Are N drivers putting off Class 5 road tests for the ICBC licensing rule change?
Earlier this year, ICBC said significant changes could be coming to its Graduated Licensing Program, particularly for N drivers — but is that announcement having an impact on how many drivers are signing up to take their Class 5 licensing exam?
If passed, the proposed legislation would update the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP) to remove the second N 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.
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The province previously noted 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. The province anticipates that these changes for drivers and motorcyclists will come into effect in early 2026.
The possibility of these proposed changes becoming official within the next few months has prompted online discussion about whether current N-holders will wait for the rules to change instead of booking and going through another road test.
ICBC
“I’ve had my N since 2007. Nothing will make me take that road test,” said one commenter on the Vancouver subreddit.
“I’ve had my N for a long time, too. I don’t drive anyone, so I never felt the need to upgrade,” confessed another.
One person said that they’ve had their N for nearly 18 years and didn’t take the second licensing road test “because [they] get terrible anxiety with tests.”
The N driver status comes with several restrictions, including having to display the N sign as well as a one-passenger limit unless accompanied by a supervisor aged 25 or over with a valid Class 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 licence.
While some folks might be thinking of putting off their Class 5 road test, ICBC provided further insight into whether it has seen an impact on road test appointments.
“We haven’t seen a notable decrease in road test appointments since the announcement of the proposed changes to the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP) back in April,” said an ICBC spokesperson.
“We’ll continue to monitor and adjust to help meet demand for road tests.”
Are you an N driver holding out for the ICBC licensing rule change to come into effect? Let us know in the comments.
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