New Brunswick Class 7 Numbers Cheat Sheet: Where the Act and the Handbook Disagree
Facts verified: November 7, 2026
The 80 figures below were checked against the New Brunswick Driver's Handbook, the Motor Vehicle Act on laws.gnb.ca, the General Regulation, the Seat Belt Regulation, the Pupil Transportation Regulation, and the gnb.ca pages on graduated licences, impaired driving, driver distraction and child seat safety. Nothing comes from a driving school or a prep site.
The surprise in New Brunswick is that the official sources do not always agree with each other. Where they differ, the sheet shows the figure in the Act, because the Act is what binds, and the row says what the handbook claims.
The biggest case is the school zone. Section 140.1(1)(a) of the Act sets 30 km/h in a municipality, and 50 km/h in a rural community, regional municipality or rural district. The handbook still says 50 km/h in an urban district, and so did our own question. Driving without due care and attention is 6 demerit points under section 297(2)(a), not the 5 shown in the handbook's examples box.
A third trap is the 30 day and 60 day figures for a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or over. These are vehicle impoundment periods, not licence suspensions. The roadside licence suspension is 3 months on gnb.ca, and the Act sets 15 and 39 months for the first and second suspension. A learner caught with any alcohol gets a 7 day roadside suspension and a 7 day impoundment under the Act. The one year suspension and restart apply after an impaired driving conviction as a learner. The Act also now calls the graduated licence a learner's licence with stage one and stage two, while the handbook and gnb.ca still say Class 7, Level 1 and Level 2. The sheet uses the names on the handbook and gnb.ca.
Of the 80 rows, 65 are confirmed by two independent official sources and 15 rest on one, flagged on the page. A single source usually means the Act states a figure the handbook does not, or the reverse. Nothing is published without an official source.
Some gaps are deliberate. New Brunswick prints no fine amounts in its handbook, so there is no fines section. Studded tires, the accessible parking placard validity and the 10 and 2 hand position are left out because no category fits or no official source states the number. We also read the studded tire rule in the Act and it allows them from October 16, not October 15 as the handbook says.
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New Brunswick Class 7 Graduated Licence (Level 1 and Level 2) · Numbers reference
Every number the New Brunswick Class 7 Graduated Licence (Level 1 and Level 2) knowledge test can ask you for, in one place, checked against the official sources and built to print.
Showing all 80 numbers
Speed limits and defaults
8 numbers| Value | Rule |
|---|---|
| 50 km/h | Default speed limit in a municipality or urban district with no posted signApplies where no speed limit sign is posted. A posted sign always wins. On a local highway as defined in the Highway Act, the Motor Vehicle Act sets 80 km/h instead. |
| 80 km/h | Default speed limit outside an urban district with no posted sign |
| 80 km/h | Speed limit in a rural construction zone where no limit is postedWhere no limit is posted and a worker is present, the Act sets 50 km/h in a municipality and 80 km/h in a rural community, regional municipality or rural district. Fines for speeding in a construction zone are doubled. |
| 30 km/h in a municipality | Speed limit in a school zone in a municipality on school days (7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.)The Act sets 30 km/h in a municipality and 50 km/h in a rural community, regional municipality or rural district, unless a different limit is posted. The handbook still says 50 km/h in an urban district.Our question bank and the official source disagree here. The official value is published. |
| Under 40 km/h | Speed of vehicles that display the slow moving vehicle sign |
| One half of the posted limit | Speed when passing a stopped emergency or service vehicle with flashing lightsAlso move into a lane farther away if it is safe to do so. |
| About 55 km/h | Speed at which partial hydroplaning starts in a passenger car |
| About 85 km/h | Speed at which tires lose all contact with the road in hydroplaning |
Distances
12 numbers| Value | Rule |
|---|---|
| 2 seconds | Minimum following distance in good conditionsUnfavourable conditions call for a longer count. |
| 1 car length per 20 km/h | Alternative following distance rule: car lengths per 20 km/h of speed |
| About 10 m | Distance travelled at 50 km/h in the average reaction time of three-quarters of a second |
| At least 30 m | Distance before a turn at which you must signal |
| 150 m | Distance from an approaching vehicle within which high beams must be dimmed |
| 60 m | Distance behind a vehicle within which low beams must be usedThe Act applies the 60 m rule whether or not you are overtaking. The handbook says low beams are not required while actually passing.Our question bank and the official source disagree here. The official value is published. |
| At least 1 m | Minimum space to leave when passing a cyclist |
| At least 5 m | Closest you may stop to a school bus with flashing red lights |
| 150 m | Distance before a stop at which a school bus starts its flashing amber lightsThe regulation states the duty as the bus driver's: operate the warning system at least 150 m before stopping. |
| 150 m | Closest you may follow an emergency vehicle |
| Up to 60 m behind | Distance behind a large truck over which the driver has a blind spot |
| Up to 12 times | How much farther it can take to stop on snow and ice without tire chains |
Parking prohibitions
11 numbers| Value | Rule |
|---|---|
| 5 m | Closest you may park to a fire hydrant (measured from the point on the curb opposite it) |
| 15 m | Closest you may park to the nearest rail of a railway crossing |
| Within 50 cm | Greatest distance from the curb when parked |
| 5 m | Closest you may park to a crosswalk at an intersectionParking inside an intersection or on a crosswalk is also prohibited. |
| 5 m | Unobstructed roadway that must remain for other traffic when parked on a highwayThe Act states this rule for highways outside a local authority. The handbook states it for highways generally. |
| 60 m | Distance in each direction over which a parked vehicle must be clearly visibleThe Act states this rule for highways outside a local authority. The handbook states it for highways generally. |
| 10 m | Closest you may park on the approach to a flashing beacon, stop sign or traffic signal at the side of the road |
| 25 m | Closest you may park to a fire station entrance, on the opposite side of the street |
| 10 m | Closest you may park to a fire station driveway entrance, on the same side of the street |
| 10 m | Closest you may park to the points on the curb opposite the ends of a safety zoneUnless the local authority shows a different length with signs or markings. |
| Within 60 cm | How close to the car ahead to pull up when parallel parking |
Demerit points by offence
8 numbers| Value | Rule |
|---|---|
| 3 points | Speeding 25 km/h or less over the limit |
| 5 points | Speeding more than 25 km/h over the limit5 points applies from 26 to 80 km/h over. More than 80 km/h over is 6 points. |
| 6 points | Failing to stop for a school bus with flashing red lights |
| 5 points | Distracted driving (hand-operated electronic device) |
| 10 points | Any Criminal Code offence involving the use of a motor vehicle |
| 2 points | Illegal parking in a prohibited placeUnlawful parking with the view obstructed (s. 192(1)) is 3 points. |
| 6 points | Driving without due care and attentionThe handbook example list says 5 points. The Act says 6.Our question bank and the official source disagree here. The official value is published. |
| 2 points | Driver not properly wearing a seat belt |
Demerit point thresholds and consequences
6 numbers| Value | Rule |
|---|---|
| Licensed less than 4 years | Who is a newly licensed driver for demerit point purposes |
| 4 points | Points credited to a newly licensed driver when the licence is first issued |
| 2 points per year (up to 10) | Further points credited to a newly licensed driver each year, up to a maximum of 10 |
| 10 points | Points assessed against a driver (other than a newly licensed driver) that trigger a suspension |
| 2 years | Period within which losing all 10 points causes an automatic suspension |
| 2 years after the conviction date | When demerit points are returned to a driverThe Act returns the points only if the driving privilege was not suspended during the two years. |
Suspension lengths and vehicle impoundment
13 numbers| Value | Rule |
|---|---|
| 3 months | Suspension for losing all points through Motor Vehicle Act offences |
| 3 months, then restart the graduated period | Suspension when a newly licensed driver loses all pointsNo credit is given for tests or driver training passed before the restart. |
| 12 months | Suspension for a first conviction of dangerous operation of a motor vehicleA second or subsequent conviction within three years is 24 months (handbook). |
| 3 years | Suspension for a second alcohol or drug related Criminal Code conviction within 10 yearsA third or subsequent conviction within 10 years is 5 years (s. 302(2.2)). The first conviction is 12 months. |
| 12 months | Suspension for a first conviction of driving while suspended (Motor Vehicle Act)A second or subsequent conviction within three years is 24 months. |
| 24 hours | Licence suspension when a police officer believes you are unfit to drive for a medical or other reason |
| 7-day suspension at roadside; 1 year and a restart after a conviction | Consequence for a graduated licence holder who drives with any alcohol in the bloodThe handbook says any breach of the zero condition means a one year suspension and a restart of the graduated period. The Act sets a 7-day suspension at roadside, and the one year suspension and restart follow an impaired driving conviction while a learner.Our question bank and the official source disagree here. The official value is published. |
| 3 days | Vehicle impoundment, first offence within 5 years in the 0.05 to 0.08 warning rangeThe vehicle is impounded, not the licence. The first offence carries a 7-day licence suspension. Impoundment is discretionary for the first and second offence. |
| 7 days | Vehicle impoundment, second offence within 5 years in the 0.05 to 0.08 warning rangeThe vehicle is impounded, not the licence. The second offence carries a 15-day licence suspension. |
| 7 days (mandatory) | Vehicle impoundment, third or later offence within 5 years in the 0.05 to 0.08 warning rangeThe vehicle is impounded, not the licence. The third offence carries a 30-day licence suspension. |
| 7 days (mandatory) | Vehicle impoundment for a novice driver who breaks the zero tolerance rule |
| 30 days | Vehicle impoundment, first suspension in 10 years for a BAC of 0.08 or over or a refusalThis is a vehicle impoundment. The roadside licence suspension is separate and runs 3 months, followed by a mandatory ignition interlock period.Our question bank and the official source disagree here. The official value is published. |
| 60 days | Vehicle impoundment, second suspension or conviction in 10 years for a BAC of 0.08 or over or a refusalThis is a vehicle impoundment. The roadside licence suspension is separate and runs 3 months, followed by a mandatory ignition interlock period.Our question bank and the official source disagree here. The official value is published. |
BAC and zero-tolerance thresholds
4 numbers| Value | Rule |
|---|---|
| 0.08% (80 mg per 100 ml) | Criminal BAC limit for fully licensed driversThe 80 mg limit itself is set by the Criminal Code of Canada. The Motor Vehicle Act ties its 'Fail' result and the immediate roadside suspension to the same 80 mg. |
| 0.05% (50 mg per 100 ml) | BAC at which police can issue a provincial administrative (short-term) suspensionThe warning range is 0.05 to 0.08. Penalties escalate over a five year period. |
| 0.00% | BAC limit for all graduated licence (Class 7) holdersAlso zero tolerance for drugs. Applies at both levels, at any age. |
| Under 21 | Age below which every driver, whatever licence they hold, must keep a zero BAC |
Graduated licensing timeline
15 numbers| Value | Rule |
|---|---|
| 16 years | Minimum age to apply for a Class 7 graduated licence |
| Under 18 | Age under which a parental consent form is requiredThe form must be witnessed by a non-relative. A parent may withdraw consent in writing before the teen turns 18. |
| 20/40 in the best eye | Vision screening standard for a Class 7 or Class 5 licence |
| 2 levels | Number of levels in the Class 7 graduated licenceLevel 1 is the first stage. The Act calls the levels stage one and stage two of a learner's licence. |
| 24 months | Minimum time in the graduated licence program before a Class 5 licenceAt least 12 of the 24 months must be spent in the second stage. |
| 8 months with driver training, 12 months without | Time at Level 1 before the road test for Level 2The driver training course must be from a licensed driver training school and passed within the previous 2 years. |
| 3 years | Driving experience the Level 1 accompanying driver must haveOne supervising driver with a Class 5 or better licence, in the front passenger seat. No other passengers at Level 1. |
| Midnight to 5 a.m. | Hours when a Level 1 driver may not drive |
| Midnight to 5 a.m. if under 21 | Hours when a Level 2 driver under 21 may not drive without an exceptionExceptions: work or education, or a supervising driver with at least 3 years of experience. For other reasons, apply to the Registrar for an exemption. |
| 3 passengers, only 1 in the front seat | Passengers a Level 2 driver may carry |
| 18 years | Minimum age to apply for a Class 5 licence |
| 4,500 kg | Greatest registered mass of a towed vehicle a Class 5 licence allowsGross vehicle mass of the towed vehicle, up to and including 4,500 kg. |
| 16 of 20 | Correct answers needed to pass the 20 question rules test |
| 4 errors on the other signs | Errors allowed on the 20 sign road sign test (after the stop, yield and school zone signs)The stop, yield and school zone signs must all be identified correctly. |
| 6 months | How long licence test results stay valid |
Occupant restraint thresholds
2 numbers| Value | Rule |
|---|---|
| Age 9, 36 kg or 145 cm, whichever comes first | Thresholds that end the child safety seat requirementA child must be in a child seat or booster while under 9, under 36 kg and under 145 cm. Once one limit is reached, a seat belt alone is enough. |
| Under 16 | Age under which the driver is responsible for a passenger wearing a seat beltPassengers 16 and older are responsible for buckling up themselves (s. 200.1(4)). |
Reporting thresholds
1 number| Value | Rule |
|---|---|
| Within 10 days | Time to notify the Motor Vehicle Branch of a change of name or address |
Other provinces
Cheat sheets for the other graduated licensing streams.
- Alberta Class 7: every number on one page
- British Columbia Class 7L: every number on one page
- Manitoba Class 5L: every number on one page
- Newfoundland and Labrador Class 5: every number on one page
- Nova Scotia Class 7: every number on one page
- Northwest Territories Class 7: every number on one page
- Nunavut Class 7: every number on one page
- Ontario G1: every number on one page
- Prince Edward Island Class 7: every number on one page
- Quebec Learner's Licence: every number on one page
- Saskatchewan Class 7: every number on one page
- Yukon Class 7: every number on one page
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