Temporary G1 Licence: How Long Is the Paper G1 Valid in Ontario?

A temporary G1 licence in Ontario is valid for 90 days. It is a paper licence, and it is a real licence: DriveTest says it "enables you to drive". You can start practising with an accompanying driver as soon as you have it, as long as you follow all the G1 conditions.

This post explains what the paper licence is, how long it lasts, when the plastic card arrives, what to do if the card is late, and what you have to carry when you drive. Everything here comes from DriveTest's page on car licences, ontario.ca and Ontario's Highway Traffic Act. If you haven't taken the test yet, start with how the Ontario G1 test works.

What is a temporary G1 licence?

After you pass the vision test and the knowledge test at a DriveTest Centre, a customer service agent gives you a temporary driver's licence. DriveTest describes it in one sentence:

"The temporary driver’s licence enables you to drive, is made of paper, and is valid for 90 days."

So the paper is not a receipt or a placeholder. It is the licence you drive with until your card comes. Your permanent licence is a different thing: ontario.ca describes the Ontario driver's licence as "a blue, plastic card" that shows your name, address, date of birth, photo and signature (Get a G driver's licence: new drivers).

How long is a temporary G1 valid?

90 days. That is the figure DriveTest gives on its Drivers' Licences: Cars page. DriveTest refers to "the expiry date on your temporary driver’s licence", so check that date the day you get it.

Two dates are easy to mix up here:

These are two separate rules. The 90 days is how long the paper licence lasts. The 8 or 12 months is the waiting time before the G2 road test. For the full G1, G2 and G timeline, see G1 to G2 to G: the full Ontario licence timeline.

Can I drive with a paper G1?

Yes, within the rules. DriveTest says the temporary licence "enables you to drive". The paper does not change any of the conditions. DriveTest lists what you must do by law "when you have a Class G1 licence":

1. Keep a zero blood-alcohol level.
2. Make sure every passenger wears a seat belt.
3. Don't drive between midnight and 5 a.m.
4. Don't drive on 400-series highways or high-speed expressways, unless your accompanying driver is a driving instructor licensed in Ontario.
5. Drive with a fully licensed driver who has at least four years of experience and a blood alcohol level of less than .05 (zero if that person is 21 or under).

Our post on G1 highway restrictions covers the highway rule and the other conditions in detail.

G1 card in the mail: how long does it take?

DriveTest's new-driver page does not give a delivery time for a first G1 card. It only says the temporary licence is valid for 90 days and tells you what to do if the card has not arrived before then (see the next section).

You may see "4 to 6 weeks" quoted. That figure is on ontario.ca, but on the Renew your driver's licence page, where it says a renewed card "will arrive in the mail within 4 to 6 weeks." It is a renewal figure. Neither DriveTest's new-driver page nor ontario.ca's new drivers page gives a delivery time for a first G1 card, so don't treat 4 to 6 weeks as a promise.

What if my G1 card doesn't arrive before the paper expires?

Go to ServiceOntario. DriveTest says:

"If you do not receive your permanent, plastic driver’s licence photo card before the expiry date on your temporary driver’s licence, please visit your local ServiceOntario office for an extension."

Don't leave it until the last day. On its Renew an expired driver's licence page, ontario.ca says: "It is illegal to drive with an expired, cancelled or suspended driver’s licence."

Do I have to carry my licence while driving in Ontario?

Yes. Three official sources say so:

• Ontario.ca lists "carry a valid driver’s licence, at all times" as one of the things you need to drive on Ontario roads (Get a G driver's licence: new drivers).
• The MTO Driver's Handbook, Keeping your driver's licence says: "You must carry your licence with you whenever you drive."
• The Highway Traffic Act, section 33 says every driver must carry their licence while in charge of a vehicle and hand it over for "reasonable inspection" if a police officer asks.

While you are waiting for your card, the licence you carry is the paper one. Keep it somewhere it won't get lost or damaged, and keep it with you every time you drive.

Does my accompanying driver need to carry their licence?

Yes. Section 33(2) of the Highway Traffic Act says every accompanying driver must carry their licence and surrender it for inspection when a police officer asks. So you and your accompanying driver both need your licences with you.

You'll get a paper licence again at G2 and G

The temporary licence is not only a G1 thing. DriveTest says that when you pass the G2 road test, "you will be issued another temporary driver’s licence" and the G2 card comes in the mail. The same happens when you pass the G road test. So you will go through this paper-then-card step two more times.

How to practise for the G1 knowledge test

You only get the temporary licence after you pass the knowledge test. Our Ontario G1 practice test app has 250+ practice questions organized by handbook topic (Road Signs; Rules of the Road), 85 road sign flashcards, 20 mock exams and smart review of the questions you miss.

You can also try two free web mock exams with 20 questions each: Road Signs and Rules of the Road. For a study plan, see how to pass the Ontario G1 test on your first try.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a temporary G1 licence valid?

90 days. DriveTest says the temporary driver's licence "is made of paper, and is valid for 90 days." Check the expiry date on it the day you get it.

Can I drive with a paper G1?

Yes. DriveTest says the temporary licence "enables you to drive." All the G1 conditions still apply, including driving only with a qualified accompanying driver.

How long does it take to get my G1 card in the mail?

DriveTest's and ontario.ca's new-driver pages don't give a delivery time for a first G1 card. The "4 to 6 weeks" on ontario.ca is for renewed licences. If your card hasn't arrived before the paper licence expires, visit ServiceOntario.

Is a temporary driver's licence valid in Ontario?

Yes, until the expiry date on it. DriveTest describes it as a licence that "enables you to drive" for 90 days.

What do I do if my temporary G1 is about to expire?

Visit your local ServiceOntario office for an extension. DriveTest gives this as the step to take if your plastic card hasn't arrived before the paper expires.

Do I need to carry my G1 licence when I drive?

Yes. The MTO handbook says "You must carry your licence with you whenever you drive," and the Highway Traffic Act requires you to show it to a police officer on request.

Will I get a temporary licence again after the G2 road test?

Yes. DriveTest says that if you pass the G2 road test, "you will be issued another temporary driver’s licence" and your G2 card comes in the mail. The same happens after the G road test.

Sources

• DriveTest, Drivers' Licences: Cars, Vans, & Small Trucks: temporary licence is paper, enables you to drive, valid for 90 days; ServiceOntario extension; G1 conditions; 8 or 12 months before the G2 road test; temporary licences at G2 and G.
• Government of Ontario, Get a G driver's licence: new drivers: description of the plastic licence card; carry a valid licence at all times.
• Government of Ontario, The Official MTO Driver's Handbook: Keeping your driver's licence: you must carry your licence whenever you drive.
• Government of Ontario, Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, section 33: drivers and accompanying drivers must carry their licence and surrender it to police on demand.
• Government of Ontario, Renew your driver's licence: 4 to 6 week delivery time for renewed licence cards.
• Government of Ontario, Renew an expired driver's licence: illegal to drive with an expired, cancelled or suspended licence.

All quotations were checked against these pages in October 2026.