New drivers in the Yukon face stricter impaired driving rules than fully licensed drivers. If you hold a learner or novice licence under the Yukon’s graduated driver licensing (GDL) program, any alcohol or drugs in your system while driving breaks the rules. (For the full system, see our guide to Yukon impaired driving laws.)
Zero tolerance for alcohol and drugs
A condition of every GDL licence is zero alcohol and zero drugs. Unlike fully licensed drivers, for whom the criminal line is 80 mg of alcohol per 100 mL of blood, a new driver breaks the condition with any detectable amount.
Consequences of breaking the condition
According to the Government of Yukon, violating the zero-tolerance condition can lead to:
- a meeting with the Registrar of Motor Vehicles;
- a referral to the Driver Control Board; and
- having to restart the GDL phase you’re in.
Impaired driving offences also carry 10 demerit points each under the Yukon demerit point system, which has its own suspension rules for GDL drivers.
The regular rules still apply
Zero tolerance is in addition to — not instead of — the rules that apply to every driver. A new driver who is impaired, over 80 or who refuses a breath demand faces the same 24-hour and 90-day roadside suspensions, vehicle impoundment and Criminal Code charges as anyone else.
Why new drivers are targeted
Inexperienced drivers are more likely to be involved in collisions, and alcohol or drugs multiply that risk. The zero-tolerance rule is designed to separate drinking or drug use from driving entirely during the learning years.
If you’re a new driver who has been stopped or charged, a Yukon impaired driving lawyer can explain how the GDL consequences interact with any criminal charge.
Frequently asked questions
No. Graduated licence holders must have zero alcohol and zero drugs in their system while driving.
The driver may have to meet with the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, be referred to the Driver Control Board, and restart their current GDL phase. Regular impaired driving sanctions and charges can also apply.
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This article is general information about Yukon and Canadian impaired driving law as of October 2026. It is not legal advice. Rules can change; speak with a lawyer about your situation.
Sources: Government of Yukon, Consequences of driving impaired; Government of Yukon, Ignition Interlock Program; Yukon Department of Justice summary of Motor Vehicles Act impaired driving sanctions (2022).
