PEI Class 5 Road Test: When to Book, What to Bring, If You Fail
When can you take the road test for a Class 5 licence in Prince Edward Island?
You can apply for the Class 5 road test 365 days after your Class 7 instruction permit is issued, or after 275 days if you completed a driver education program in PEI. Before the Class 5 licence, you must also complete the Novice Driver Course or a driver education course that the Registrar recognizes. If you fail, wait at least two weeks before you try again.
Where these rules come from
This guide uses the PEI Highway Traffic Act, the Graduated Driver Licensing, Driver's Licenses and Fees Regulations, and the Highway Safety Division's Driver's Handbook, Graduated Driver Licensing Program information booklet and Co-pilot guide for parents, as of 2026. The regulations and the handbook are older than the Act, so some details may have changed. Confirm the rules with Access PEI (princeedwardisland.ca) before you drive.
How long you wait before the PEI road test
| Your situation | Earliest road test |
|---|---|
| You did not take driver education | 365 days after the Class 7 permit is issued |
| You completed a driver education program in PEI | 275 days after the Class 7 permit is issued |
After the wait: how long your road test window stays open
After the wait, you can apply for the road test at any time before your instruction permit expires. If you did not take driver education, you schedule the test with the Highway Safety Division. You get the licence only when the examiner sees, in an actual driving test, that you can drive safely. A passed road test is also a condition for your Stage 2 licence.
Do you need the Novice Driver Course first?
Yes, unless you complete a driver education course that the Registrar recognizes. Under the Driver's Licenses Regulations, the Registrar does not issue a Class 5 licence to a Class 7 holder without one of the two. The Novice Driver Course (NDC) lasts about five hours, usually in two sessions, and you must register in advance. The guide to the Novice Driver Course has the details. You can practise this rule with the question on which course comes before the road test.
What to bring to the PEI road test
- A car that you provide. You must bring the vehicle for the test.
- A licensed driver, who must come with you.
- Proof of public liability insurance: the pink insurance card, shown before the test starts.
- A valid copy of the vehicle registration.
How the car is checked before the test
Before the test, the car is checked for valid licence plates, lights, a horn, a rear-view mirror, seat belts, windshield wipers, a muffler, brakes, tires, a windshield, window glass, a valid inspection sticker and a speedometer. No test is given in a car that is unsafe or does not meet equipment requirements. The Driver's Licenses Regulations add that the car must suit the licence class and be approved by the Registrar.
What the examiner checks, and the test fee
The road test is a sample of your driving. You are checked on starting, stopping, turning, parking, traffic signs and signals, controlled, partly controlled and uncontrolled intersections, how you anticipate hazards, your attitude toward others and other safe driving practices in the Driver's Handbook. The Fees Regulations set the fee for a Class 5 road test at $20 (CAD).
Driving school or Highway Safety: who gives your test?
What happens if you fail the PEI road test?
You do not pass when you make too many mistakes, break a law or do something dangerous. The Co-pilot guide for parents says you must wait at least two weeks before you try again. Go over the test with your new driver to find where more practice is needed, and contact the driver examiner about anything that is not clear. A parent may also choose a longer wait than two weeks, to prepare better.
After you pass: Stage 2 and the G decal
When you pass, you get a Class 5 licence and start Stage 2, which lasts one year. You must show the G decal on the windshield. You get it at no cost when your photo is taken for the Class 5 licence. In Stage 2, you may carry only one passenger who is not immediate family, each in a seat with a seat belt. You must not drive from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. unless you are 21 or older or another exception applies, and your blood alcohol must be zero. The guide to Stage 2 and Stage 3 rules lists the exceptions.
Key takeaways
- Apply for the road test 365 days after your Class 7 permit is issued, or 275 days after it is issued if you completed a driver education program in PEI.
- Complete the Novice Driver Course or a driver education course that the Registrar recognizes before you get your Class 5 licence.
- Bring an insured car that you provide, the pink insurance card, a valid copy of the registration and a licensed driver. Only you and the examiner ride in the car during the test.
- The road test fee is $20 (CAD) under the Fees Regulations. After a failed test, wait at least two weeks.
- Get your Class 5 photo licence within 30 days after you pass.
- Next step: practise on the free Prince Edward Island Class 7 practice test. It is in English only.
PEI road test: common questions
Can my parent ride in the car during the road test?
No. The Driver's Handbook says no other person may ride in the vehicle during the test. Only you and the examiner, who rides with you, are in the car. The handbook also says a licensed driver must come with you to the road test, so bring one, but that person does not ride along during the test.
Will the examiner help me during the road test?
No. The examiner will not coach you during the test, so ask your questions before it starts. Follow the examiner's instructions, and do not talk more than you need to, because talk can take your attention from your driving. The examiner analyses your driving and suggests ways to improve your skills.
Does the Novice Driver Course shorten the 365-day wait?
No. The only shorter wait in the Highway Traffic Act is 275 days after the permit is issued, for a permit holder who completed a driver education program in PEI. If you take only the Novice Driver Course, you wait 365 days after your Class 7 permit is issued.
What if I do not get my photo licence within 30 days?
The Driver's Handbook says you must get your Class 5 photo licence within 30 days after you pass. If you do not, you may have to be retested by a Highway Safety examiner and pay the fees. Until the photo licence is issued, your permit stays an instruction permit. After a driving school test, go to a Highway Safety or Access PEI office for the photo licence.
Do I need another road test to reach Stage 3?
No. After one year with a Stage 2 licence, you automatically become a Stage 3 driver under the GDL Regulations. If you took the road test at a driving school, you may have to take a second road test with a Highway Safety examiner during your newly licensed period. There is no fee for it.
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