Prince Edward Island is a small scenic province and most people who live here choose to drive. Here is everything you need to know about driving on PEI.
I have a Valid Out-of-Province Driver’s License
If you have a valid driver’s license from your home country, another province, or an international driver’s license and you are a resident of PEI, you can use it to drive on PEI for four months. You will need to exchange it for a PEI driver’s license (Class 5: passenger vehicle).
In order to exchange your license for a PEI one you must go in-person to an Access PEI site (Charlottetown, Summerside, Montague, Souris, O’Leary or Alberton, and you will be asked to fill-out the application, provide documents proving your PEI residence, pass a vision test, pass the written knowledge exam, enrol in and attend the Novice Driver Course for Newcomers (NDCN), and finally pass the driving test (you must bring your own vehicle) and pay all the necessary fees.
Access PEI: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/transportation-and-infrastructure/access-pei-locations
Driver’s Handbook: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/publication/drivers-handbook
I have a Valid Out-of-Province Driver’s License and I’m a Post-Secondary Student on PEI
Provided that your license or international driver’s license is valid and you are enrolled at the University of Prince Edward Island or Holland College you can drive on PEI without having to exchange your license for a PEI one.
I’m a Resident of PEI and I Don’t have a Driver’s License
You will have to go through the process of obtaining a driver’s license through the PEI Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) three-stage system. In order to enrol in the GDL, you must be at 16 years old or older. There are a few stages to being awarded a driver’s license. * Please note: If you enrol in a certified driver’s education course, you will write the Beginner’s Permit test in-class. The final driving exam will also occur during your education course.*
Driving Schools: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/transportation-and-infrastructure/licensed-driving-schools-in-pei
If You Do Not Enrol in a Certified Driver’s Education Course
1. To apply for the Beginner’s Permit (Class 7 license valid for 2 years) you must provide the necessary documentation, study the PEI Driver’s Handbook, write the written test, the sign-recognition test and pass the vision test, as well as pay the fee.
Once you have your Beginner’s Permit you will enter Stage 1 (L) of the GDL. You will be given a yellow sticker with an “L” on it which you must place in the corner of your windshield.
Stage 1: L Stage (365 days or 275 days if enrolled in a certified driver’s education course)
There are many restrictions for an L-level driver:
* The driving supervisor must have held a valid driver’s license for at least four years.
* The driving supervisor must be in the front seat anytime the learning driver is operating the vehicle.
* Only the driving supervisor and that person’s immediate family are permitted in the vehicle.
* The driving supervisor cannot have a blood alcohol content of .05 or more.
* You must have a blood alcohol count (BAC) of zero when operating a motor vehicle.
* There cannot be more people in the vehicle than the number of seatbelts in the vehicle. You can be fined for any passenger not wearing a seatbelt in a vehicle you are driving.
* You cannot use a cell phone or other hand-held device while driving. A hands-free cell phone is permitted.
* If you are under age 21, you are restricted from driving at night between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.
The Road Test: You must bring your own vehicle. You must drive to the Access PEI site to take your road test with “driving supervisor” or someone who has had their PEI driver’s license for at least 4 years. If you are having difficulty finding a driving supervisor to assist you with the road test, some driver’s education companies such as Safe Drivers PEI offer an “Access PEI Exam Co-pilot” program. Please find more information here: https://www.tdsm.app/OE/Customer/StudentAdult?companyId=ZbGkvlEgtPk¶m=PV
Stage 2: G Stage (365 days) After you pass the road test, you will receive a new sticker for your windshield with a “G” on it.
People in the G Stage must follow these restrictions:
* Only one non-family member is permitted as a passenger. All other passengers must be members of the driver’s immediate family.
* There cannot be more passengers in the vehicle than the number of seatbelts in the vehicle. You can be fined for any passenger not wearing a seatbelt in a vehicle you are driving.
* You must have a blood alcohol count (BAC) of zero when operating a motor vehicle.
* You cannot use a cell phone or other hand-held device while driving. A hands-free cell phone is permitted.
* If you are under age 21, you are restricted from driving at night between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless you are accompanied by someone who has held a valid driver’s licence for at least four years and does not have a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of .05 or more. You can request an exemption for work purposes only.
Stage 3: G Stage (365 days) You are required to have the “G” sticker on your windshield during this stage.
The following restrictions apply:
* You are allowed as many passengers as there are available seat belts in the vehicle. You can be fined for any passenger not wearing a seatbelt in a vehicle you are driving.
* You cannot use a cell phone or other hand-held device while driving. A hands-free cell phone is permitted.
* You must have a blood alcohol count (BAC) of zero when operating a motor vehicle.
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) System: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/transportation-and-infrastructure/graduated-driver-licensing-program
*Also, if you are a non-resident of PEI and you are working in the agriculture or fishing industry under the Government of Canada Guest Worker Program you can drive (Class 5 license or a different class of license) for eight months to one year without being required to exchange your license for a PEI one.
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