Drivers in Alberta will now automatically be upgraded to a full license from the Graduated Driver License program (GDL), without a second road test or the $154 price tag.
Drivers 18 and older who are currently in the program will get a letter to notify them of the change to a non-GDL license. To be upgraded, they must have completed a 24-month driving period and had no demerits or suspensions in the past year.
“GDL was an expensive, duplicative licensing scheme that discriminated against good young drivers. There are 500,000 young Albertans with clean driving records who would need to pay $154 and waste their time to take another driving test,” said Devin Dreeshen, minister of transportation and economic corridors.
The province says it is not legally required for drivers to get a new card when their GDL period ends, but they can if they prefer. The cards will be updated when they are renewed for people changing from GDL to non-GDL. If residents are pulled over before getting a new card, police will see they have a full license through information in the Canadian Police Information Centre.
If drivers have demerits or suspension in the last year of their probation period, the probation will be extended another year.
The province also says residents should update their physical license to show they have exited the GDL program if they plan to travel outside of the province.
As of April 1, about 700,000 Albertans were in the GDL program and about 150,000 exited it through the interim process since.
