ICBC Driving Record Assessment: BC Second Road Test Replaced
Do you still need a second road test in B.C.?
No. Since October 19, 2026, British Columbia uses a Driving Record Assessment, a check of your driving record, instead of a second road test. ICBC requires 24 months of safe driving as a Class 7 novice under 25 (18 if you completed an approved driver course as a learner), or 12 months at 25 or older. Upgrading costs CAD 17, or CAD 75 closer to your licence expiry date.
Where these rules come from
This guide uses ICBC's page on the changes to the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP), ICBC's page on the automatic upgrade and Order in Council 350/2026, the law in force on October 19, 2026. It also uses the ICBC pages for Class 7L and Class 7 drivers, the ICBC fees page, Division 30 of the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations and the B.C. government news release of July 20, 2026 (as of 2026). Confirm the rules with ICBC (icbc.com) before you drive.
What replaced the second road test in B.C.
Before October 19, 2026, a Class 7 novice took a second road test to get a Class 5 licence with restrictions. Now a driver with a clean record skips that test. Instead, ICBC checks your driving record: you move up only if it shows safe driving for the required months. A 12-month restriction period follows. The same applies to a Class 7, 8 novice licence, which also covers a motorcycle. The first road test, which gives you the Class 7 novice licence, stays.
How many months of safe driving you need to upgrade to Class 5
| Your situation | Safe driving needed with your Class 7 licence |
|---|---|
| Under 25 | At least 24 months |
| Under 25, completed an approved GLP course in the learner phase | 18 months (ICBC rule) |
| Under 25, took an approved GLP course but did not complete it | 24 months |
| 25 or older | At least 12 months |
What your driving record must show
- No convictions for excessive speed during the safe-driving period.
- No convictions for use of electronic devices during that period.
- No prohibitions or suspensions during that period.
The B.C. graduated licensing path after October 19, 2026
- 1
Class 7L learner
Hold the learner licence for at least 12 months if you are under 25, or at least 9 months if you are 25 or older, before the Class 7 road test.
- 2
Class 7 road test
Pass the Class 7 (GLP) road test. The fee is CAD 50.
- 3
Class 7 novice
Drive safely for 24 months under 25 (18 months if you completed an approved GLP course as a learner), or for 12 months at 25 or older. The free practice question on the safe-driving periods tests this rule.
- 4
Driving Record Assessment
Visit a driver licensing office to upgrade to a Class 5 licence with restrictions.
- 5
Class 5 with restriction 55
Drive for 12 months with restriction 55. Then the restriction ends.
The one-time automatic upgrade on October 19, 2026
Before October 19, 2026, ICBC sent eligible drivers a letter that confirmed their eligibility for a one-time automatic licence upgrade. The law deems a person with a valid Class 7 licence on that date to hold a Class 5 licence if they met the new Class 5 graduation criteria and did not also hold a Class 8 or 8L (motorcycle) licence. Your record needed no prohibitions, suspensions, electronic device convictions or excessive speeding between the date of the letter and October 19, 2026. Other factors, such as outstanding debt, may also have affected eligibility.
Automatic upgrade: what applies to you
How to book the Driving Record Assessment
- 1Check your date
Count the months of safe driving on your Class 7 licence. At 25 or older, find the Earliest Exit Date on your driving record.
- 2Choose when to upgrade
Upgrade as soon as you are eligible, or wait until closer to your licence expiry date. The fee differs (see the table below).
- 3Book online at an ICBC office
To book online, use an ICBC driver licensing office (not a Service BC location or driver licensing agent) and select the "Driving Record Assessment" service type. The B.C. government says the change makes the assessment available at all Service BC offices, driver licensing agent offices and ICBC driver licensing offices.
- 4Visit your nearest driver licensing office
Go by appointment or as a walk-in customer and upgrade to a Class 5 licence with restrictions. Offices accept cash, debit cards, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and personal cheques.
What the upgrade costs: CAD 17 or CAD 75
| When you upgrade | Fee (CAD) | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| As soon as you are eligible | CAD 17 | Your licence upgraded to Class 5 with restrictions |
| Closer to your licence expiry date | CAD 75 | A new licence valid for five years |
| Replacement card after the automatic upgrade (optional) | CAD 17 | A Class 5 card with the same expiry date as your old licence |
Restriction 55 on your new Class 5 licence
- Restriction 55 requires zero blood alcohol and zero blood drug content while you drive. It expires after 12 months, on the date shown on the back of your licence.
- A prohibition or suspension before the 12 months end restarts the period from the date your licence is reinstated.
- The restriction ends on its own. After 12 months of safe driving with no prohibitions or suspensions, you hold a full Class 5 licence, and you do not need a new card.
Class 7 rules until you upgrade: under 25 and 25 or older
| Rule | Under 25 | 25 or older |
|---|---|---|
| N sign on a Class 7 licence | Still required | No longer required |
| Passengers | The one-passenger limit stays. Immediate family members are exempt. | No supervisor needed to carry more than one passenger |
| Alcohol, drugs and phones | No alcohol or drugs in your blood. No phone or other electronic device at any time. | No alcohol or drugs in your blood. No phone or other electronic device, including hands-free devices. |
Key takeaways
- A Driving Record Assessment replaced the second road test on October 19, 2026. The first road test for your Class 7 licence stays.
- You need 24 months of safe driving under 25 (18 months if you completed an approved GLP course as a learner) or 12 months at 25 or older, with no prohibitions, suspensions, excessive speed or device convictions.
- Upgrading costs CAD 17 as soon as you are eligible, or CAD 75 if you wait until closer to your licence expiry date.
- Restriction 55 means zero blood alcohol and drug content for 12 months, and a prohibition or suspension restarts it.
- Next step: practise the B.C. rules on the free British Columbia Class 7 practice test.
B.C. Driving Record Assessment: common questions
Do I still take the Class 7 road test in B.C.?
Yes. The Driving Record Assessment replaces only the second road test. You still pass the Class 7 road test (CAD 50) after at least 12 months as a learner if you are under 25, or at least 9 months if you are 25 or older.
Is the Driving Record Assessment a driving test?
No. It is a check of your driving record at a driver licensing office. The assessment shows whether you drove safely for the minimum novice period: no prohibitions or suspensions, and no convictions for excessive speed or electronic device use. If your record qualifies, you upgrade to a Class 5 licence with restrictions.
Can a driver education course shorten the wait for Class 5?
Under 25, yes. ICBC states that an approved GLP course completed in the learner phase can cut the 24 months to 18. Taking a course without completing it does not shorten the wait. The guide to the approved GLP course says whether the course is worth it.
What happens if I get a suspension before I upgrade to Class 5?
Your eligibility date resets. At 25 or older, you need another 12 months with no prohibitions or suspensions, no electronic device use and no excessive speeding tickets. Under 25, you need another 24 months, or 18 if you completed an approved GLP course.
Can I have a drink before driving on a new Class 5 licence in B.C.?
No. Restriction 55 means you may have no alcohol and no drugs in your blood when you drive. It lasts 12 months. If you get a prohibition or suspension, the 12 months start again on the day your licence is reinstated.
How old must my supervisor be in B.C. now?
Since October 19, 2026, the minimum age of a supervisor is 22 for a Class 7L learner and for a Class 7 novice under 25. The supervisor needs their own Class 5 licence without the zero blood alcohol and drug restriction. The guide to the Class 7 N rules explains when an N driver needs a supervisor.
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