What the G1 test actually is
The G1 test is a written knowledge test, not a driving test — you never get behind the wheel. It has 40 multiple-choice questions split into two sections of 20: one on road signs and one on the rules of the road. You need at least 16 out of 20 in each section. That per-section rule matters: 80% overall is not enough if one section falls short, and a perfect signs score cannot rescue a weak rules score.
At most DriveTest centres the test runs on a touchscreen computer, it is offered in a long list of languages, and an audio version is available if reading is the barrier rather than the material. You get your result immediately.
Who can take it and what it costs
You must be at least 16 years old and pass a basic vision check done at the counter. The Class G1 licensing package is $106.50, and it covers more than this one test: the knowledge test, your first G2 road test down the line, and your five-year licence. If you fail the knowledge test, each rewrite is $16.00. Fees change occasionally, so confirm the current amounts on drivetest.ca before you go.
What to bring
- Original ID proving your legal name, date of birth, and signature — a passport is the simplest single document; Canadian citizenship or permanent resident cards also work. Photocopies are not accepted, and the full list of accepted documents is on drivetest.ca.
- Glasses or contacts if you wear them — the vision test is part of the visit, and if you need corrective lenses to pass it, your licence will say so.
- Payment for the licensing package.
Where and when to take it
Knowledge tests are walk-in at any DriveTest centre in Ontario — only road tests need an appointment. The practical advice: arrive at least an hour before the centre closes, because the paperwork, vision test, and the test itself all have to fit before closing time, and busy GTA centres cut off knowledge-test intake when the queue outgrows the clock.
What to study — and the only source that counts
Every question on the test comes from the Official MTO Driver's Handbook. Study that, not a summary of it. Free practice tests are genuinely useful for exposing weak spots and getting used to the question phrasing, but treat them as a diagnostic, not a syllabus — third-party question banks drift out of date, and the handbook is the source of truth.
Plan around the two sections. The signs section is mostly recognition and most people find it the easier of the two after an evening of review. The rules section is where preparation actually decides the result.
The questions people actually fail
Ask anyone who failed the G1 what got them, and the answer is nearly always the same: the numbers. Speed limits in unposted areas, how close you can park to a hydrant or an intersection, following distances, demerit-point thresholds, when a collision must be reported, and the timelines of the graduated licensing system itself. These are pure memorization, they feel trivial while you read the handbook, and they evaporate under test pressure.
The fix is boring and effective: as you read the handbook, keep a running sheet of every number, distance, and time limit you meet, and drill that sheet separately until the answers are automatic. That one habit converts the hardest slice of the rules section into free marks.
Test day, start to finish
- Arrive with your documents — early in the day beats the after-school and after-work rush.
- Present your ID at the counter, pay the licensing package, and take the vision test.
- Take the knowledge test on the touchscreen. It is not timed, so read every question fully — several are worded so that the tempting answer is wrong.
- Get your result on the spot. Pass, and you leave with a temporary G1; your card arrives by mail.
If you fail
It costs $16.00 and some pride, and that is all. There is no mandatory waiting period — you can rewrite as soon as you are ready, and your results show which section fell short, so the restudy is targeted. Failing one section and clearing it a week later is a completely ordinary path to a G1.
After you pass: what a G1 lets you do
A G1 comes with real restrictions: a fully licensed driver with at least four years of experience must be in the front passenger seat, blood alcohol must be zero, 400-series highways are off limits unless you are with a licensed driving instructor, and you cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m.
The clock that matters starts now: 12 months on your G1 before you can take the G2 road test, or 8 months if you complete a ministry-approved Beginner Driver Education (BDE) course — which can also lower your insurance. Note the instructor exception above, because it is bigger than it looks: with a licensed instructor beside you, you can train on highways from day one of your G1. That waiting period is exactly the time to build the habits the G2 examiner wants to see, and our guide on G2 vs G: what actually changes covers what that next test demands and how to book it.