Authorized Instruction (or Stage A) licences are issued to learner drivers who are exempt from Manitoba’s Graduated Driver’s Licensing program, but subject to driver examination to obtain the desired licence.

Stage A licences may be issued to:

• An experienced driver whose licence has been changed to a Learner due to a test failure.
• An experienced driver moving to Manitoba and required to take driver testing.
• Drivers learning to drive Class 1-4 vehicles.

Classes 1 - 4

A driver with a Class 1 - 4 Stage A licence may be:

• A Learner driver in Classes 1 – 4.
• An experienced driver whose licence is changed to Learner due to a test failure.
• An experienced driver, from out-of-province, who is required to take testing upon transferring to a Manitoba driver’s licence.

Class 1 Stage A

With a Class 1 Stage A licence you can:

• Operate (as a learner) Class 1 vehicles which are semi-trailer trucks.
• Operate Class 2, 3, 4 and 5 vehicles as a learner (unless fully licensed in the class).

You must:

• Be accompanied by a supervising driver: Who holds a valid driver’s licence; who has held a Class 5 Full stage driver’s licence for at least three years, of which at least two years are in Class 1; and who is under .05 blood alcohol concentration and can pass a drug screening test.
• Not have any drugs or alcohol in your system while operating Class 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 vehicles, if a Class 5 drug-and-alcohol restriction is in effect.
• Renew the Class 1A licence each year, if needed.

Class 2 Stage A

With a Class 2 Stage A licence you can:

• Operate (as a learner) Class 2 vehicles which are buses with a seating capacity of over 24 passengers and school buses with a seating capacity over 36 passengers, while carrying passengers.
• Operate Class 3, 4 and 5 vehicles as a learner (unless fully licensed in the class).

You must:

• Be accompanied by a supervising driver: Who holds a valid driver’s licence; who has held a Class 5 Full stage licence for at least three years, of which at least two years are in Class 2; and who is under .05 blood alcohol concentration and can pass a drug screening test.
• Not have any drugs or alcohol in your while operating Class 2, 3, 4 and 5 vehicles, if a Class 5 drug-and-alcohol restriction is in effect.
• Renew the Class 2A licence each year, if needed.

Class 3 Stage A

With a Class 3 Stage A licence you can:

• Operate (as a learner) Class 3 vehicles which may be a:
• Truck with more than 2 axles, including any combination of vehicles.
• Truck with 2 axles towing a vehicle with a registered gross vehicle weight of more than 4, 540 kg.
• Operate Class 4 and 5 vehicles as a learner (unless fully licenced in that class).

You must:

• Be accompanied by a supervising driver: Who holds a valid driver’s licence; who has held a Class 5 Full stage licence for at least three years, of which at least two years are in Class 3; and who is under .05 blood alcohol concentration and can pass a drug screening test.
• Not have any drugs or alcohol in your system while operating Class 3, 4 and 5 vehicles, if a Class 5 drug-and-alcohol restriction is in effect.
• Renew the Class 3A licence each year, if needed.

Class 4 Stage A

With a Class 4 Stage A licence you can:

• Operate (as a learner) Class 4 vehicles which are:
• Ambulances, any emergency vehicles.
• Buses having a seating capacity between 10–24 passengers and school buses having a seating capacity between 10–36 passengers, while carrying passengers.
• Operate Class 5 vehicles as a learner (unless fully licenced in the class).

You must

• Be accompanied by a supervising driver: Who holds a valid driver’s licence; who has held a Class 5 Full stage licence for at least three years, of which at least two years are in Class 4; and who is under .05 blood alcohol concentration and able to pass a drug screening test.
• Not have any drugs or alcohol in your system while operating Class 4 vehicles, if a Class 5 drug-and-alcohol restriction is in effect.
• Renew the Class 4A licence each year, if needed.

Class 5 Stage A

A driver with a Class 5 Stage A licence may be:

• An experienced driver whose licence is changed to Learner due to a test failure.
• An experienced driver from out-of-province who is required to take driver testing upon transferring to a Manitoba driver’s licence.

Restrictions for Class 5 Stage A

You can:

• Operate (as a learner) Class 5 vehicles which include:
• Passenger cars.
• Trucks with not more than two axles.
• Any combination of vehicles consisting of a Class 5 passenger vehicle or a truck with not more than two axles and a towed vehicle with a registered gross vehicle weight of not more than 4,540 kg.
• Operate a moped if 16 years of age or older.
• Apply for a motorcycle Class 6 Learner licence.
• Apply for Authorized Instruction in Class 2–4 if 18 years of age.

When operating a vehicle, you must:

• Be accompanied by a supervising driver: Who is the only front seat passenger; who holds a valid driver’s licence; who has held a Class 5 Full stage licence for at least three years; and who is under .05 blood alcohol concentration and can pass a drug screening test.
• Not have any drugs or alcohol in your system.
• Limit other passengers in the back seat(s) up to the number of functioning seatbelts.
• Renew the Class 5A licence each year, if needed.

You cannot:

• Operate a Class 3 motor vehicle registered as a farm truck.
• Operate an off-road vehicle along or across a highway (unless you hold a minimum Class 6 Intermediate Stage licence).
• Operate infrastructure equipment or agricultural equipment on a provincial highway or a highway within the municipal boundaries of a city, town, village or urban municipality.

Class 6 Stage A

With a Class 6 Stage A licence may be:

• An experienced driver whose licence is changed to Learner due to a test failure.
• An experienced driver from out-of-province who is required to take driver testing upon transferring to a Manitoba driver’s licence.

Restrictions for Class 6 Stage A

You can:

• Operate (as a learner) motorcycles.
• Operate mopeds.

While operating a motorcycle or moped, you must:

• Not have any drugs or alcohol in your system.

You cannot:

• Carry a passenger.
• Operate an off-road vehicle along or across a highway (unless you hold a minimum Class 5 Intermediate Stage licence).

Consequences

If you contravene any condition or restriction on your driver’s licence, you will be subject to a full driver record review to determine whether additional licensing sanctions will be imposed. You may also be subject to a full driver record review if you have a driving conviction or accident.

The result of a full driver record review may include one or more of the following:

• licence suspension
• special driving course (at your expense)
• passenger restrictions
• time of day restrictions
• other driving restrictions

Violating the drug-and-alcohol restriction could result in a roadside suspension or further impaired driving sanctions if you are convicted of a Criminal Code offence.