G2 Driving Road Test Checklist: What to Bring and What the Examiner Checks
Nothing is worse than driving to your G2 road test, waiting your turn, and then being sent home before you have driven a single metre. It happens more often than you would think, and almost always for a small reason: a burnt-out brake light, a forgotten pair of glasses, or a dashcam nobody switched off.
This G2 Driving Road Test checklist covers what to bring, what the examiner checks on your vehicle, and the specific faults that can get your test declared out-of-order. Everything here comes from DriveTest’s own published requirements.
What Do You Need to Bring to Your G2 Road Test?
DriveTest lists these items to bring on test day:
- A vehicle in good working order (see the vehicle section below)
- Your current driver’s licence
- A printout of your road test confirmation email
- Glasses or contact lenses, if you need them to drive
- Enough gas in the vehicle to complete the test
- Money for test fees, only if you are hoping for a standby appointment
Print the confirmation email. Do not rely on having it on your phone — DriveTest asks for a print-out, and phones die.
For current prices, check the official DriveTest fees page before you go.
What Time Should You Arrive?
DriveTest asks you to arrive at least 30 minutes early. Use that time properly:
- Park your vehicle in a safe spot at the centre.
- Go inside and check in. Most centres have a self-serve kiosk; see a customer service agent if yours does not.
- Return to your vehicle and wait there for the driver examiner.
If your examiner has not arrived at your vehicle within 30 minutes of your appointment time, go back inside and head to Counter A.
Road tests go ahead in any weather unless you are told otherwise. In extreme weather your test may be rescheduled or postponed. If the weather is bad or changing, check the DriveTest Service Disruptions page on the morning of your test.
Can You Use Your Own Car for the G2 Test?
Yes. DriveTest centres do not provide vehicles. Your car can be owned, borrowed or rented, and it does not have to be a driving instructor’s vehicle. It must be a Class G vehicle, and low-speed vehicles (LSVs) cannot be used.
Whatever car you bring, it has to pass the examiner’s check.
What Does the Examiner Check on Your Vehicle?
Before getting in, the examiner walks around your vehicle looking for damage, safety hazards and anything that would stop the test. DriveTest describes this as a basic check to make sure the vehicle is fit for purpose, and the examiner may ask you to help test things like your turn signals and brake lights.
Run through this list yourself a day or two before your test, not on the morning of it:
| Check | What examiners look for |
| Lights | Working head lights, tail lights, both brake lights and all turn signals |
| Brakes | A working foot brake (and working dual brakes in an instructor vehicle) |
| Seat belts | Working seat belts for both you and the examiner |
| Doors | Every door opens and closes properly |
| Windshield | No large cracks, stars or other damage |
| Wipers | Working wipers, plus washer fluid in the tank |
| Defroster | Working defroster or defogger, if the weather calls for it |
| Horn and speedometer | Both working |
| Mirrors | Present and secure |
| Tires | No flat tire, no temporary (spare) tire on any wheel, no defective tires |
| Wheels | No more than one wheel nut missing on any wheel |
| Muffler | Secured and not defective |
| Fuel | No visible fuel leaks, and enough gas for the test |
| Body | Rear bumper in place, nothing unsecured (such as the hood), plate secured and unaltered |
| Seats | Secured and present |
The quickest self-check: park facing a wall or window at dusk, and have someone stand behind the car while you work through headlights, brake lights, both indicators, hazards and reverse lights.
What Can Get Your Road Test Cancelled Before It Starts?
DriveTest can declare a test out-of-order or cancel it outright, and either way you lose part of your fee. These are the causes most likely to affect a G2 applicant:
Things inside the car
- Recording devices that are not disabled — dashcams, action cameras or a phone camera. If a camera cannot be turned off, you must be able to confirm it is not recording the passenger compartment or pointed at the examiner.
- Passengers or pets in the vehicle. Only you and the examiner may be in the car. Anyone who came with you waits in a designated area.
- Unsecured contents, such as loose tools or equipment in a work vehicle.
- An unclean vehicle, fumes or insects that pose a health risk to the examiner.
- Dangerous goods, flammable goods or compressed gas in the vehicle.
Things about you or your booking
- Not wearing corrective lenses when your licence requires them.
- Refusing to wear a seat belt before or during the test.
- Arriving with no vehicle.
- Booking the wrong class of test, for example booking a G2 road test when you needed the G.
- BDE students who are enrolled but not certified by their driving school on the day of the test.
Paperwork on the vehicle
- An unacceptable permit, such as an expired 10-day permit or an in-transit permit.
- An altered licence plate, or a dealer plate without a matching vehicle permit.
The full list is on DriveTest’s road test vehicle requirements page. Read it once if you are borrowing a car, especially a work vehicle or a dealer vehicle.
What Else Can Stop the Test?
Even after the vehicle check, the examiner may stop or refuse to start the test if:
- Your vehicle is not in good working order
- You show any signs of impairment from alcohol or drugs
- Your driving skills are not good enough to finish the test without risking safety
There is also good news here: if something outside your control goes wrong, DriveTest can reschedule at no charge — for example if your vehicle will not start, a defect appears during the test, you become ill, or you are in a collision that was not your fault.
Your Full G2 Test Day Checklist
Print this, or run through it the night before.
| When | What to do |
| A few days before | Check all lights, signals, wipers, washer fluid, horn, tires and windshield. Book a repair if anything fails. |
| The night before | Print your confirmation email. Put your licence, glasses and payment in one place. Fill the tank. |
| The night before | Empty the car: no passengers’ belongings, no loose tools, nothing unsecured. |
| The night before | Disable your dashcam or any other camera, and check whether your phone mount blocks your view. |
| The morning of | Check the weather and the DriveTest Service Disruptions page if conditions are bad. |
| The morning of | Arrange a ride home in case you are unsuccessful. |
| 30 minutes before | Arrive, park safely, go inside and check in. |
| After check-in | Return to your vehicle and wait for the examiner. Ask any questions before the test starts. |
What Happens During and After the Test?
Before you begin, the examiner explains the test. They are not allowed to coach you, so ask anything you need to know before you start driving. During the drive, they score your skills against set criteria on a scoresheet.
Afterwards you get a short verbal summary of how you did. You can also:
- Download your results online within 15 days, if your test was done on a road test tablet
- Request a copy at any DriveTest centre after 15 days
- Request a paper scoresheet within 13 months of the test date
If you pass, go back inside to apply your results. You will receive a temporary licence valid for 90 days or until your photo card arrives. If you do not apply your results within 12 months, they are no longer valid.
If you are unsuccessful, your scoresheet shows where to improve. You generally have to wait at least 10 days between tests, and fees apply each time. A few focused lessons on the skills you missed make a real difference see our G2 road test guide for what the test covers.
Can Someone Come With You to the Test?
They can come to the centre, but not into the car. No passengers or pets are allowed in the vehicle during the road test, and anyone with you waits in a designated safe area.
Two exceptions are worth knowing: with your consent, a translator or a driving instructor may be present at check-in and at the debrief after the test. And DriveTest recommends bringing an accompanying driver or arranging another ride, in case you are not successful and cannot drive yourself home.
Conclusion:
A clean checklist gets you to the starting line. What happens next comes down to practice. Go Drive Driving School G2 driving lessons in Barrie focus on the skills the test actually checks city driving, parking, turns and intersections — with honest feedback so you know exactly what to work on before test day. See our programs and fees or contact us at 705-717-0406.
FAQs
Do I need to bring my own car to the G2 test?
Yes. DriveTest centres do not provide vehicles. The car can be owned, borrowed or rented.
Can I use a rental car for my road test?
Yes, as long as it meets DriveTest’s vehicle requirements and is in good working order.
Do I need to bring proof of insurance?
DriveTest’s published list of what to bring does not include insurance documents, but your vehicle must have a valid, acceptable permit. If you are borrowing a car, confirm its paperwork is in order before test day.
Can I keep my dashcam on during the test?
No. In-vehicle recording devices must be disabled. If a camera cannot be switched off, you must confirm it is not recording the passenger compartment or pointed at the examiner.
Can my parent or instructor sit in the car during the test?
No. Only you and the examiner may be in the vehicle. With your consent, an instructor or translator may be present at check-in and at the debrief afterwards.
What happens if my car fails the vehicle check?
Your test can be declared out-of-order or cancelled, and you lose part of your fee. This is why checking your lights, tires and wipers a few days early matters so much.
Will my test still go ahead if it is snowing?
Usually yes. Road tests take place in any weather unless you are notified otherwise. In extreme weather they may be rescheduled, so check the DriveTest Service Disruptions page on the day.
What if the examiner does not show up?
If your examiner has not arrived at your vehicle within 30 minutes of your appointment time, go back inside and proceed to Counter A.
