Driving Tests

Newfoundland Class 5II Novice Licence: Night and Passenger Rules

informational·how to guide·Published June 6, 2026

What are the Class 5II rules in Newfoundland and Labrador?

In Newfoundland and Labrador, a Class 5II (Level II) novice driver stays at this level for at least 12 months and must have 0% blood alcohol. From midnight to 5 a.m., you need an accompanying driver with at least 4 years as a Class 5 driver and 0% blood alcohol, unless you drive to or from work. Passengers cannot outnumber the seat belts.

Where the Class 5II rules come from

These rules come from the Graduated Driver Licensing program page of the Motor Registration Division (MRD), the Highway Traffic Driver Regulations, 1999 and the MRD Fees Policy (updated December 21, 2023). The MRD Class of Licence page and the Driver's Handbook add detail. Where an MRD page and the regulations use different words, this guide follows the regulations. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Motor Registration Division (gov.nl.ca/motorregistration) before you drive.

When can you get a Class 5II licence?

The graduated licensing program applies to all new drivers, whatever their age. You can take the road test after at least 12 months as a Class 5I learner, or after 8 months if you complete an approved driver education program. The Driver's Handbook gives the minimum age for Level II as 17, or 16 years and eight months with approved driver education. When you pass the road test, which takes about 30 minutes, you move from Class 5I to Class 5II. The guide to the Class 5 road test explains test day.

Class 5II rules at a glance

Class 5II rules at a glance
Rule	What it means for you
Time at Level II	At least 12 months
Blood alcohol	0% blood alcohol content (BAC) every time you drive
Midnight to 5 a.m.	An accompanying driver who has held a Class 5 licence for at least 4 years, sits in the front seat beside you and has 0% BAC
Driving to or from work	No accompanying driver needed at night; carry proof of your work hours
Passengers	No more than the seat belts available for them
Commercial classes	Not until you have held a full Class 5 licence for one year

Can you drive between midnight and 5 a.m.?

You drive alone at 1 a.m. and it is not a work trip

No. You need an accompanying driver in the front seat beside you.

Your friend has held a Class 5 licence for 2 years

No. The accompanying driver must have held a Class 5 licence for at least 4 years.

Your parent has held a Class 5 licence for 10 years but has had a drink

No. The accompanying driver must also have 0% BAC.

You drive home from a shift that ends at 1 a.m.

Yes, alone. Keep your work schedule, signed by your employer, in the vehicle.

You drive at 11 p.m. or at 6 a.m.

Yes, alone. The accompanying driver rule applies only from midnight to 5 a.m.

What proof do you need for the work exemption?

The exemption covers a Class 5II driver who drives to or from the place of employment. When a peace officer asks, you must show proof of that employment and of your working hours. The Driver's Handbook asks you to keep confirmation of your work schedule, signed by your employer, in the vehicle with you. Ask your employer for a signed schedule, and keep it in the vehicle on each shift that starts or ends between midnight and 5 a.m.

How many passengers can a Class 5II driver carry?

A Class 5II driver can carry no more passengers than there are seat belts available for them. Example: in a car with 5 seat belts, you use one, so up to 4 passengers can ride. A friend without a free seat belt cannot ride, even for a short trip. This is a big change from Class 5I, where the only person allowed in the vehicle with you is the accompanying driver.

What happens if your Class 5II licence is suspended

1
The suspension starts
Police suspend a novice licence at the roadside when you are over 0% BAC. A novice driver is also suspended at six demerit points in one year. A suspension for alcohol or for demerit points lasts 2 months the first time, 4 months the second time and 6 months the third time.
2
You apply to the Registrar
A novice driver suspended for any reason must apply to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to have driving privileges reinstated, and pay the reinstatement fee in the table below.
3
You complete the required program
After an alcohol suspension, you must complete an Alcohol Education Program, and the Registrar may also require an alcohol dependency evaluation or treatment program. After a demerit point suspension, you must complete a Responsible Drivers Workshop.
4
You restart Level II
Each suspension sends you back to the start of the level you hold. The licence is re-issued as if Level II were starting for the first time, and your total time at Level II must still be at least 12 months. The guide to novice driver penalties covers suspensions in more detail.

When do you get a full Class 5 licence?

You stay at Level II for at least 12 months. The regulations count your full Class 5 from 12 months after the date your Level II licence was issued. Example: if your Level II licence is issued on March 1, 2027, your full Class 5 starts on March 1, 2028. A suspension moves that date: the full Class 5 then starts 12 months after the Level II licence is re-issued. Graduated licensing adds driving privileges in stages, and the full Class 5 is the last stage.

When can a Class 5II driver get a commercial licence?

A Class 5II driver cannot upgrade to a commercial class until the driver has held a valid Class 05 licence for at least one year. In the Driver's Handbook, code 05 is the full Class 5 licence. So you need at least 12 months at Level II, then one year as a full Class 5 driver. A Class 5II licence does not let you drive a taxi with passengers or a ride-sharing vehicle with paying passengers. That work needs a Class 4 licence, which the MRD can restrict to taxis or ride-sharing vehicles only.

Class 5II fees in the MRD Fees Policy (updated December 21, 2023)

Class 5II fees in the MRD Fees Policy (updated December 21, 2023)
Fee	Amount	Senior amount
Class 5II licence, valid 5 years	CAD 125	CAD 65
Road test, Class 5 and 6	CAD 78	CAD 39
Driver's licence reinstatement	CAD 200	CAD 200

Key takeaways

Class 5II lasts at least 12 months, and you drive with 0% BAC every time.
From midnight to 5 a.m., you need an accompanying driver with at least 4 years as a Class 5 driver and 0% BAC, unless you drive to or from work with proof of your hours.
Passengers cannot outnumber the seat belts, and each suspension restarts Level II.
The Class 5II licence costs CAD 125 for 5 years in the MRD Fees Policy (updated December 21, 2023).
Next step: practise the licensing rules on the free Newfoundland and Labrador Class 5I practice test.

Class 5II licence: common questions

Do I still need a NOVICE DRIVER sign on a Class 5II licence?

No. The Driver's Handbook says the NOVICE DRIVER sign goes on the vehicle only when a driver with a learner's permit drives it. Take the sign off when you drive as a Class 5II driver. If you share the car with a Class 5I learner, the learner puts the sign back on.

What is the fine for driving at night without an accompanying driver?

Schedule B of the Driver Regulations sets a fine of not more than CAD 90, with a minimum of CAD 65, when a Level II driver has no qualified accompanying driver. The same amounts apply when a Level II driver carries more passengers than there are seat belts.

Can my accompanying driver have a licence from another province?

Yes. The regulations accept a Class 5 licence or its equivalent from another jurisdiction, held for at least 4 years. The person must sit in the front seat beside you between midnight and 5 a.m. and must have 0% BAC.

Does my driving time in another country count toward Class 5II?

It can. The registrar may, at its discretion, count time as a licensed driver in another province, territory or country toward the time you must spend at Level I or Level II. Ask the MRD how much of your time it will count before you plan your road test or your full licence date.

How long is a Class 5II licence valid?

The MRD Fees Policy (updated December 21, 2023) lists the Class 5II licence as a 5-year licence for CAD 125, or CAD 65 for seniors. The card period and the Level II period are different: after at least 12 months at Level II, the regulations count you as a full Class 5 driver.