Start Your FREE 2025 NS Learner's Permit Practice Test Now

Of course there are. When you go in to apply for your licence, you are required to have documents that show your:

• Legal Name
• Date of Birth
• Original Signature
• Applicants under 18 must have a written permission from a parent or guardian to apply for a licence.

The full list of acceptable documents can be found here. Make sure to bring original documents or certified copies. No photocopies will be accepted.

Applying for a licence in Nova Scotia is about a 36 month process. There are steps put into place that allow you to easily transition into becoming a responsible licensed driver. You will…

1. Take and pass a written exam that will give you a Learner licence.
2. Hold your Learner licence for at least 12 months. (Certain restrictions apply with this licence such as no driving without a fully licensed driver in the front seat with you at all times), OR take a driver’s education course at a driving school and wait only 9 months.
3. Take and pass your road test (including parallel parking and a few other things). Now you become a Newly Licenced Driver. This is a restricted licence.

After 24 months, all the GDL restrictions are removed and you become a fully licensed driver!

Yes. Since this is your first step, there are restrictions put in place designed to keep you safe and help you ease into the responsibilities of driving.

• You must maintain a 0% BAC level.
• The front seat next to you must always be occupied by a supervising fully licensed driver at all times.
• You are not allowed other passengers in your vehicle.
• You cannot drive between midnight and 5 am.

Questions will cover different areas. Sample questions may be similar to:

• When a red X is over a driving lane, you ____.
• What documents may a police officer ask you to show?
• When another vehicle wants to pass, you ________?
• You should________before moving from a parked position.

Have you held your Learner licence for at least 12 months?

• Do you have a 0% BAC level on record?
• Have you gotten a lot of behind the wheel training and practice within the past 12 months?

If you answered YES to these questions, then you are ready to proceed to the Newly Licenced Driver stage.

A Learner licence is the first licence you receive in Nova Scotia graduated licensing system. It is issued after you have passed the knowledge and vision tests. With this licence, you can only drive in the car with a fully licensed driver.

The second phase of the graduated licensing system is a Newly Licenced Driver stage. This licence is issued to you after you pass your road test. There are still some restrictions with this licence, such as no driving between midnight and 5 am (unless accompanied by a supervising driver), but at least you can drive alone. To graduate from the Newly Licenced Driver stage, you must successfully complete a 6 hour Defensive Driving course or complete a recognized driver training course (25 hours theory, 10 hours driving time).

A Restricted Individual licence is the final stage in NS graduated licensing system. The restrictions include zero alcohol in your system while driving. After 24 months you may graduate to a full licence.

Yes. Since this is your first step, there are restrictions put in place designed to keep you safe and help you ease into the responsibilities of driving.

• You must maintain a 0% BAC level.
• The front seat next to you must always be occupied by a supervising fully licensed driver at all times.
• You cannot drive between midnight and 5 am.

Yes. When you go in to apply for your licence, you are required to have documents that show your:

• Legal Name
• Date of Birth
• Original Signature
• Applicants under 18 must have a written permission from a parent or guardian to apply for a licence.

The full list of acceptable documents can be found here Make sure to bring original documents or certified copies. No photocopies will be accepted.

Here’s a word of advice…practice EVERYTHING pertaining to the rules of the road. Sharpening those driving skills are the key to passing the road test. Here are some specific skills you should be practicing. Your practice should not be limited to this though. A good driving mentor should be able to properly guide you on additional skills.

• Practice signaling, entering and leaving turns in the proper lane.
• Practice driving through intersections at the proper speed.
• Become acquainted with different types of intersections and how to react in situations involving pedestrians and other vehicles.
• Practice speed and space control.
• Become familiar with how to react at various road signs.

On the road test, you can expect to demonstrate the following:

• Proper following distance between vehicles
• Parallel parking
• Proper Lane changing
• Frequent and exaggerated blind spot checks
• Defensive driving techniques
• Navigating through an intersection
• 3 point turn arounds
• And more…..

Here are some tips that will help you look great in front of the examiner.

• Give exaggerated head movements in order to show that you are aware of the traffic around you.
• Try to drive the exact speed limit. It’s ok to drive a little under just don’t go over. Also make sure that your speed is practical for the situation.
• Use, use, use those turn signals.
• Drive slowly through parking lots.
• Follow the rules of merging and exiting from a highway.

We know you want to do your best to not make any mistakes that would cause you to fail your road test. Here are errors that applicants seem to make often:

• Recklessly changing lanes by not observing blind spots
• Making “rolling” stops instead of complete stops at stop signs
• Turning into the wrong lane
• Disrupting traffic by going too slow
• Merging onto a highway more slowly than the speed of the highway traffic
• Riding with distractions in the car
• Speeding
• Lack of vehicle control

Don’t worry about being confused on what to do during your driving exam. Before your exam, the Driver Enhancement Officer will give you an instruction sheet. Make sure to read it carefully.

During your exam, do not talk unnecessarily to the examiner, follow their instructions. Remember, you will never be asked to perform illegal maneuvers.

Your vehicle will be checked in order to see if it properly functions. You will then proceed in showing the examiner how well you do the following:

• Use your signal and brake lights
• Use your accelerator and brakes
• Adjust safety devices
• Back up
• Observe other cars
• Overtake and pass other vehicles
• Obey all traffic signs and laws

Your road test will be conducted over a course of at least 3 kilometers, in rural areas and on busy city/town streets where possible.

When you receive this licence, there will be limitations such as:

• No driving from midnight to 5 a.m. without a supervising driver
• No alcohol in your system
• All passengers must be in seatbelts

Be prepared to have information such as:

• Your licence number
• Car description (Odometer number, VIN Number, year, make and model)
• Your address
• Number of kilometers you travel on average

Take note that every province has its own licensing body for agents and brokers. If you need to verify whether an insurance agent or broker is licensed to sell in your province, contact your province’s licensing body for more information.

Everyone’s eager to know ways to keep car insurance costs down. According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, you can keep your cost low by:

• Increasing your deductible
• Buying a car with a lower-cost insurer rating
• Installing an approved theft deterrent system
• Dropping collision or comprehensive coverage for an older vehicle

Speak with an agent to figure out other wise ways to reduce auto insurance costs in Nova Scotia.

If you move to Nova Scotia, you have 30 days after arrival to apply for a NS Driver’s licence. You may simply exchange your valid driver’s licence for a full unrestricted licence if you meet the following criteria:

• You hold a driver’s licence from a reciprocating jurisdiction such as Austria, Germany, Isle of Man, South Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and etc (others can be found on the Service NS website)
• You are at least 16 years of age
• You are able to present acceptable original identification for proof of legal name, date of birth and signature
• You are willing to surrender your current licence
• Take a vision test
• Pay a licensing fee
• If you move to NS from other foreign countries, you will be required to purchase a knowledge test receipt and road test receipt and successfully complete vision, signs, rules and road tests.

Find a full list of requirements here.