ICBC Class 7 Road Test: What's Tested, Hazard Perception and Fees

12 monthsWith your L first (9 if you're 25+)
~40 minLength of the test
$50Road test fee
14 daysWait after a first failed attempt

What is the Class 7 road test?

B.C.'s Graduated Licensing Program has three stages: learner (L), novice (N) and full Class 5. The Class 7 road test is the step between the first two. A driver examiner rides with you and marks your ability to drive in a safe, smooth and controlled manner. Pass, and you get your novice licence and can drive without a supervisor, with N restrictions.

It's now the only road test in the program. Since October 19, 2026, drivers with a clean record no longer take a second (Class 5) road test to leave the N stage: a Driving Record Assessment replaces it.

Step by step

Hold your learner's licence for at least 12 months, or 9 months if you're 25 or older. A driving prohibition stops the clock until your licence is reinstated.
Practise with a supervisor: ICBC recommends at least 60 hours. Work through ICBC's Tuning up for drivers guide; Session 20 is a checklist for the road test.
Book online at icbc.com/roadtest or by phone (Metro Vancouver 604-982-2250, Greater Victoria 250-978-8300, toll-free 1-800-950-1498). Booking is free; third-party sites that charge a fee aren't affiliated with ICBC.
Get a vehicle that passes the vehicle check, and make sure its insurance covers you to drive it.
On test day, arrive 15 minutes early to check in. The examiner explains what will happen and answers your questions.
The test starts with a safety check of your vehicle, then about 40 minutes of driving. At the end, the examiner discusses your results and gives you suggestions. Pass, pay for your licence, and you're an N driver.

What to bring

Your current licence (your L)
Primary and secondary ID, the same kind you used for your learner's licence
A safe vehicle, with its registration and insurance papers
A licensed driver who meets the supervisor requirements: if you don't pass, you leave with a learner's licence and can only drive supervised
The fees for the road test and your photo licence
Glasses or contact lenses if you need them to drive
Your Declaration of Completion, if you finished an ICBC-approved driver training course

The vehicle check

If your vehicle is unsafe or doesn't meet legal requirements, the test may be cancelled and you'll have to rebook. These are ICBC's most common reasons a vehicle isn't accepted:

Dash warning lights that stay on, such as the airbag, brake or ABS light
Brake lights, signal lights or headlights not working, or badly cracked or missing lenses
Unsafe tires. Temporary spare tires aren't allowed.
Driver's or passenger's door or window not working: both doors must open and close from inside and outside
A cracked windshield, or illegally tinted windshield or windows (no aftermarket tint on the windshield or front side windows)
Horn not working
Fuel tank or battery charge too low
Vehicle not properly licensed or insured: passenger cars need front and rear plates, and a rental agreement must name you as a driver
Seatbelts not working or frayed
Unsafe or illegal modifications, such as a "racing" steering wheel without an airbag, or a vehicle raised or lowered too much

Also know where the heater, defroster and wipers are, remove loose objects, and turn off your phone and radio.

Rules on test day

No pets or passengers other than the examiner or other authorized people.
No active electronic devices. The examiner may ask whether you have a GPS or a video or audio recorder running; turn them off. Turn your phone off, or at least to silent.
Back-up cameras don't need to be disabled, but don't rely only on the camera when backing up.
The examiner stays quiet except to give directions or point out a situation that needs your attention. Directions come early, like "first intersection, turn right." If you get none, follow the road and obey the signs.
The examiner won't trick you or ask you to do anything illegal, and isn't there to coach you. If a direction isn't clear, ask. Ask any other questions before you start.
The examiner may use an eye-check mirror to see where you're looking without staring at you.

What the examiner marks

Before you start, the examiner checks that you know where the controls are, wear your seatbelt and adjust your seat, mirrors and head restraint. Then, through the whole drive, they rate the see-think-do skills:

Observation: looking well ahead, scanning intersections, mirror and shoulder checks, a 360-degree check when backing up
Hazard perception: spotting hazards around you, and naming them when asked (see below)
Speed control: smooth use of the gas and brakes, and a steady, suitable speed
Space margins: keeping space around the vehicle, choosing safe lane positions, stopping accurately
Steering: smooth and accurate, both hands on the wheel
Communication: signals, eye contact, brake lights and horn

Speeding is marked, but so is driving too slowly when the risk is low. Examiners also mark you for being unnecessarily cautious or unnecessarily aggressive when you time gaps in traffic for turns, merges and lane changes.

Hazard perception: calling out hazards

At certain times during the test, the examiner asks you to say out loud the hazards you see as you drive: a hidden driveway, children playing near the road, a truck turning, a pedestrian, a cyclist. Many drivers fail to call out blind driveways. If English isn't your first language and you don't know the word for a hazard, you may point and say "hazard."

Practise it with your supervisor: name hazards out loud on every drive, and have them tell you what you missed. Words ICBC suggests learning include car, bus, truck, pedestrian, bicyclist, motorcyclist, children, animal, construction, too close, can't see, blind spot, curve, hill, bump, wet road, ice, snow, rough pavement, warning sign, dangerous driver, pulling out, turning right and turning left.

The manoeuvres

The Class 7 road test may include any of these. The checklists are from Session 20 of ICBC's Tuning up for drivers.

Intersections: driving through, turning right, turning left

Approach: slow down approaching the intersection, and signal well ahead if you're turning. Position the vehicle for the turn.
Scan: left, centre, right and left again, even if the light is green.
Stop: come to a complete stop for a stop sign or an amber or red light, behind the stop line, and leave space before the car in front.
Turn: show good timing in deciding when to go, turn smoothly without braking in the turn, and keep the correct lane position: don't cut the corner or swing wide. Before a right turn, shoulder check right for cyclists and pedestrians going straight.

Entering traffic and parking at the side of the road

Mirror check, signal and shoulder check. Pull into and out of traffic smoothly, keep safe space margins and brake smoothly. Don't coast with the clutch in.
Stop the right distance from the curb, set the parking brake, and shoulder check before opening the door. When asked to pull over and park, park as if you were leaving the car overnight; you can leave the engine running.

Changing lanes

Change lanes only when there's a safe gap. Mirror check, signal and shoulder check, keep your lane position, speed and space margins, and centre the vehicle in the new lane. Check your mirror and signal before returning to your original lane.

Entering and exiting a highway

Scan the highway well ahead and choose a safe gap. Use the acceleration lane to reach the speed of highway traffic without going over the limit; the rest of the merge is a lane change. Slow down in the exit lane, not before.

Backing up

Turn around to look behind, glancing forward when needed, and keep good control and steering.

Parallel parking

Choose a suitable space; mirror check, signal and shoulder check; park smoothly, stopping the right distance from the curb and from other vehicles. Touching the curb is not an automatic fail.

Parking and starting on a hill

Stop the right distance from the curb, turn your wheels the correct way, secure the vehicle, and pull away smoothly while keeping control.

Stall parking and angle parking

You may be asked to drive forward into a stall or back into one. For reverse stall parking: signal, do mirror checks, shoulder checks and 360-degree vision checks, back in smoothly and under control, and judge the vehicle's position accurately.

Two- and three-point turns

Do them only where it's safe. Mirror check, signal and shoulder check, and turn with smoothness and control while keeping safe space margins.

General driving

Driving straight, on hills and on curves: steady speed for the conditions, good lane position, and eyes well ahead.

Examiners' tips

From ICBC's driver examiners.

Keep to the posted speed limit. Don't keep up with speeding traffic. Speeding through school and playground zones is a common reason drivers fail.
Make full stops at stop signs and red lights, in the correct position. When it's safe, pull out slowly, scanning the intersection.
When turning right, shoulder check right for cyclists, pedestrians and others going straight through.
Mirror check, signal and shoulder check every time you change lanes or direction.
Keep a safe distance from other road users.
Watch for construction zones, and drive for the road conditions.
Practise every manoeuvre you might be asked to do, including parallel parking, parking on a hill, and two- and three-point turns.

Fees

Class 7 road test	$50
First five-year novice (N) licence, if you pass	$75
Cancelling with less than 48 hours' notice, or not showing up	$25

Fees as listed by ICBC (checked November 4, 2026). Road tests are free for seniors 65 and older. Booking is free. The $25 isn't charged if you give a valid reason ICBC accepts. Driver licensing offices take cash, debit, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and personal cheques.

If you don't pass

You leave with a learner's licence, so you'll need a supervisor to drive home.
Practise what the examiner pointed out, then book again. The earliest you can retest is 14 days after a first failed attempt, 30 days after a second and 60 days after any later attempt.

Once you have your N

Zero alcohol and zero drugs, including cannabis (THC), whenever you drive.
No hand-held or hands-free electronic devices at all, including music players and GPS.
If you're under 25: display the N sign where drivers behind you can see it, and carry only one passenger unless the others are immediate family or a supervisor aged 22 or older sits beside you. Both rules end when you turn 25.

Getting your Class 5 (no second road test)

Since October 19, 2026, the second road test is gone for drivers with a clean record. Instead, you apply for a Driving Record Assessment at an ICBC driver licensing office (book the "Driving Record Assessment" service or walk in; Service BC locations and driver licensing agents don't do it). You qualify with:

At least 24 months of safe driving with your N if you're under 25, or 18 months if you completed an approved GLP course
At least 12 months if you're 25 or older
No convictions for excessive speed or electronic device use, and no prohibitions or suspensions, during that time

You then get a Class 5 licence with a 12-month zero alcohol and drug restriction, which ends on its own. A prohibition during those 12 months restarts the period. Upgrading costs $17 if you do it as soon as you're eligible.

Frequently asked questions

When can I take the Class 7 road test in B.C.?

After at least 12 months with your learner's (L) licence, or 9 months if you're 25 or older. ICBC recommends at least 60 hours of supervised practice first.

How long is the ICBC Class 7 road test?

About 40 minutes, according to ICBC's Learn to Drive Smart guide. Arrive 15 minutes early to check in.

How much is the Class 7 road test?

$50 for the road test, and $75 for your first five-year novice licence if you pass (ICBC fees, checked November 4, 2026). Road tests are free for seniors 65 and older. Booking is free, but you're charged $25 if you cancel with less than 48 hours' notice or don't show up without a valid reason.

What is the hazard perception part of the road test?

At certain times during the test, the examiner asks you to name the hazards you see as you drive, such as a hidden driveway or children playing near the road. If you don't know the English word for a hazard, you may point at it and say "hazard."

How soon can I retake the road test if I fail?

14 days after a first failed attempt, 30 days after a second and 60 days after any later attempt, subject to booking availability.

Do I still need a second road test to get my Class 5?

No. Since October 19, 2026, a Driving Record Assessment has replaced the second road test. After 24 months of safe driving with your N (18 if you took an approved course, 12 if you're 25 or older), you apply at an ICBC driver licensing office and get a Class 5 licence with a 12-month zero alcohol and drug restriction.

Official sources

Checked against these sources on November 4, 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm with ICBC before you go.

More for B.C.: How to get your learner's licence · B.C. rules test · B.C. road signs test · All B.C. practice tests

The ICBC Class 7 road test