supervise a learner.
2. You must have a 0% alcohol level when driving.
3. You cannot drive between 12:00 am and 5:00 am.
4. You cannot carry more people than there are seat belts.
5. You are allowed 8 demerit points before your licence is suspended.

Why every City lesson needs the Class 7 in the car

In every in-car lesson, you are the driver and your instructor is your supervisor. Our instructors are certified by Alberta Transportation and sit in the front passenger seat. Only a Class 7 lets a learner drive with a supervisor, so the licence makes the lesson legal.

Bring your driver licence Alberta Class 7 to every lesson. Without it the instructor cannot let you take the wheel.

Pickup and drop-off are free for in-car lessons inside our service areas: Edmonton South, Beaumont, Edmonton Downtown, Edmonton North and Sherwood Park.

How long you hold a Class 7 before the Class 5 road test

You must hold the Class 7 for at least 12 months before the Class 5 road test. You must also be at least 16 years old, with parental or guardian consent if you are under 18. Road tests are booked through a registry agent or online through the Alberta Road Test Scheduler.

The rest of the timeline:

1. Pass the Class 5 road test and move to the Class 5-GDL probationary licence.
2. Drive 24 months as a Class 5-GDL driver. Zero drug or alcohol level, suspension at 8 demerit points, and you cannot supervise a learner.
3. Move to a full Class 5 at 18 or older. You need no suspension or demerits in the last 12 months.

Since 1 April 2023 there is no advanced road test to leave GDL. Alberta says drivers who complete a Class 5 driver training program may be eligible to cut the 24-month probation by up to 6 months. The program must come from a driver training school licensed by the Alberta government.

What City Driving School offers

City Driving School is an Alberta Transportation approved school and has taught in Edmonton since 2009. Our instructors, men and women, are certified by Alberta Transportation.

Two courses fit the Class 7 stage:

• Class 7 Learner Preparation, $150 plus 5% GST. In class, it gets you ready for the knowledge test.
• Full Course, from $545 plus 5% GST in Zone A (Edmonton South and Beaumont). It has 15 hours of theory and 10 hours in the car, the hours Alberta lists for Class 5 driver training.

More Class 7 answers are on our FAQ page. Once your driver licence Alberta Class 7 is in your wallet, book a lesson in five steps and bring the card along.