Content reviewed: 2026-09-13
Driving a car, taking up motorcycling and applying for a bus or truck job in BC involve different vehicle permissions. A lower Class number does not automatically cover every other vehicle. Classes 1–4 are commercial categories, 5 and 7 cover common passenger vehicles, and 6 and 8 cover motorcycles. This guide was checked on September 13, 2026. ICBC has announced graduated-licensing changes for October 19, so the future rules must be kept separate from those in effect now.
Under ICBC’s class definitions, Class 2 includes Class 4 and 5 privileges, while Class 3 includes Class 5. The table helps identify a category; air brakes, towing weight and the restrictions printed on a licence still matter. Towing a trailer over 4,600 kg without air brakes on a Class 4 or 5 licence may require a Code 20 endorsement. Heavy recreational trailers have a separate Code 7 endorsement, so an ordinary passenger licence does not authorize every trailer combination.
| Licence | Main vehicle permissions | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Tractor-trailers and other Class 1–5 vehicles or combinations | Does not confer motorcycle privileges; check licence restrictions |
| Class 2 | Buses, school buses and Class 4/5 vehicles | Does not automatically include every Class 3 vehicle |
| Class 3 | Trucks with more than two axles, large tow trucks, mobile truck cranes and Class 5 vehicles | Excludes buses carrying passengers; trailer and air-brake conditions also apply |
| Class 4 restricted | Taxis, limousines, ride-hailing services and ambulances | Taxis, limousines and special vehicles transporting people with disabilities: up to 10 people including the driver |
| Class 4 unrestricted | Buses seating up to 25 including the driver, taxis, limousines, ride-hailing services and ambulances | The driver is included in the 25-seat limit |
| Class 5/7 | Cars, vans and trucks with up to two axles; motorhomes may have more | Class 7 has graduated-licensing restrictions; the general towing limit is 4,600 kg |
| Class 6/8 | Motorcycles, all-terrain cycles and ATVs | Class 8 includes learner and novice stages; vehicle-specific restrictions may apply |
A first-time car driver can apply for an L licence from age 16. ICBC’s learner guidance requires 40 correct answers out of 50 on the passenger-vehicle knowledge test, available online or in person; applicants under 19 also need parental or legal-guardian consent. Passing an online test is not the same as having a learner’s licence issued. Once licensed, you can practise subject to its restrictions. The current learner stage lasts at least 12 months, with requirements including remaining prohibition-free, before the Class 7 road test for an N licence.
At the review date, an L driver’s supervisor must be at least 25, hold a valid Class 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 licence and sit in the front passenger seat. Only one additional passenger is allowed. Display the red L sign, do not drive between midnight and 5 a.m., and comply with zero-alcohol, zero-drug and electronic-device restrictions, including hands-free phones. The official requirements do not say that every supervisor must have held Class 5 for two years. Make sure you are listed as a driver on the insurance policy of each vehicle used for practice.
An N licence permits solo driving, but the green N sign, zero-alcohol and zero-drug restrictions, and ban on hand-held and hands-free electronic devices remain. The current N passenger rule allows one passenger apart from immediate family, unless a qualified supervisor aged at least 25 with a valid Class 1–5 licence accompanies you. This is not a passenger limit that applies only from midnight to 5 a.m. The phone rules also apply while stopped at a red light or in congested traffic.
The current Class 5 road-test requirements normally include at least 24 consecutive months with an N and no driving prohibition. Completing an approved GLP course during the L stage may reduce that to 18 months if the other conditions are met, including no at-fault crashes, tickets or prohibitions during the first 18 months of the N stage. Starting the L stage at 16, then spending 12 months with an L and 24 with an N, adds up to age 19, not 18. This calculation is an example, not a guaranteed completion date.
From October 19, 2026, eligible Class 7 or combined Class 7/8 drivers will use a Driving Record Assessment (DRA) instead of a second road test to upgrade. Drivers under 25 generally need 24 months of safe driving, or 18 after completing an approved GLP course in the learner stage; those aged 25 or over need 12 months. The relevant record must be free of prohibitions, suspensions, electronic-device convictions and excessive-speed violations. Until the change takes effect, the current Class 5 road-test route remains available. Second road tests booked for October 19 or later will be cancelled, with next steps sent by ICBC by email.
The learner and novice rules also change by age. Under the future Class 7L rules, learners under 25 still need at least 12 months, while those aged 25 or over need at least nine months from October 19. The supervisor’s minimum age falls to 22; the supervisor must hold a full Class 5 without the zero-alcohol/zero-drug restriction and be legally able to drive. An L driver may carry more than one passenger when the other passengers are immediate family, while the midnight–5 a.m. driving ban continues. N drivers under 25 retain the sign and applicable passenger restrictions, with the supervisor age lowered to 22. For Class 7 holders aged 25 or over, the N sign and requirement for a supervisor when carrying more than one passenger end on October 19, but the alcohol, drug and electronic-device restrictions continue.
Drivers who qualify through the usual upgrade route must visit a licensing office for a DRA. There is also a one-time automatic upgrade for people who receive an ICBC eligibility letter and remain eligible. Violations, prohibitions, suspensions or outstanding debt before October 19 can affect eligibility; a Class 7 licence expiring before that date must be renewed. This does not mean every N licence automatically becomes unrestricted. An upgraded licence carries restriction 55 for 12 months, requiring zero blood alcohol and zero blood drug content while driving. A prohibition or suspension restarts the period from reinstatement; otherwise the restriction expires automatically at the end of the period.
If you hold a Taiwanese licence, first distinguish moving to BC from visiting. ICBC’s outside-Canada exchange rules give new residents 90 days to switch to a BC licence. Tourists may use a valid existing licence for up to six months, while qualifying full-time students at designated institutions and specified Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program participants have separate exemptions. These are BC rules, not a Canada-wide 90-day allowance.
Taiwan is on BC’s reciprocal list for passenger vehicles, but not motorcycles. A person with an eligible valid passenger licence and sufficient documented full-privilege, non-learner experience can apply to exchange for Class 5; a knowledge test and an N licence are not mandatory for every Taiwanese applicant. ICBC requires the Taiwanese licence card, a red-seal verification certificate obtained in Taiwan and a licence translation through TECO in Vancouver, alongside accepted ID, proof of experience and fees. Having less than two years of full-privilege experience, or being unable to prove it, brings graduated-licensing restrictions into consideration. Additional document verification can place an application on hold. Existing licences must be surrendered to ICBC: BC does not allow you to legally hold multiple driver’s licences.
The motorcycle pathway depends on your existing licence. Full Class 1–5 holders take the Class 6L route: normally at least 14 days before the skills test, then at least 30 days as a learner and a passed skills test before the Class 6 road test. New drivers and car L/N holders take Class 8L: normally 30 days before the skills test, then at least 12 months with 8L and a passed skills test before the Class 8 road test. Passing enters the 8N stage, not full Class 6. Under the current system, 8N normally requires at least 24 prohibition-free months before the Class 6 test. People who also hold a car N, or a combined licence affected by the October changes, must check their particular route; removing a second road test does not waive all motorcycle testing.
Motorcycle learners must ride within sight of a supervisor with a full Class 6 licence: at least age 19 for a 6L learner, or 25 for an 8L learner. Passing the skills test removes the supervision and 60 km/h restrictions; other learner restrictions remain, including no passengers and riding only between sunrise and sunset. The road-test vehicle can also affect the licence issued. A scooter, motorcycle of 200 cc or less, or three-wheeler may result in scooter-only, no-passenger or three-wheeler restrictions respectively. A Class 6 number alone does not establish permission to ride every motorcycle.
A small scooter is not classified solely by being under 50 cc. ICBC’s limited-speed motorcycle definition also covers power of no more than 1.5 kW as an alternative to the 50 cc engine limit, a transmission requiring no clutching or shifting, a maximum level-ground speed of 70 km/h, weight up to 95 kg and wheels at least 254 mm in diameter. These vehicles have different licensing rules from ordinary motorcycles; a Class 5 or 7 learner’s licence does not authorize riding one. Check the vehicle’s actual classification and your licence restrictions before buying.
Commercial licensing depends on the vehicle and proposed work. ICBC’s current requirements set a minimum age of 19 for Classes 1, 2 and 4, and 18 for Class 3 or a heavy-trailer endorsement. Applicants need a full BC Class 5 or 6, or an out-of-province equivalent, plus satisfactory record, debt, vision and medical checks. An 18-year-old Class 3 applicant also needs parental or legal-guardian consent. Commercial learner licensing involves knowledge, road-sign and any applicable air-brake tests; the road test includes a pre-trip inspection and a suitable vehicle. The October 19 rules additionally specify 24 months of non-learner experience, or 18 after an approved GLP course in the learner stage. That future requirement should not be rewritten as a current universal requirement to have held Class 5 for two years.
MELT has applied to new Class 1 applicants since October 18, 2021. It is a 140-hour course covering theory, practical work, highway driving and air brakes. Applicants first qualify for a Class 1 learner’s licence through the knowledge test, then complete training and the road test. Approved schools have different locations and charges, so obtain a quote that explains training, vehicle use and retest arrangements. Existing Canadian Class 1 experience or training may qualify for recognition under specific conditions; Class 1 holders from outside Canada still need MELT. A passenger-licence exchange agreement is not a commercial-training exemption. Choose jobs according to the actual vehicle, seating and employer requirements; a licence class alone guarantees neither employment, pay nor immigration eligibility.
Commercial drivers need an initial medical examination and further scheduled examinations, not a universal once-every-five-years schedule. ICBC’s medical guidance requires a Driver Medical Examination form to be completed and returned within 45 days of receipt. A doctor or nurse practitioner completes it, and RoadSafetyBC reviews it. Health conditions can affect examination frequency and a provider may charge a fee. Being asked for an examination does not itself mean a licence will be lost; follow the individual notice.
When moving to another province, ask its licensing authority about the exchange deadline and eligible class. BC’s Class 5 name, L/N periods and Taiwan agreement cannot simply be carried across. If your address changes within BC, notify ICBC within ten days and check the vehicle registration and insurance details. Keep licence eligibility separate from used-car condition, ownership and transfer checks. Before winter travel, also review Canadian winter-driving and tire requirements: holding a licence does not establish that the vehicle meets local road and seasonal requirements.