We are not aware of any restrictions keeping you from driving in the United States with a G1 license from Canada. We did check with a representative from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) for more information.

The representative of the MTO stated that the G1 licence is a learner's permit and as such, only meant for practice driving in Ontario with a licensed accompanying driver present at all times. A novice licence is not considered to be fully licensed for driving.

However MTO rep. went on to say that once you are outside Ontario, you are subject to the laws of the jurisdiction you are traveling in, not Ontario's laws. The rep. also noted that you should check first with the licensing authorities of the province or state about the validity of Ontario novice licences there BEFORE you travel out of the area.

So you are advised to contact the jurisdiction(s) in the US that you will be visiting to inquire of their licensing requirements and one must also contact their insurance company to ensure that there is proper insurance coverage while driving out-of-country.

A different MTO rep stated that the Class G1 driver’s license is a valid license, even in the US, provided all the restrictions that apply in Ontario are also followed in the US and you drive with an accompanying driver. Since this information is a bit different then what the other MTO personnel told us we would suggest that you call the ServiceOntario Driver and Vehicle contact centre at 416-235-2999 or 1-800-387-3445 (Canada wide) and speak with a customer service representative to get a specific answer for you and your situation.

If you plan to drive in the United States, you should check with the Department of Motor Vehicles of the respective jurisdictions you plan to drive through to find out their licensing requirements. You may wish to contact the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) to find out if they could provide some information.