How to Pass the Ontario G1 Test on Your First Try (2026)

Updated October 2026 · 8 min read

The planRead the handbook once end to end, drill signs separately until a 20-question signs run feels boring, then run two full 40-question mock G1 tests in a row the night before you book. If you can hit 18/20 on both halves two days in a row, you are ready — the real 2026 G1 is not harder than that.

Ontario's G1 is a 40-question multiple-choice test written at a DriveTest centre. Twenty questions cover road signs, 20 cover rules of the road, and you need 16 out of 20 on each section — 80% per side, scored independently. Fail one section and pass the other, and you only rewrite the one you failed. Fail both, and you rewrite both. The test is not timed and most people finish in 20 to 30 minutes.

What's actually on the Ontario G1 test

The test comes directly from the Official MTO Driver's Handbook. In 2026 the handbook is organised into chapters you can trust the test to pull from in these rough proportions:

Road signs (20 questions) — regulatory, warning, construction, information, and school/pedestrian signs. Shape and colour tell you the family. See our Ontario G1 road signs guide for the system.
Rules of the road (20 questions) — right of way, speed limits, lane changes, parking, passing, turns, pedestrian crossovers, impaired driving, and the G1 restrictions themselves.

Nothing on the real G1 is designed to trick you — it is testing whether you have read the handbook. If a question wording feels unusual, slow down and translate it into what the handbook would say.

Where learners actually lose marks

Looking at the sections learners usually fail on retake, five topics come up again and again in 2026:

Pedestrian crossovers (PXOs). You must stop, and stay stopped, until the pedestrian has reached the opposite curb. Not "clear of your lane" — the opposite curb.
G1 restrictions. Zero blood alcohol. Fully licensed Class G in the front passenger seat with 4+ years' experience. No 400-series highways or high-speed expressways unless accompanied by a licensed driving instructor. No driving between midnight and 5 a.m.
School zones and school bus stops. School zones are 30 km/h on school days during posted hours. School bus with flashing red lights and extended stop arm means every direction stops, except on a highway divided by a median.
Right of way at a four-way stop. First to the stop line goes first; ties go to the vehicle on the right; straight-through has priority over turning traffic.
Signs vs. signals. A green light does not override a red arrow for the same movement. A yield sign still applies when the light is green.

A one-week study plan that works

You do not need a month. A deliberate week is enough.

Day 1 — Read the signs chapter of the handbook end to end. Then run the road signs test once. Expect 14 to 16 out of 20 on your first try.
Day 2 — Read the rules of the road chapter. Then run the rules of the road test once. Note the two topics you missed most.
Day 3 — Re-read only the two chapters that match your weakest topics. Rerun the signs and rules drills.
Day 4 — First full 40-question mock. Aim for 32+/40 overall but check that both halves cleared 16.
Day 5 — Quick 10 twice, then the mock again. Review every miss against the handbook.
Day 6 — Mock the night before. If both halves clear 18/20, you are ready.
Day 7 — Book early. Walk in with the full fee, two pieces of ID, and your glasses.

What to bring to the DriveTest centre

Government-issued ID that confirms your name, date of birth and signature. If your ID does not show all three, bring two documents that cover the gaps. The DriveTest website lists accepted documents in detail.
Payment — $158.25 for the G1 licensing package in 2026 (knowledge test + G1 licence + one G2 road test). Debit, credit, and most centres take cash.
Glasses or contacts if you need them for distance. A vision test is part of the appointment.
Parent or guardian if you are under 16. (You cannot sit the G1 at 15 — the minimum age is 16.)

What happens if you fail

You rebook and rewrite only the section you missed. Each attempt has its own fee, and there is no mandatory waiting period in Ontario — many learners rebook within the same week. DriveTest prints a short breakdown of what you missed so you know which chapter to re-read before you come back.

Life after you pass

Once you pass, you walk out with a G1 licence and 12 months of restricted practice ahead of you (or 8 months if you complete an MTO-approved driver education course). After that comes the G2 road test. Hold a G2 for 12 months and you can book the full G road test. The whole G1 → G2 → G progression takes a minimum of 20 months.

The G1 is the only part of the whole process that is pure study. Treat it that way, give it one honest week, and the first-try pass is the easy outcome.