Alberta Road Test Checklist: Get Ready for Test Day

This Alberta road test checklist takes you through the Class 5 test in the order you will meet it. Passing moves you from a Class 7 learner's licence to a Class 5-GDL, the probationary licence. Work down each list, tick what is done, and you will arrive calm and prepared.

Before you book

Check that you are eligible first. Alberta asks for the following before a Class 5 road test:

• You have held your Class 7 learner's licence for at least 12 months.
• You are 16 years of age or older.
• You have written consent from a parent or guardian if you are under 18.

Passenger vehicle road tests, Class 5 and Class 6, are booked through a registry agent. You need your Motor Vehicle Identification (MVID) number to book. It is the 9-digit number near the barcode on your Alberta licence. Registry agents set the fees for Class 5 tests, so ask about the cost when you book.

The car checklist

The vehicle must be in acceptable working condition. The Alberta Driver's Guide lists what it must have:

• A valid licence plate and insurance.
• Working headlights, brake lights and signal lights.
• A horn and a speedometer.
• Brakes and a park brake.
• A clear windshield and working wipers.
• Tires in good condition.
• Driver and passenger doors.
• Seats and seat belts.
• An exhaust system and muffler.
• Mirrors.
• Enough fuel for the test.

Walk around the car the day before and test each light with a helper. A burnt-out bulb is easy to fix at home and hard to fix at the registry.

No car that meets the list? You can rent our road test car. It is booked and paid for on its own, subject to availability. The price is $90 in all five areas we serve. All prices plus 5% GST.

The week before

A calm week makes a calmer test. Use this part of the Alberta road test checklist in the last few days.

• Drive in the kind of traffic you expect on the day, with your supervisor beside you.
• Practise each parking type until you can do it without rushing.
• Say your checks out loud: mirrors, signal, shoulder check, then move.
• Confirm your test time and place with the registry.
• Get a full night's sleep, and eat before you leave.

On the day

• Carry your licence. Alberta law says it must be with you whenever you drive.
• Plan for about 45 minutes. That includes the examiner's instructions before you start and a summary of your results at the end.
• Go alone. No passengers or pets are allowed in the car during a road test.
• Arrive early enough to park, settle and adjust the car calmly.

Before you pull away, run the routine from the Driver's Guide. Lock the doors, then adjust your seat, head restraint and mirrors. Fasten your seat belt. Check your path, check your mirrors, and shoulder check before moving off.

What the examiner checks

The test shows whether you can drive safely without supervision while sharing the road. The Driver's Guide says it includes:

• Identifying and using the car's controls.
• Steering, braking and speed control.
• Choosing the right lane for turns.
• Obeying speed zones.
• Right-of-way at intersections and during lane changes.
• Intersections with and without signs or signals.
• Sharing the road with other users without getting in their way.
• Parking: perpendicular, uphill or downhill, and parallel.

Parking worries most learners, so practise all three types. Our parallel parking guide breaks the steps down.

Each mistake adds points. Alberta gives examples such as missing a mirror or blind spot check, making an incorrect turn, or signalling too soon or too late. Being too aggressive or too hesitant also costs points. On the Class 5 test, more than 75 points is a fail.

Mistakes that fail you outright

Some errors end the test whatever your point total. The Driver's Guide names these:

• Going over the speed limit, or driving too fast for conditions.
• Not stopping fully at a stop sign, or before turning right on a red light.
• Failing to yield at an intersection or during a lane change.
• Blocking traffic by driving too slowly or stopping for no reason.
• Climbing the curb while parking, or not parking legally in three attempts.
• Not slowing or looking properly at an uncontrolled intersection. There, you must be ready to yield to drivers on your right.

Alberta also gives an automatic fail for driving unsafely, putting a pedestrian or another driver in danger, or breaking traffic laws.

After the test

If you pass, take your road test permit to a registry agent so your licence is updated. The permit itself is not a licence. You then begin the probationary stage, and our post on the rules for each GDL stage explains what changes.

If you do not pass, keep the examiner's summary. It shows exactly what to work on, so add those points to your Alberta road test checklist for next time. A Brush-Up, booked by the hour or as the Winter Brush-Up 2hrs, lets you practise those points with an instructor before you try again.