Car Lessons and New Drivers: Frequently Asked Questions

Questions from new drivers and parents about lessons, road tests and the Graduated Licensing Program. For Class 1 and commercial questions, see our Class 1 and commercial FAQ.

How many lessons do I need before my road test?

Start from ICBC’s own number: they recommend at least 60 hours of practice before your road test. That is the figure in Learn to Drive Smart, and most people are surprised by it.

Those 60 hours are not all lessons. Most of it is supervised practice with a parent or another experienced driver, documented as you go. Lessons are the part that teaches you what to practise and corrects the habits nobody at home will notice.

So the number of lessons you need depends on how much of that 60 you are getting elsewhere. Someone practising regularly at home may need very few. Someone with no car and nobody to supervise them needs considerably more. We will tell you when you are ready rather than selling you a package up front.

Is ICBC really getting rid of the second road test?

Yes, for drivers with a clean record. ICBC has removed the second road test for the move from a Class 7 to a Class 5. Instead you enter a 12-month probationary period after the novice stage and graduate to a full Class 5 by keeping your record clean.

Why did ICBC change it?

To cut road test wait times and judge new drivers on a year of real driving rather than one morning. The safety bar has not been lowered, it has been moved.

What is the Graduated Licensing Program?

BC’s staged path for new drivers: learner (L), then novice (N), then a full Class 5. We are ICBC-approved to deliver GLP training.

How do I pass the ICBC knowledge test?

Study the official ICBC Learn to Drive Smart guide and take practice tests until you are scoring consistently, not just scraping a pass. Most people who fail relied on years of watching from the passenger seat instead of reading the guide. We run a free learner’s prep class covering road rules, signs and the format of the test.

Can I use your car for my road test?

Yes. Sitting the test in a car you have already trained in removes one variable on a day that has enough of them.

Can I rent your car for the test without taking lessons?

No. You need to be a registered student and have taken at least one lesson with us first, and we can refuse if we judge it unsafe. Our instructor sits beside you and our name is on the car, so we need to have seen you drive.

Can you pick me up from work or school?

For car lessons, yes, depending on where you are. Whether we can reach you comes down to the pickup location, and a fee may apply, so confirm both when you book rather than on the day. Pickup is not available for commercial programs: Class 1, 2, 3 and 4 and air brake training all start and finish at the campus or the yard, because the equipment does not come to you.

I am nervous, or I have not driven in years. Can you help?

Yes, and a good share of our students are exactly that. We run private one-to-one lessons at your own pace, refresher training, and senior driving lessons. You are not going to be the only person in the car who has done this before.

When should I start lessons?

As soon as you hold your L. Starting early gives you time to build real habits before the test rather than cramming skills in the fortnight before it.

How many road tests are included?

One. You should only sit the ICBC road test when you are ready for it, not to try it and see. A road test is not a practice run, and treating it as one costs you time and money.

What happens if I fail my road test?

You work on the specific skills you were marked down on, take additional lessons, and we rebook. On commercial programs ICBC enforces a minimum 14-day wait between attempts, so there is time to fix what went wrong rather than repeat it.

What is your pass rate?

98%, across every program we run, from a Class 7 road test through to Class 1 MELT. We would rather hold a student back a week than send them in unready, which is most of the reason that number is where it is.

What does ICBC-approved actually mean?

ICBC approves a course, not a company. We hold ICBC agreements for Class 1 MELT, air brake (Code 15) and the Graduated Licensing Program. Our Class 2, 3 and 4 training is delivered by certified and accredited instructors but is not an ICBC-approved program and we do not call it one.

ICBC’s Code of Conduct for Driver Training Licensees requires schools not to advertise training they are not licensed or qualified for, and not to deal with customers in a misleading or deceptive way. A school describing its whole operation as ICBC-approved is not loose wording, it is the kind of claim that code exists to prevent. Ask any school to tell you exactly which of its courses ICBC has approved.

What standards are driving schools held to?

Every licensed school and instructor in BC is bound by ICBC’s Code of Conduct for Driver Training Licensees (DTC410). It covers legal compliance and reporting, honesty and integrity, equal treatment under the Human Rights Code, prevention of sexual harassment, professional conduct and vehicle standards, road safety, road test booking, and protection of your personal information.

Some of it is worth knowing as a student. Schools cannot teach road test routes, interfere with examinations, record tests or request specific examiners. They cannot sell road test appointments. They cannot advertise training they are not licensed for. They cannot use or share your information without consent.

We publish it in full because you are entitled to know what you can hold us to: ICBC Code of Conduct for Driver Training Licensees. If any school falls short of it, you can complain to ICBC directly rather than only to the school.

Where are you?

Six campuses: Abbotsford (head office), Langley, Chilliwack, Kamloops, Kelowna and Prince George.

What are your hours?

Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 1:00 pm and 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday, and closed on BC statutory holidays.

Can I train on weekends?

Our offices are closed Saturday and Sunday. Training schedules are built around the student wherever we can, so ask us what is possible for your situation rather than assuming.

Can I drop in?

No, all locations are by appointment only. Book a consultation, in person or online, and you get the time properly instead of being fitted between two other things.

What number do I call?

604-744-1222, or toll free 1-877-744-1231. Every campus routes to head office by design, so you reach someone who can book you in rather than an empty desk at a satellite office.