Alberta Class 7 Rules: Curfew, Who Can Supervise, Passengers

With an Alberta Class 7 learner's licence, you can drive at night, but not between midnight and 5 a.m. You can't drive a car alone: a fully licensed (non-GDL) driver who is 18 or older must sit next to you. You must have zero alcohol and drugs, and you can't carry more people than your vehicle has seat belts.

This post goes through each Class 7 rule, what it means in practice, and what happens if you break it. Every fact comes from the Government of Alberta's Class 7 learner's licence page and the Alberta Driver's Guide 2026. If these official sources don't say something, this post doesn't say it either.

Class 7 Alberta rules at a glance

The sections below explain each one.

Can a Class 7 drive alone in Alberta?

No, not in a car. The Class 7 page on alberta.ca says a Class 7 licence lets you drive a Class 5 or Class 6 vehicle "with someone over 18 who has a full Class 5 driver's licence or higher." The same page's overview says a Class 7 also lets you drive "a moped by yourself."

Who can supervise a learner in Alberta?

The Driver's Guide (Chapter 1, Graduated driver licensing) sets three conditions for the person who sits with you. They must be:

1. Fully licensed (non-GDL). Alberta.ca adds that this means a full Class 5 licence or higher.
2. 18 years of age or older. That is the Driver's Guide wording; alberta.ca says "over 18".
3. Seated next to you. Alberta.ca says: "They must sit in the front passenger seat."

Can a sibling with a GDL licence supervise me?

No. A probationary Class 5-GDL driver can't supervise you, even if they are over 18. Alberta's Class 5 licence page says it directly:

"A GDL driver cannot be the accompanying driver to a learner."

The Driver's Guide says the same thing in the GDL probationary conditions. Only once a driver exits the GDL program and holds a full Class 5 licence are they "able to be an accompanying driver to a learner." To exit GDL, a driver must be at least 18 and have spent at least two years in the probationary stage, among other conditions.

So the question isn't how long your sibling has been driving. It's whether their licence is a full, non-GDL Class 5 (or higher).

What if my supervisor isn't qualified?

The Driver's Guide lists "Supervisor (accompanying driver) not fully qualified" as a 2-point demerit penalty specific to GDL drivers.

The learner conditions on alberta.ca and in the Driver's Guide don't set a separate alcohol limit for the supervisor.

Can a Class 7 drive at night?

Yes, until midnight. From the Class 7 page:

"You cannot drive during the hours between 12:00am and 5:00am"

The Driver's Guide words it as: "You are not permitted to drive from midnight to 5 a.m." So you can drive in the evening and after dark, and you can start again at 5 a.m. The guide lists curfew driving as a 2-point demerit penalty and marks it "(Class 7 learner stage only)".

Can a Class 7 drive with friends in the car?

Yes, as long as your qualified supervisor is beside you and everyone has a seat belt. The passenger rule on alberta.ca is:

"You cannot drive with more people than there are seat belts in your vehicle"

The Driver's Guide puts it as "You are not permitted to have more passengers than seat belts." The guide's section on securing passengers also says all drivers and passengers in Alberta "must be properly secured in the vehicle with a seat belt or an approved child safety seat".

The rule is about seat belts. It isn't a ban on passengers. The Class 7 conditions on alberta.ca and in the Driver's Guide don't list any other passenger limit. Your friends can ride in the back seats if each has a seat belt, but a friend can only be your supervisor if they meet all three supervisor conditions above.

Having more passengers than seat belts is a 2-point demerit penalty for GDL drivers, according to the Driver's Guide.

What is the alcohol limit for a Class 7 driver?

Zero. Alberta.ca says: "You must have 0% alcohol levels when driving at all times". The Driver's Guide extends this to drugs: you "must have a zero alcohol and/or drug level when driving."

The guide (Chapter 9) describes the IRS ZERO: Novice program, which takes "a zero tolerance approach for any alcohol and/or drugs" for drivers with a Class 7 or Class 5-GDL licence. The guide lists these consequences:

• an immediate 30-day driver's licence suspension
• a seven-day vehicle seizure
• a $200 fine plus a victim fine surcharge of 20 per cent

How many demerit points can a Class 7 driver have?

Alberta.ca says you "are allowed 8 demerit points before receiving a suspension of your licence". The Driver's Guide says you "will be suspended if you accumulate eight or more demerit points."

Can a Class 7 drive on the highway?

The Class 7 conditions on alberta.ca and in the Driver's Guide don't include a highway or speed-limit restriction. The rules that apply on every road are the ones above: a qualified supervisor next to you, no driving from midnight to 5 a.m., zero alcohol and drugs, and no more people than seat belts.

How long do these rules last?

Until you move to Class 5-GDL. The Driver's Guide says you must hold a Class 7 licence for at least one year, and that time is extended if your driving privileges are suspended. You must also be 16 or older and pass the Class 5 road test. After that, some rules continue at Class 5-GDL (zero alcohol and drugs, no more passengers than seat belts, suspension at 8 demerits). The guide's probationary conditions don't include the midnight curfew or the supervisor rule.

How to practise the Class 7 rules

These learner conditions are in Chapter 1 of the Driver's Guide, and the Class 7 knowledge test is based on questions taken from the guide. For the test format (30 questions, 25 to pass), see Alberta Class 7 Knowledge Test: 30 Questions, 25 to Pass.

To check yourself, try our free 30-question Alberta mock exam. The Alberta Driving Test app is built on the 2026 Alberta Driver's Guide, with 300+ practice questions, road sign drills, and full 30-question mock exams marked at 25 out of 30. It's available in English, Korean, Portuguese and Tagalog.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Class 7 drive at night in Alberta?

Yes, except between midnight and 5 a.m. Driving during those hours as a Class 7 learner is a 2-point demerit penalty, according to the Driver's Guide.

Can a Class 7 drive alone?

No, not in a car. You must have a fully licensed (non-GDL) driver aged 18 or older sitting next to you. Alberta.ca says a Class 7 licence also lets you drive a moped by yourself.

Who can supervise a learner in Alberta?

Someone 18 or older with a full, non-GDL Class 5 licence (or higher), sitting in the front passenger seat. A Class 5-GDL driver can't supervise a learner.

Can my older brother or sister with a GDL licence supervise me?

No. Alberta.ca says "A GDL driver cannot be the accompanying driver to a learner." They need to exit the GDL program and hold a full Class 5 licence first.

Can a Class 7 have friends in the car?

Yes, if your qualified supervisor is beside you and there are no more people than seat belts. The official Class 7 conditions don't list any other passenger limit.

Can a Class 7 driver have any alcohol?

No. Alberta requires zero alcohol and drugs for Class 7 drivers. Under IRS ZERO: Novice, the Driver's Guide lists a 30-day licence suspension, a seven-day vehicle seizure and a $200 fine plus a 20 per cent surcharge.

How many demerit points can a Class 7 get?

Your licence is suspended at 8 demerit points.

Sources

• Government of Alberta, Get a Class 7 learner's licence: supervisor (over 18, full Class 5 or higher, front passenger seat), midnight to 5 a.m. curfew, 0% alcohol, seat belt passenger rule, 8 demerit points, moped alone.
• Government of Alberta, Get a Class 5 driver's licence: a GDL driver cannot be the accompanying driver to a learner.
• Government of Alberta, Alberta Driver's Guide 2026: cars and light trucks (PDF): learner's conditions, GDL probationary conditions, exiting GDL, securing passengers, GDL demerit penalties, IRS ZERO: Novice.

All quotations were checked against these pages in October 2026.