British Columbia Driver's Licence
ICBC Knowledge Test β 50 questions, 40 correct (80%) to pass
Languages the official test is offered in: English, French, Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Chinese, Croatian, Farsi, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese
π What to Bring
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Proof of identity
Primary + secondary ID accepted by ICBC (e.g. passport, permanent resident card, BC Services Card)
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Test / licensing fee
Pay the knowledge-test and licensing fees at the ICBC driver licensing office
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Glasses or contact lenses
Bring them if you need them β a vision screening is done at the office
π How to Schedule
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Study the guide and practice
Read ICBC's 'Learn to Drive Smart' and take practice tests covering signs, rules of the road, and safe driving.
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Go to an ICBC driver licensing office
You must be at least 16. Bring your ID and fee; the written knowledge test is offered in 11 languages.
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Pass the vision and knowledge tests
Pass a vision screening, then the 50-question knowledge test (40 to pass). When you pass, you get your Learner's ('L') licence and enter the Graduated Licensing Program.
π‘ Test Day Tips
- β’The ICBC knowledge test has 50 questions; you must get 40 correct (80%) to pass.
- β’As a Learner ('L') and Novice ('N') driver in the Graduated Licensing Program, your blood-alcohol level must be zero whenever you drive.
- β’A Learner must display an 'L' sign, be supervised by someone 25+ holding a valid Class 5 (or higher) licence, may carry only one passenger besides the supervisor, and may not drive between midnight and 5 a.m.
- β’The Learner ('L') stage lasts at least 12 months; the Novice ('N') stage lasts at least 24 months before you can take the test for a full Class 5 licence.
- β’Unless a sign says otherwise, the speed limit is 50 km/h in cities and 80 km/h outside cities; school zones are 30 km/h on school days 8 a.m.β5 p.m. and playground zones are 30 km/h dawn to dusk.
π Driver Handbook
All practice questions are based on the chapters below. Click any chapter to read it on the official DMV website.
π― Practice by Topic
Developing your smart driving skills
The smart-driving philosophy, taking responsibility behind the wheel, seatbelts and occupant safety, and the attitudes that keep new B.C. drivers crash-free.
You and your vehicle
Adjusting your seat, mirrors and head restraint, child car seats and their stages, vehicle controls and instruments, and getting ready to drive in British Columbia.
Signs, signals and road markings
The shapes, colours and meanings of B.C. traffic signs, traffic and lane-control signals, and the pavement and curb markings every driver must recognize and obey.
Rules of the road
Right-of-way, intersections and roundabouts, turning and lane use, speed limits, passing, parking rules, and the laws governing how to share British Columbia roads.
See-think-do
The see-think-do approach: scanning and observation, judging hazards and space margins, safe following distance, and managing speed and reaction time.
Applying your smart driving skills
Sharing the road with pedestrians, cyclists, motorcycles, trucks and buses; work zones and the slow-down/move-over law; railway crossings, animals, and night, highway and bad-weather driving.
Personal strategies
Impairment from alcohol, drugs and cannabis (BAC limits and GLP zero tolerance), fatigue, distraction and emotions, and the personal choices that keep you fit to drive.
Emergency strategies
Handling skids, brake and tire failures, a stuck accelerator and other emergencies, what to do at a collision or breakdown, and how to respond at a crash scene.
References and resources
B.C. licence classes and ages, the Graduated Licensing Program (Learner 'L' and Novice 'N' restrictions), demerit points and fines, Immediate Roadside Prohibitions, and impaired-driving penalties.