The ICBC Examiner’s Marking Sheet can seem intimidating at first, but once you break it down, it becomes a valuable tool to help you improve your driving skills. Understanding each section of the sheet will guide you in bettering your road test performance.
After months of preparation and hard work, you’re finally ready for the road test that stands between you and your driver’s license. Regardless of how the test unfolds, your ICBC examiner will use a detailed road test examination sheet to track your performance. The ICBC Examiner’s Marking Sheet can seem intimidating at first, but once you break it down, it becomes a valuable tool to help you improve your driving skills. Understanding each section of the sheet will guide you in bettering your road test performance.
Here’s everything you need to know to interpret your ICBC road test results like a pro, helping you improve and succeed on Vancouver and Richmond roads.
A Quick Overview of ICBC Road Tests
If you’re aiming to obtain your driver’s license in British Columbia, you’ll need to go through the ICBC (Insurance Corporation of British Columbia). ICBC operates under a graduated licensing system, where you start with a basic license and progress to a full one.
There are three key road tests in this process:
- Class 7L Knowledge Test:If you’ve passed your knowledge test and earned your L license, the best way to prepare for your first road test is to log as much driving experience as possible. Just keep in mind that a supervising driver must always be in the passenger seat. In British Columbia, this means someone with a full license who is at least 25 years old—so choose your supervising driver carefully!You’ll need to hold your L license for at least a year before you can take your first road test, the Class 7 test, which typically lasts around 45 minutes. After passing that, you’ll need to practice driving for another two years (or 1.5 years if you complete an ICBC-approved Graduated Licensing Program (GLP) training course) before you can take the Class 5 road test for your full license. And remember, keeping a clean driving record as an N license holder will make the process smoother. Drive Treck Driving Academy is one of top school for ICBC Business Partner for the program.
- Class 7 Road Test: This test is required to earn your N (Novice) license and focuses on assessing your basic driving skills and safety knowledge.If you’ve passed your knowledge test and received your L license, the best way to prepare for your first road test is simply to get as much driving experience under your (seat) belt as you possibly can. Just remember: A supervising driver must be in the passenger’s seat. In British Columbia, that’s someone with a full license who is at least 25 years old. Choose wisely!You have to sit with your L license for at least a year before you can move on to your first of two road tests: the Class 7 road test, which usually lasts around 45 minutes. After that? You get to practice for at least two MORE years (or just 1.5 years if you take a Graduated Licensing Program (GLP) training course approved by the ICBC) before moving on to the Class 5, full license road test. Oh, and it helps if you don’t cause any accidents as an N license holder.
- Class 5 Road Test: This test is needed for your full license and is taken after you’ve been a Novice driver for 24 consecutive months without any issues (or after 18 months if you’ve completed an ICBC-certified driver training course).
During both tests, your examiner will use a marking sheet to evaluate and record your performance.
Understanding the ICBC Examiner’s Marking Sheet
Here’s a glimpse of the marking sheet that ICBC examiners use during the Class 7 road test.
Source: ICBC

Understanding the ICBC Road Test Marking Sheet
At first glance, the ICBC marking sheet might seem daunting. However, once you break it down, it becomes much clearer how each section is used to evaluate your driving and what you can do to improve.
Let’s take a closer look at the key sections:
Global Skills
On the left side of the sheet, you’ll find the Global Skills column, where specific actions and errors are categorized into five key areas:
[A] Observation
[B] Space Margins
[C] Speed
[D] Steering
[E] Communication
Each category contains examples relevant to that skill. For instance, if you struggle with road positioning, it will likely be noted under category B, Space Margins.
Intersection Left & Right
The middle sections, Intersection Left and Intersection Right, are dedicated to recording your performance during left and right turns. Each maneuver is tracked with:
- A number indicating the order of the maneuver (e.g., first, second, third turn)
- Five letters (A-E) corresponding to the Global Skills, indicating which skill an error relates to
- White boxes for full-mark errors and colored boxes for half-mark errors
For example, if you stop too early at a traffic light during your first left turn, the examiner might mark this under section 1, “B,” for Space Margins.
Intersection Through
This section functions similarly to the Intersection Left & Right sections but applies to driving straight through intersections.
General Driving
When you’re not at an intersection, your driving performance is recorded in the General Driving section. Errors are categorized by skill, and there’s space for written feedback as well as a box for hazard perception and response.
Vehicle Handling
This section, specifically for Class 7 tests, covers maneuvers like parallel parking and other vehicle-handling tasks.
Error Cut-Offs
On the right side of the sheet, you’ll see “Error Cut-Off” boxes, indicating the maximum number of mistakes allowed in each section. If you exceed this limit, it could result in failing that part of the test.
Will You See Your Road Test Sheet?
Although you won’t be able to keep the original marking sheet, you can review it, take a photo, or request a copy. After your Class 5 or 7 road test, your examiner will debrief you, letting you know whether you passed and what you need to work on if you didn’t.
Reading Your Road Test Results Sheet
If you don’t pass, your results sheet will be a crucial tool for improvement. The front page summarizes the examiner’s markings, including a pass/fail section, reasons for failure, and written feedback. The back page, known as the Skills Explainer, provides definitions and tips for improvement.
Page 1: Road Test Results
The front page of your road test results provides a simplified version of the examiner’s marking sheet, summarizing all the essential information from your exam.
The first section, Test Results, has two parts: a “Pass” block and a “Fail” block. While passing is straightforward, failing includes more detailed information.
If you didn’t pass, a mark will appear in the “Fail” checkbox. Additionally, there will be a mark next to the reasons for the failure, indicating which sections of the test had errors. The four main reasons for failing a road test are:
- Skills
- Dangerous Action (DA)
- Violation (V)
- Other
Alongside these, you’ll also find written feedback from your examiner.
The next section is Test Feedback, which highlights areas for improvement. It breaks down your performance into the same five global skill categories from the marking sheet (observation, space margins, etc.). If any box is checked here, it means that specific mistake occurred at least twice during the test.
Finally, the Notes section is where your examiner can provide additional feedback, tips, or even compliments.
Page 2: Skills Explainer
The second page, or the back of your results sheet, features the Skills Explainer. Here, your examiner will circle the specific skills you need to work on before your next test.
The Skills Explainer provides detailed definitions for each mark on the examiner’s sheet. It also includes clear, actionable tips on how to practice and improve in specific areas to help you pass your next road test.
Conclusion:
You don’t need to stress about understanding every single mark on your road test sheet. With a basic grasp of how the form works, you’ll be able to identify what you did well and what areas need improvement. If you’re unsure about anything, don’t hesitate to ask your examiner questions. Make sure you leave feeling confident about your next steps.
Whether you’re preparing for your first test or aiming to perfect your skills for a retake, structured driving lessons with an ICBC-certified instructor can provide the extra practice and confidence you need. Sign up with Kruzee today to access driver’s education that will help you pass your ICBC road test with ease.