- Quebec drivers will pay around $50 for a Class 5 license in 2026.
- SAAQ rebates continue due to stronger road safety and fund results.
- Drivers with demerit points face significantly higher 2026 license fees.
Everybody is looking to save a buck, and Quebec motorists can now tie that directly to better driving habits. For 2026, the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) is offering big rebates for good drivers.
The SAAQ is Quebec’s provincial road safety and licensing agency, responsible for issuing driver’s licenses, registering vehicles, and managing the province’s public auto insurance system. Unlike private insurers elsewhere, it combines both licensing and no-fault injury coverage under one organization.
For holders of a Class 5 license, the incentive is clear. Those with a spotless record will pay just $50.23 instead of the previously projected $121. Drivers with blemished records, however, will see their renewal costs rise.
Read: Not Updating Your Driver’s License Could Soon Cost You $45
The rebate is possible thanks to the continued strong performance of the Fonds d’assurance automobile du Québec, which has accumulated a substantial surplus due to fewer accident victims and higher-than-expected investment returns.
According to the SAAQ, the number of road injuries has fallen noticeably since 2020, particularly during the pandemic years when driving patterns shifted, and collisions declined. As a result, nearly $462 million will remain in Quebecers’ pockets next year.
Quebec drivers have already benefited from four straight years of full “payment holidays,” during which clean-record motorists paid only the basic administrative fees for license renewals.
Between 2022 and 2025, the SAAQ returned $2.4 billion to its members, a figure the agency says reflects the need to realign insurance contributions with actual claims and fund performance. Because provincial law prevents the insurer from underfunding or overcharging, the surplus must be redistributed back to motorists.
That redistribution continues in 2026, just at a lower rate. The budgeted insurance cost for next year sits at $93.92, but the 75% rebate removes $70.44 from the invoice.
After adding the standard $26.75 in fees and duties, drivers with zero demerit points will owe only $50.23 when their renewal notice arrives. Importantly, that only applies to those drivers in the highest class of safety.
How Costly Is a Slip-Up?
Drivers with infractions will face sharply higher charges that come as a part of penalty surcharges tied to their demerit points. Even after the discount, drivers with one to three points on their license will pay $121.84.
According to Driving.ca, those with 15 points or more will have to pay $603.06 to keep their license in good standing. Put another way, that’s 12 times the amount that a clean-record motorist pays.
