Would-be drivers in British Columbia are now allowed to take the knowledge test for their learner’s licence online and at home. 

B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma says the change came into effect on Tuesday. 

A government statement says the online exams will apply for passenger vehicles and motorcycles, but people who want to drive commercial vehicles must still pass the knowledge test in person.

Sharma, who announced the move at an ICBC licensing office in Burnaby, B.C., says the new online option gives learner drivers more choice and convenience, especially if they live in rural and remote communities.

She says offering online tests will free up space at licensing offices for other in-person appointments such as road tests, while ICBC says moving the knowledge test online is part of a larger modernization program.

The government says the online test is the same as the in-person version, requiring applicants to correctly answer 40 out of 50 questions.

It says applicants can complete the test on a computer with a camera and secure internet, but not on a mobile device.

The statement says that people who pass their tests must still visit a licensing office to confirm their identity, as well as take a vision test and photo.

ICBC president and CEO Jason McDaniel says the Crown corporation is focused on modernizing and enhancing digital services.

“Bringing the knowledge test online is the first step in transforming driver licensing in B.C.,” he says. “We’re also looking ahead to offering online renewals and replacements for B.C. driver’s licences and [British Columbia Identification Cards] starting in 2027, as we continue to put our customers at the centre of everything we do.”