Major licensing changes could be coming for 'N' drivers in B.C.
Significant changes could be coming to B.C.’s Graduated Licensing Program, specifically for N drivers.
On Wednesday, Minister of Public Safety Gary Begg presented the first reading of Bill 12 — the Motor Vehicle Amendment Act 2025 — in the B.C. legislature.
“These changes are intended to improve road safety for new drivers and motorcyclists by ensuring they gain more on-road experience, and improve licensing accessibility by addressing barriers experienced by Indigenous and rural and remote communities,” stated Begg in a news release.
“By removing unnecessary barriers for new drivers and strengthening safety measures for new riders, we’re making the licensing system more accessible, while helping to reduce serious injuries and fatalities on our roads.”
If this legislation is approved, the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP) will be updated to remove a second test for novice (N) drivers to receive their Class 5 licence.
Currently, the province’s licensing process requires a 24-month N stage, which can be reduced to 18 months with approved driver training, before proceeding to the Class 5 road test.
The province said that under the new guidelines, there will instead be a 12-month restriction period, where N drivers will have to adhere to “strict driving behaviour” before being able to receive their Class 5 licence.
Drivers under 25 years of age will still need to spend a minimum of one year as a Learner (L) with existing restrictions, and then 24 months as a Novice with existing restrictions.
Then, they’ll undergo a driver record assessment and a one-year restriction period under Class 5 before earning their full driving privileges. Drivers under 25 with approved training can still shorten their Novice stage.
Drivers 25 years and older will have to spend a minimum of nine months as a Learner (L). Then they will have to spend 12 months as a Novice with no suspensions or prohibitions. They’ll also need to undergo a driver record assessment and a one-year restriction period under Class 5 before receiving their full driving privileges.
The proposed legislation will also create a new Motorcyclist Licensing Program (MLP) that will “ensure new riders gain unique skills to ride safely,” stated the province. The MLP will also have a restriction period and heightened safety measure requirements, which the province says will reduce fatalities and serious injuries.
The MLP will include the introduction of a longer learning and restriction period.
The province anticipates that these changes for drivers and motorcyclists will come into effect in early 2026.