Many people are interested in learning to drive once they reach the eligible age of sixteen in British Columbia. Before you can legally get behind the wheel, you need to take a knowledge test, which is provided by ICBC and concerns the rules of the road.

A Long Wait
If you do not want to stand in line and wait a very long time, make sure to schedule an appointment at your nearest ICBC location early. There will likely be a long wait, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic slowing the process down. For example, I turned sixteen in October 2020, but the fastest appointment I could make was on January 11, 2021.

Test Day: Everything You Need
When the day to take your test arrives, show up fifteen minutes before your appointment time, with two pieces of ID (a list of accepted IDs can be found on the ICBC website). It is important to arrive early because there most likely will be people ahead of you in line, and the line tends to move slowly because it can take some time for the ICBC employees to check peoples’ ID and have people answer a few questions. You also need to either bring a consent form signed by a parent or guardian or bring your parents with you to the appointment.

Test Format
The test itself is quite straightforward. There are 50 multiple choice questions and in order to pass you need to get at least 40 questions (80%) correct. The test is administered online, where you just click on the answer you think is correct and then hit confirm. If you successfully answer 40 questions, you will be required to do a quick vision test next. If you do not pass, you must wait seven days before taking the test again.

How to Study for the Test
It is a good idea to study the new driver's manual, which can be accessed online, that teaches the rules of the road. There is also a practice test available that helps you prepare for the actual exam and identify your areas of weakness and whether you need to spend more time studying.

Getting Your Official License
Once you pass, you get your picture taken for your official license, which usually takes a few weeks to receive, and your L sticker. There is a fifteen-dollar fee to take the test, and a ten-dollar fee for the license.

Students' Perspectives
Learning to drive is a goal for many teenagers once they reach sixteen. Before they can legally drive a car, they must pass the rules of the road knowledge test. Testing can be intimidating, but with lots of studying, passing is no problem.