Permis PrêtZero alcohol for new drivers in Québec: who does it apply to?
For new drivers the limit is not 0.08. It is zero.
Short answer: learner drivers, probationary licence holders and anyone with a driver’s licence who is 21 or younger must have no alcohol at all in their body when driving. Breaking the rule means an immediate 90-day licence suspension and, after a conviction, 4 demerit points, which is enough to revoke a learner’s or probationary licence.
Who has to follow the zero-alcohol rule?
The Code de la sécurité routière (Highway Safety Code) bans driving, and even having care or control of a vehicle, with any alcohol in the body for these people, among others (Code de la sécurité routière, s. 202.2):
- holders of a learner’s or probationary licence who have never had another driver’s licence (other than for a moped or farm tractor);
- anyone aged 21 or under who holds a driver’s licence, even after probation ends;
- a person who drives without ever having held a driver’s licence.
The SAAQ handbook groups this as zero alcohol for drivers under 22, learners and probationary licence holders (Guide de la route, ch. 1).
What does “any alcohol” mean?
There is no tolerated amount: a single drink can be enough to break the rule. The often-quoted 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood (0.08) is the limit that applies to every driver; it is not the threshold for people under the zero-alcohol rule, for whom any trace counts.
| Who | Limit | Immediate measure under the Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learner, probationary, 21 or under | Zero | Licence suspended on the spot for 90 days (s. 202.4, para. 2) |
| Every driver | 80 mg/100 ml (0.08) | Licence suspended on the spot for 90 days (s. 202.4, para. 1), plus possible Criminal Code charges |
Consequences for a new driver
- Immediate 90-day suspension, imposed by the police officer on the SAAQ’s behalf; it covers any licence and the right to obtain one (Code de la sécurité routière, s. 202.4).
- 4 demerit points after a conviction (Règlement sur les points d’inaptitude, the demerit points regulation, schedule, item 3). For a learner or probationary driver, 4 points mean the licence is revoked for at least 3 months (Code de la sécurité routière, s. 191.2).
- A fine applies as well (Guide de la route, ch. 1).
Not just while moving
The ban also covers care or control of the vehicle (s. 202.2). The handbook gives examples where this can apply: sitting behind the wheel of a parked or broken-down car, sleeping in a vehicle you could start, or working around it, such as clearing snow off it. The officer then assesses whether the person could drive and intended to (Guide de la route, ch. 1).
Only time sobers you up
A walk or a shower does not clear alcohol any faster: the liver removes it at a fairly steady rate, and according to the SAAQ handbook only time does the job (Guide de la route, ch. 1, “L’alcool”). If you have been drinking, plan another way home: a taxi, public transit, a designated driver, a drive-home service, or staying the night.
Key points for the test
- Learner, probationary and age 21 or under: no alcohol at all.
- Immediate sanction: 90-day suspension.
- 4 points = a learner’s or probationary licence is revoked.
- Care or control of the vehicle is covered too.
Original questions with explanations and sources, “Highway Safety Code” section.
Practise for free
See also
Official sources
- Code de la sécurité routière (Highway Safety Code, CQLR c. C-24.2), ss. 191.2, 202.2 and 202.4
- Règlement sur les points d’inaptitude (Regulation respecting demerit points, CQLR c. C-24.2, r. 37), s. 5.1, schedule, item 3
- SAAQ, Guide de la route (driver’s handbook, French 4th ed., 2024), ch. 1, “L’alcool”, “La conduite avec les facultés affaiblies”, “Zéro alcool pour les conducteurs de moins de 22 ans…”
General information page, current as of 2026-10-28. If in doubt, the official text prevails. Rules can change: check saaq.gouv.qc.ca and legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca.