Ontario AZ Licence Study Guide 2026

How Class A licensing works in Ontario

In Ontario, a Class A licence lets you drive a truck or tractor towing a vehicle with a total gross weight over 4,600 kg (10,000 lb). Most people say "AZ", which means a Class A licence plus a Z (air brake) endorsement. You need both to drive a normal tractor-trailer with air brakes.

Licence	What it covers	Notes
Class A	Combinations where the towed vehicle is over 4,600 kg	Also covers Class D and G vehicles. Not buses, motorcycles or mopeds.
Restricted Class A (AR)	Smaller combinations, such as horse, utility or recreational trailers	You get AR if your road test vehicle does not meet full Class A rules. No air-brake trailers, full-size tractor-trailers or doubles.
Class D	Trucks over 11,000 kg, or combinations over 11,000 kg where the towed vehicle is 4,600 kg or less	Also covers Class G. Not buses.

Requirements for Class A

Be at least 18 years old.
Hold a valid Ontario licence other than G1, G2, M, M1 or M2.
Pass a vision test and provide a satisfactory medical certificate when you apply, and from time to time after that.
Pass the knowledge test, which is based on the Official MTO Truck Handbook.
Complete mandatory entry-level training (MELT) with a ministry-approved provider before the road test.
Pass the road test in a vehicle that meets full Class A requirements.
From January 1, 2027, you must have held a Class G or higher licence for at least 6 months before the Class A road test.

Mandatory entry-level training started on July 1, 2017. It applies to new Class A applicants only. Drivers who already hold a Class A licence do not have to take it.

The road test vehicle

For a full Class A licence, the test vehicle needs a trailer with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of at least 4,600 kg, full air brakes on both units, and a manual transmission with at least eight forward gears and a high-low range. Since July 1, 2022, testing in a manual truck without those gears adds a transmission restriction. Then you may drive only automatic, semi-automatic or automated-manual Class A vehicles.

The road test has four parts: a daily inspection (you inspect six random items from the schedule and explain possible defects), uncoupling and coupling, backing, and driving in traffic. Bring a valid daily inspection report and the vehicle's schedule. Without them, the test is cancelled and you lose half of the fee. Bring wheel chocks if the vehicle has air brakes.

Operators and CVOR

Trucks with a registered or actual weight over 4,500 kg, and buses designed for 10 or more passengers, need a Commercial Vehicle Operator's Registration (CVOR). Offences stay on the operator's CVOR record for five years. A poor record can lead to suspension or cancellation.

Daily trip inspections

You may not drive a truck unless a Schedule 1 inspection and inspection report were completed within the previous 24 hours. You can do it yourself, or another person can. Keep watching the vehicle's condition during the whole trip.

Carry the current inspection report and the inspection schedule. Electronic copies are allowed.
A minor defect, such as a broken clearance light, must be written on the report and reported to the operator.
A major defect means you may not drive the vehicle until it is repaired.
Report any defect you find during the trip to the operator as soon as possible.

The full schedules, with every major and minor defect, are in Ontario Regulation 199/07. The inspection covers systems such as air brakes, the cab, cargo securement, coupling devices, driver controls, the exhaust and fuel systems, glass and mirrors, the horn, lamps, steering, suspension, tires, and wheels, hubs and fasteners.

Typical walk-around points on a tractor-trailer.

Engine compartment: fluids, belts, hoses and wiring.
Front lights.
Steering axle tire, wheel and brake.
Fuel tank: secure and not leaking.
Coupling area: fifth wheel, air lines and electrical lines.
Drive axle tires, wheels and brakes.
Trailer landing gear.
Trailer tires, wheels and brakes.

Out-of-adjustment air brakes are the most common reason commercial vehicles are taken out of service. Drivers may not adjust air brakes unless they have completed an approved adjustment course or are certified mechanics. Out-of-adjustment brakes can lead to the vehicle being detained and can put the operator's CVOR at risk.

Hours of service

Ontario's hours-of-service rules (O. Reg. 555/06) apply to commercial motor vehicles over 4,500 kg and to buses. There are four duty statuses: off duty, off duty in a sleeper berth, on duty driving, and on duty not driving. On-duty time includes inspections, repairs, loading and unloading, and waiting to load or unload.

Rule	Limit
Off-duty time each day	At least 10 hours
Driving each day	No more than 13 hours
On-duty time each day	No driving after 14 hours on duty
Elapsed time after 8 hours off	No driving after 16 hours have passed
7-day cycle	No driving after 70 hours on duty in 7 days
14-day cycle	No driving after 120 hours on duty in 14 days; take 24 hours off after 70 hours
Every driver	At least 24 consecutive hours off in the past 14 days
Cycle reset	36 hours off (7-day) or 72 hours off (14-day)

Your operator assigns your cycle. You may switch cycles only when you start a new one.

Daily logs

A daily log shows your name, the date, your cycle, odometer readings, plate numbers, the operator's details, and when and where each duty status changed. You do not need a log if you stay within 160 km of your starting point, return there at the end of the day and work for only one operator that day. The operator must still keep a record of your hours.

Coupling and uncoupling

On the road test, Class A applicants uncouple and then couple a tractor and trailer. Before backing, sound the horn and turn on the four-way flashers. Reverse at a walking pace. By industry standard, the blue air line is the service line and the red line is the supply (emergency) line.

The main stages of coupling a tractor to a semi-trailer.

Line the tractor up straight in front of the trailer.
Check the fifth wheel: tilted down toward the back, with the jaws open.
Back slowly toward the trailer.
The kingpin locks into the fifth wheel. Test with a gentle tug and look to see the jaws closed around the kingpin.
Connect the air lines and the electrical cable.
Raise the landing gear all the way.

A sliding fifth wheel changes how weight is spread over the axles.

The fifth wheel sits on a rail and can slide forward or back.
Locking pins hold it in place.
Sliding it forward puts more weight on the steering axle; sliding it back puts more on the drive axles.

Cargo securement, size and weight

Ontario's cargo securement rules follow National Safety Code Standard 10. Cargo must be held so it cannot shift, fall or blow off.

Check the cargo and tiedowns before you leave and again within the first 80 km.
Check again when your duty status changes, or after 3 hours or 240 km of driving, whichever comes first.
The total working load limit of the tiedowns must be at least 50% of the cargo's weight.
An article 1.52 m long or less and 500 kg or less, not blocked at the front, needs at least one tiedown.
The system must hold the cargo against forces of 0.8 g forward and 0.5 g to the rear and sides.

Dimension	Ontario limit
Width	2.6 m
Height, including load	4.15 m
Semi-trailer length	14.65 m (48 ft), or 16.2 m (53 ft) if special requirements are met
Tractor-trailer combination length	23 m (some double-trailer combinations differ)

The legal gross weight is the lowest of several calculated limits, based on axle and tire limits, suspension, axle spacing, load type and the steering axle weight.

Driving a tractor-trailer safely

Covered trucks must have a speed limiter set at no more than 105 km/h.
Above 60 km/h, a commercial motor vehicle must stay at least 60 m behind other vehicles, except when passing.
Leave at least 1 m when passing a cyclist, where practical.
At a railway crossing with a train coming, stop at least 5 m from the nearest rail. A train can need up to 2 km to stop.
Stop at least 20 m behind a school bus with its red lights flashing.
At a pedestrian crossover, wait until the pedestrian has completely crossed the road.

Turns and off-tracking

In a low-speed turn, the trailer's rear wheels follow a shorter path than the front wheels. This is called off-tracking. Plan your turns so the trailer does not hit curbs, poles or other road users.

A right turn in a tractor-trailer.

Approach in the right lane with the back of the trailer close to the curb, so no one can pass on your right.
Drive straight forward into the intersection before you start to turn.
Swing into the far lane as you finish, so the trailer wheels clear the corner. Do not swing left before turning.

Blind spots, or no-zones, around a tractor-trailer.

In front of the cab.
Behind the trailer.
Along the left side, beside the cab and front of the trailer.
Along the right side, the largest; a car can hide here.

Brakes, hills and traction

Choose a low gear before a long downgrade and let the engine brake hold your speed. Riding the brakes makes them overheat and fade. Use the inter-axle differential lock when traction is poor, but engage it before the wheels spin and turn it off on good roads.

Before backing, walk around to check the area, use a guide if you can, sound the horn and use your four-way flashers.

Getting ready for the knowledge test

Study the Official MTO Truck Handbook before your test. Bring two pieces of ID or your Ontario licence, your completed medical report, glasses if you need them, and payment. The ministry does not publish the number of questions on its licence page, so learn every chapter. Ontario drivers with 15 demerit points have their licence suspended, so safe driving also protects your career.