Questions and Answers
Here are some answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about us, the process of obtaining your learner's permit, driving lessons, taking your SAAQ Road Test and obtaining your Québec Driver's Licence.
Click the question to go down to the answer:
- Are all of your cars smoke free?
- What is the new law for mandatory driving lessons about?
- How do I schedule my test at an S.A.A.Q. outlet?
- What will I be tested on when I go for my Class 5 theory test?
- What documents will I need to bring for my theory test?
- How do I get a parental consent form if I'm under 18?
- How do I get a new-style Québec Birth Certificate?
- How much does a theory test cost?
- What if I fail my theory test?
- What am I permitted to do with my Learner's Permit?
- Can I drive outside Québec with my Learner's Permit?
- What is the allowable blood alcohol limit?
- What kinds of vehicles can I drive?
- How do I schedule my road test and how can I rent a car for it?
- How much does the S.A.A.Q. road test cost?
- What else do I have to bring to my SAAQ road test?
- Does my name need to appear on the insurance certificate?
- How long do I have to wait before I can take my road test?
- What is a Probationary Driver's Licence?
- How can I get more information?
Are all of your cars smoke free?
YES! All of our cars are, and always have been, smoke free.
What is the new law for mandatory driving lessons about?
Under the new system (anyone obtaining a learners permit after January 17, 2010), you are required to complete 24 hours of classroom theory and 15 hours in-car. It will take a minimum of 13 months to obtain your driver's licence.
Here's how the new system works: You will be required to take 10 hours of classroom theory. At the tenth hour, you will have an exam with the driving school. Once you pass this exam, you will recieve a certificate to take to the SAAQ to obtain your learners permit. Over the next 10 months, you will be required to complete 14 more hours of theory and 12 hours in-car. After 10 months, you are then able to make an appointment at the SAAQ to do a written test. Once you pass the written test, you must wait an additional two months before you can book your road test. During those two months, you will have another 3 hours in-car. This makes a total of 24 hours of classroom theory and 15 hours in-car.
How do I schedule my test at an S.A.A.Q. outlet?
You must schedule your test by calling the S.A.A.Q. (Socité de l'Assurance Automobile du Québec, a.k.a. the "Régie") at 514-873-7620.
What will I be tested on when I go for my Class 5 theory test?
You will be tested on road signs, the Highway Safety Code and driving situations. You will also need to pass a vision test and knowledge test to obtain your Class 5 Learner's Permit (See the "Theory" section for details).
What documents will I need to bring for my theory test?
On the day you go for your S.A.A.Q. theory, or knowledge test, you must show your Medicare card. It is mandatory to show proof of residency. You also need to another piece identification such as a Canadian birth certificate (new style Qubec birth certificate if born in Qubec), your Canadian passport or proof of landed immigrant status, or your Social Insurance card. If you're under 18, you'll need a written consent from a parent or legal guardian (see below). Your learners permit can be renewed for a fee after 18 months, good for 3 years.
How do I get a parental consent form if I'm under 18?
You will need this form, available in PDF. You can fill in the form on your screen and then print it. If you need a PDF reader, you can download one for free from Adobe. Otherwise, you can visit an S.A.A.Q. outlet in person to get one to bring home with you, or have one of your parents or a legal guardian accompany you on the day of your test.
How do I get a new style Québec Birth Certificate?
Québec birth certificates issued prior to January 1, 1994 are NOT acceptable. If you require an official new-style government issued Québec birth certificate, you must request one from the Directeur de l'État Civil.
How much does a theory test cost?
A theory test costs $10 (cash, cheques or Interac but not credit cards). If you pass your theory test, you will be required to pay a $46 fee (cash, cheque or Interac) and the Société will issue you a learner's permit with photo. It will be valid for up to 18 months from date of issue. It can be renewed for a fee. To go for the theory test, the Medicare card is mandatory, it proves residency.
What if I fail my theory test?
You must receive an overall mark of 75% or more to pass. If you are unsuccessful, you must redo only the failed section(s) after a delay of seven days, plus pay another test fee of $10.
What am I permitted to do with my Learner's Permit?
Once you obtain your learner's permit, you can practice driving only if accompanied by a person who has held a Class 5 licence for at least two years and is able to provide assistance and advice. A learners permit is good for 3 years, renewable after 18 months for a fee. for your learners permit, there are three sections, if you fail one, you only have to redo the section you failed, not the sections you passed.
Can I drive outside of Québec with my Québec Learner's Permit?
You can drive anywhere in Canada with your Québec learner's permit, but not the United States. Please note that ANY and ALL restrictions from your Québec learners permit are in force as well as those for learners permits in the province you are visting.
For example, as we live close to Ontario, you may want to drive on high speed expressways or 400 series highways (like Hwy 401, 417, etc). Since drivers with Ontario learners permits cannot drive on these kinds of roads (unless with a licensed driving instructor), neither can you with your Québec learners permit! You are also not permitted to drive on ANY road in Ontario between midnight and 5:00 am with a learner's permit. You must be accompanied by licensed driver with a minumum of 4 years driving experience and a blood alcohol level lower than .05 (you, as the driver with a learners permit, must have a ZERO blood alcohol level, just as in Québec). No other passengers are permitted. For more information on Ontario learner's permits (G1, G2 or L classes) and the graduated licensing system, please visit the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) website or the website for the licensing authority for the province you wish to drive in.
What is the allowable blood alcohol limit?
Anyone 22 years of age and under - regardless of what licence they hold - must have 0 (zero) blood alcohol. Anyone over the age of 22 with a full licence is permitted to have a blood alcohol concentration of up to .05%.
What kinds of vehicles can I drive?
With your Class 5 learner's permit, you can only drive Class 5 vehicles (most private passenger cars and vans).
How do I schedule my road test and how can I rent a car for it?
If you wish to rent one of our cars for your road test, simply call our office at 514-694-4030. We can provide transportation to and from the S.A.A.Q. testing centre for a fee or simply meet you there for the car rental only (refer to the courses page). If you have other arrangements for a car to use, simply call the S.A.A.Q. directly at 514-873-7620.
How much does the SAAQ road test cost?
You'll pay a fee of $25 when you go for your behind-the-wheel driving test. You will receive your Probationary Licence once you pass. This will cost you a maximum of $148.97 payable by cash, cheque or debit card. The SAAQ does NOT accept any credit cards. If you fail, you must wait 21 days before attempting your road test again, and pay an additional $25 retesting fee.
What else do I have to bring to my SAAQ road test?
Once again, make sure you bring your money as outlined above. You must also bring :
- Your SAAQ Photo Identification card;
- Your blue (Apprenti-Conducter) learner's licence or a new one-piece learners permit (which replaces the blue paper learner's permit and the separate photo ID card);
- Your Attestation d'un Cours de Conduite (certificate), which is the confirmation of completion of your driving school course;
- If you are under 18 years old, you will need a new Parental Permission Slip (Click that link to download a PDF version).
If you are supplying your own car for the road test, you must bring the registration and insurance (make sure you are on the insurance policy of that vehicle). Also make sure that all lights, the horn and parking brake are in proper working order. The windshield must not have any cracks. Make sure that the tires have adequate tread. The new Québec Winter Tire Law stipulates that all passenger vehicles and taxis registered and/or rented in Québec must be equipped with winter tires between December 15 and March 15.
Does my name need to appear on the insurance certificate ?
No, but you MUST contact your insurance company ahead of time to have them add you to the insurance policy of the vehicle you will be bringing to the road test. You should actually do this as soon as you get your learner's permit so that you are covered right away and are able to practice driving in between your lessons with us.
How long do I have to wait before I can take my road test?
If you don't take a recognized driver training course, you must wait 12 months. If you take a recognized course (like ours, we're accredited by the AQTR - l'Association québécoise du transport et des routes), you can try your road test in only 8 months, instead of 12. With your attestation, you may get an insurance discount of up to 30%. Contact your insurance company for details.
What is a Probationary Driver's Licence?
If you are between 16 and 24 years of age, the Société will issue you a plasticized photo licence with the words "CONDUCTEUR PROBATOIRE" at the top. It will be valid for two years or until you turn 25, whichever comes first. You will have full driving privileges, however it is tied to a more stringent penalty system with regards to demerit points and alcohol use. If you are 25 or older, a regular class 5 Driver's Licence will be issued to you, renewable every two years, counted from your date of birth.
How can I get more information?
You can get more detailed information by visiting the official S.A.A.Q. website.
