What ID Do You Need for the G1 in Ontario? (16, No Passport)

For the G1, you need original, valid ID that proves two things: your legal name and your full date of birth (day, month and year). If you are 16 and have no passport, a Canadian birth certificate on its own is enough, because DriveTest lists it as proof of both. Your Ontario health card is not on DriveTest's list, so don't bring it as your only ID.

This post goes through exactly which documents DriveTest accepts, when you need two documents instead of one, what to do if the names on your documents don't match, and what newcomers can use. Everything comes from DriveTest's Acceptable Identity Documents page, ontario.ca and the Official MTO Driver's Handbook.

G1 ID requirements: what you have to prove

You need to prove two things when you apply at a DriveTest Centre. DriveTest's ID page lists them as:

1. Legal name: the name registered at birth, or a name changed legally through adoption, court order, change of name certificate or marriage.
2. Date of birth: "Date of birth (must state the day, month, and year of birth)".

Commercial drivers also have to prove residency, legal presence and work eligibility, but that doesn't apply to a G1.

The documents must be the real thing. DriveTest says: "Documents must be ORIGINAL and VALID." The handbook adds: "Photocopies and expired documents are not acceptable."

Signature is not on DriveTest's list for a driver's licence application. That matters for the health card question below.

G1 ID for a 16-year-old without a passport

A passport is only one option. If you are a Canadian citizen, DriveTest accepts any one of these documents on its own, because each proves both your legal name and your date of birth:

So if you were born in Canada and have no passport, your birth certificate is enough on its own. DriveTest notes some limits:

• Quebec birth certificates issued before January 1, 1994, are not acceptable.
• Proof of birth documents from Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands are not acceptable.
• A U.S. proof of birth document must come from a state's Bureau of Vital Statistics Office, Board of Health or an equivalent state-level agency.

ontario.ca's Get a G driver's licence page has a shorter list for Canadian citizens that doesn't mention the birth certificate. That page links to DriveTest's full list, which does include it, and the handbook also lists the "Canadian or U.S. Birth Certificate" as proof of date of birth and legal name.

Can I use my health card for the G1?

No, not as proof of identity. The Ontario health card does not appear anywhere on DriveTest's list of documents for a driver's licence.

The health card does appear on ontario.ca's separate Acceptable identity documents page, but look at what it proves there:

On that page, the health card counts for signature only. It doesn't prove your legal name or your date of birth, and those are the two things DriveTest asks for. So a health card can't replace a birth certificate or passport for the G1.

What about "List 1" and "List 2"?

You may have seen ID rules described as List 1 and List 2. Those lists come from ontario.ca's Acceptable identity documents page, which says it covers the Ontario Photo Card (legal name and date of birth) and vehicle registration (legal name, date of birth and signature). List 1 is documents where one is enough. List 2 is for cases where two documents are needed, such as vehicle registration, which also asks for proof of signature.

For a driver's licence, DriveTest uses its own page, organized the same basic way: options with only one document, and options with two documents. If you are applying for a G1, use DriveTest's list.

When do you need two documents for the G1?

Only when your document proves your name or your date of birth, but not both. DriveTest says that if you don't have one of the single-document options, "a combination of the following documents is also acceptable". These are the documents it lists that prove just one thing:

The idea is that together your documents must cover both your legal name and your complete date of birth. For example, a name-only document from this table needs a second document that proves your date of birth.

Do you need a parent or parental consent for the G1?

None of the official pages we checked list parental consent as a requirement. ontario.ca and DriveTest list the requirements to apply: you must be at least 16, be a resident of Ontario (not a visitor), pass a vision test and pass a knowledge test.

A parent also can't stand in for ID. The handbook says: "Direct identification by a parent or guardian is not acceptable." In other words, a parent telling the agent who you are doesn't replace a document. You need your own acceptable ID.

ID for newcomers: permanent and temporary residents

If you are a permanent or temporary resident, DriveTest accepts any one of these:

A few points for newcomers:

• Amended Record of Landing: if an IMM 1436 was issued to amend your IMM 1000, DriveTest says the IMM 1436 must be accompanied by the IMM 1000.
• New citizens: "Canadian citizenship documents issued beginning February 1, 2012, are not valid as proof of any of the two data elements." If you became a citizen recently, use your passport or another document from the list.
• Refugee claimants: ontario.ca's short list for temporary residents also includes the Refugee Status Claim (IMM 1434) and the Acknowledgement of Intent to Claim Refugee Status (IMM 7703) with photo. These two are not on DriveTest's full list, so if they are your only ID, check with DriveTest before you go.
• New declaration: since May 11, 2026, when you apply for a Class G licence you need to declare that Ontario is your primary place of residence and that your presence in Canada is legal.

If you already hold a driver's licence from another country, you may not need to start at G1. See Can newcomers exchange a foreign driver's licence in Ontario? DriveTest notes there may be other documentation requirements for licence exchanges.

What if the name on my ID doesn't match?

You'll need extra documents. DriveTest says that if the names on your ID vary from the name on your licence, "you will be required to provide additional supporting documents to link the names together."

DriveTest lists three situations that call for support documents:

1. The name on your ID is different from the name you want on your licence, or from your previous Ontario licence.
2. The name is different between the two ID documents you bring.
3. The date of birth on your immigration papers is incomplete, or you can't provide government-issued documents that prove it.

These are the support documents DriveTest accepts:

The sworn affidavit must be signed by a Commissioner of Oaths or Notary Public, and DriveTest accepts it only when the date of birth on your immigration papers is incomplete or you can't provide government-issued proof of date of birth.

What if my ID shows no gender?

DriveTest must record M or F to create your driving record. If your documents are gender-neutral or show no gender, you will be asked to self-declare M or F when you apply. DriveTest says you can change it to X afterwards at a ServiceOntario centre, without supporting documents.

For everything else you need on the day, such as the vision test and fees, see How the Ontario G1 test works.

How to practise for the G1 knowledge test

Once your ID is ready, check that you are ready for the test too. You can try our free 20-question Road Signs mock exam and Rules of the Road mock exam online. The Ontario G1 practice test app has 250+ practice questions organized by handbook topic, 85 road sign flashcards, 20 mock exams and a smart review of the questions you miss.

Frequently asked questions

What ID do I need for the G1?

One original, valid document that proves your legal name and full date of birth, such as a Canadian birth certificate, a passport, a PR card or a study or work permit. If your document proves only one of those, you need a second document for the other.

What ID can a 16-year-old use for the G1 without a passport?

A Canadian or U.S. birth certificate works on its own. So does an Ontario-issued certified copy of a statement of live birth, or an Ontario Photo Card.

Can I use my health card for the G1?

No. The Ontario health card is not on DriveTest's list of documents for a driver's licence. On ontario.ca's identity table it proves signature only, not legal name or date of birth.

Do I need two pieces of ID for the G1?

Not always. DriveTest lists documents that prove both your name and date of birth on their own. The handbook's G1 checklist says to bring two pieces of identification, so bring a second one if you have it.

Can I use a photocopy or an expired document?

No. The handbook says photocopies and expired documents are not acceptable, and DriveTest says copies, including certified copies, are not acceptable unless its lists say otherwise.

Do I need my parent's permission to get a G1 at 16?

None of the official pages we checked list parental consent as a requirement. A parent also can't confirm your identity for you: the handbook says direct identification by a parent or guardian is not acceptable.

Is my Canadian citizenship certificate accepted for the G1?

Only if it is a Citizenship Card with photo issued before February 1, 2012, or the wallet-sized certificate issued from 1954 to January 2012. Citizenship documents issued from February 1, 2012, are not accepted as proof of name or date of birth.

Sources

• DriveTest, Acceptable Identity Documents: what a driver's licence applicant must prove, one-document and two-document options, support documents for name mismatches, citizenship document cut-off, gender marker.
• DriveTest, Drivers' Licences: Cars, Vans, and Small Trucks: Class G requirements, acceptable ID at application, the May 11, 2026 declaration.
• Government of Ontario, Get a G driver's licence: new drivers: requirements to apply, short lists of accepted documents by status, the May 11, 2026 declaration.
• Government of Ontario, Acceptable identity documents: List 1 and List 2 for the Ontario Photo Card and vehicle registration, health card as proof of signature only.
• Government of Ontario, The Official MTO Driver's Handbook: Getting your driver's licence: original and valid documents, birth certificate as proof, parent or guardian identification not acceptable, G1 knowledge test checklist.

All quotations were checked against these pages in October 2026.