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A restricted licence permits you drive while you are waiting to recover your “regular” licence, or when you have lost the right to have a regular licence.
In Quebec, there are 2 types of restricted licences:
- Restricted licence relating to demerit points;
- Restricted licence relating to impaired driving.
For the restricted licence relating to demerit points, the driver is only authorized to drive a motor vehicle in the carrying out of his or her primary work.
The restricted licence relating to impaired driving is given to a driver that must equip his vehicle with an alcohol ignition interlock device. This device prevents a vehicle from starting when it detects the presence of alcohol in the driver. The requirement to drive with this type of device can vary from two years to a lifetime.
To be eligible for a restricted licence relating to impaired driving, the driver must rent the device from a government-approved supplier. For a first time offence, the waiting period to apply for a restricted licence is three months. For a second offence, the waiting period is six months. For any further offences, the delay is 12 months. However, the judge has the power to extend these waiting periods on a case by case basis. Furthermore, the judge has the right to apply stricter measures and forbid the person from driving at all.
The driver who is allowed to drive a vehicle equipped with this device must, when requested by the SAAQ, provide the data collected by the device. The restricted licence can be revoked if the driver does not respect the conditions of use.
Important: If a restricted licence holder drives a vehicle that is not equipped with an alcohol ignition interlock, he or she is considered to be driving without a licence, which can lead to prosecution.
Whatever your situation may be, don’t hesitate to call upon our team of professionals specialized in the Highway Safety Code. They will be able to help and guide you on the road to recovering or keeping your driver’s licence.
For more info on demerit points