How to get a Z (air brake) endorsement in Ontario
How to get a Z air brake endorsement in Ontario: the course route and the DriveTest route, the knowledge test, the practical test versions and what to bring, DriveTest fees, combining Z with an AZ or DZ road test, and renewal, with each fact linked to ontario.ca or DriveTest.
By the Canada Exam Prep Editorial Team ·
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- Checked October 17, 2026
The Z endorsement is what lets you drive a vehicle with air brakes or air-over-hydraulic brakes in Ontario. It is not a licence class of its own: it is added to the licence you already hold or are working toward, most often Class A (AZ) or Class D (DZ).
There are two ways to earn it: an air brake endorsement course, or a knowledge test and a practical test at a DriveTest centre. This guide covers both, plus fees, the practical test versions, the equipment to bring and how renewal works now. Each point links to the Government of Ontario or DriveTest page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the linked page before you book.
Step by step
Confirm you need a Z
You need a Z endorsement on your Ontario licence to drive a vehicle with an air brake or an air-over-hydraulic brake system. It can be combined with any of class A, B, C, D, E, F or G licences.
Source: DriveTest — Drivers' licences: commercial (archived copy, July 2026)Choose the course route or the DriveTest route
You can attend an air brake endorsement course, or take the tests yourself at a DriveTest centre. Courses are offered by vehicle fleet owners, community colleges and safety organizations; if you hold a B, C, D, E, F or G licence, the course must be with a vehicle fleet owner.
Source: ontario.ca — Get a truck driver's licenceCourse route: take your referral envelope to DriveTest
After the course you receive a referral envelope. Take it to a DriveTest centre within 6 months to get your air brake endorsement added.
Source: ontario.ca — Get a truck driver's licenceStudy the Official Air Brake Handbook
The handbook is free to read online at ontario.ca and contains the information you need to prepare for the air brake endorsement examination. Study the inspection checklists as well, because the practical test follows them.
Source: The Official Air Brake Handbook (ontario.ca)Pass the air brake knowledge test
Take the knowledge test at a DriveTest centre, without an appointment. DriveTest knowledge tests are multiple choice, not timed (until the office closes), marked on the spot and need a total score of at least 80%.
Source: DriveTest — Knowledge Tests (archived copy, Aug. 2026)Book the practical test
After the knowledge test, book a practical test through DriveTest with your Ontario licence number, a preferred location plus second and third choices, and a preferred date and time. Cancel at least 48 hours ahead to avoid a cancellation fee.
Source: ontario.ca — Get a truck driver's licencePick the right practical test version
Version 1 is for a commercial vehicle with a tractor-trailer air brake system; Version 2 is for vehicles without one. You can also book the Z practical on the same day as your commercial road test as a combination test, such as AZ or DZ.
Source: ontario.ca — Get a truck driver's licencePass the practical test
You inspect the air brake components, run the functional checks (low-air warning, build-up time, governor settings, air-loss rate, tractor protection valve, trailer and spring brakes, drain valves) and measure brake adjustment, telling the examiner what you are testing at each step.
Source: The Official Air Brake Handbook — Checklists, charts and circuit diagrams
Who can get it
- Anyone who will drive a vehicle with air brakes or air-over-hydraulic brakes in Ontario. The endorsement is added to a class A, B, C, D, E, F or G licence. Source: DriveTest — Drivers' licences: commercial (archived copy, July 2026)
- Course route: Class A (Z) holders may take the course with a fleet owner, a community college or a safety organization; B, C, D, E, F and G holders must take it with a vehicle fleet owner. Source: ontario.ca — Get a truck driver's licence
- If you are getting a commercial class at the same time, a valid medical report is required before any test except vision, and the medical report is valid for 180 days. Source: DriveTest — Drivers' licences: commercial (archived copy, July 2026)
What it costs
| Item | Amount | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Air brake (Z) endorsement package (knowledge test and practical test) | $66.00 | Source: DriveTest — Fees (archived copy, July 2026) |
| Air brake knowledge test on its own | $16.00 | Source: DriveTest — Fees (archived copy, July 2026) |
| Air brake practical test on its own | $50.00 | Source: DriveTest — Fees (archived copy, July 2026) |
| Commercial road test combined with the Z practical (for example AZ or DZ) | $99.00 | Source: DriveTest — Fees (archived copy, July 2026) |
| Printed Official MTO Air Brake Handbook (cash only; free to read online) | $23.00 | Source: DriveTest — Fees (archived copy, July 2026) |
| Air brake endorsement course | Not confirmed by an official source; check with the provider | Source: ontario.ca — Get a truck driver's licence |
Fees change. Check the amount on the official page or with the provider before you pay.
Where to take the test
Knowledge and practical tests are taken at DriveTest centres, and practical tests are booked directly through DriveTest. Courses are run by vehicle fleet owners, community colleges and safety organizations, and you finish the course route at a DriveTest centre with your referral envelope. Source: ontario.ca — Get a truck driver's licence
What to bring or have ready
- Wheel chocks or blocks, a stopwatch or a watch with a second hand, and knowledge of the size and type of all brake chambers on the test vehicle. Source: ontario.ca — Get a truck driver's licence
- A means of holding the brake pedal applied, a means of marking the pushrod and a device for measuring pushrod stroke, plus protective eyewear; a chart of brake adjustment limits is optional. The pushrod items and eyewear do not apply to motor coaches. Source: ontario.ca — Get a truck driver's licence
- Protective headgear as well, according to the handbook's list of items to bring to the practical examination (not required for motor coaches). Source: The Official Air Brake Handbook — Checklists, charts and circuit diagrams
After you pass
Once the endorsement is on your licence you may drive air-brake-equipped vehicles of the classes your licence covers. If you fail a commercial or combined road test, you can book another immediately but must pay the fees again and wait at least 10 days before the retest. Source: DriveTest — Drivers' licences: commercial (archived copy, July 2026)
Validity and renewal
Since September 1, 2023, renewing a licence with a Z endorsement means completing the online air brake learning module before you go to DriveTest, instead of rewriting the knowledge test. Under 80, renewal is usually every 5 years; from age 80, the module and a practical test are needed every year. Source: ontario.ca — Get a truck driver's licence
Common mistakes
- Taking a college or safety-organization course while holding only a B, C, D, E, F or G licence. Those licence holders must take the course with a vehicle fleet owner. Source: ontario.ca — Get a truck driver's licence
- Letting the referral envelope sit. It must reach a DriveTest centre within 6 months of the course. Source: ontario.ca — Get a truck driver's licence
- Booking the wrong practical version. A vehicle with a tractor-trailer air brake system needs Version 1. Source: ontario.ca — Get a truck driver's licence
- Showing up without the required tools, such as wheel chocks, a watch with a second hand and a pushrod stroke measuring device. Source: The Official Air Brake Handbook — Checklists, charts and circuit diagrams
- Staying silent during the inspection. As part of the practical examination you must tell the examiner what you are testing at each step. Source: The Official Air Brake Handbook — Checklists, charts and circuit diagrams
Prepare for the test
Free practice written from the official material: full practice tests, a study guide, a printable sheet and a timed mock exam.
- Ontario Air Brake (Z) practice tests263 original practice questions with explanations
- Air brake test questions and answers (printable)100 Ontario air brake (Z) practice questions on one printable page with a separate answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF from your browser.
- Ontario Air Brake (Z) study guideFree Ontario Air Brake (Z) study guide: 238 key points from the The Official Air Brake Handbook (MTO) in plain words, organised by topic, each topic linked to its practice questions.
- Ontario Air Brake (Z) Mock Exam 1 – 25 QuestionsUntimed practice · answers explained
- Ontario Air Brake (Z) exam simulator25 new random questions every time, full screen, no hints
- DriveTest centres in OntarioEvery DriveTest location by region, the road tests each one offers, and a page per city with fees and what to bring.
We last checked the official pages on October 17, 2026. Rules and fees can change; the official source always wins.
FAQ
How to get a Z endorsement in Ontario: common questions
How do I get a Z endorsement in Ontario?
Either complete an approved air brake endorsement course and take the referral envelope to DriveTest within 6 months, or pass the air brake knowledge test and then the practical test at a DriveTest centre.
How much does the Z endorsement cost?
DriveTest lists $66.00 for the air brake endorsement package: $16.00 for the knowledge test and $50.00 for the practical test. A commercial road test combined with the Z practical is $99.00.
What is the passing score for the air brake knowledge test?
DriveTest says its knowledge tests need a total score of at least 80%. The test is multiple choice and not timed.
Can I do the Z practical on the same day as my AZ or DZ road test?
Yes. You can book the Z endorsement on the same day as your commercial road test by choosing a combination test such as AZ or DZ.
Can I add a Z to a G licence?
Yes. The Z endorsement can be combined with a class G licence. If you go the course route with a G licence, the course must be with a vehicle fleet owner.
Do I have to rewrite the air brake test when I renew?
No. Since September 1, 2023, you complete an online air brake learning module instead. From age 80, the module and a practical test are needed every year.
Where can I practise for the air brake knowledge test?
Use our free air brake practice tests, the mock exam, the printable questions and the study guide, written from the Official Air Brake Handbook. Several topics follow the handbook's inspection checklists, so they also help with the practical test.
Keep practising
- Air brake test questions and answers (printable)100 Ontario air brake (Z) practice questions on one printable page with a separate answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF from your browser.
- Ontario Air Brake (Z) study guide
- Ontario Air Brake (Z) Mock Exam 1 – 25 QuestionsUntimed practice · answers explained
- Ontario Air Brake (Z) Mock Exam 2 – 25 QuestionsUntimed practice · answers explained
- Ontario Air Brake (Z) Practice Test 125 questions with explanations
- Ontario Air Brake (Z) Practice Test 225 questions with explanations
- Ontario Air Brake (Z) Practice Test 325 questions with explanations
Practice by topic
- How vehicle brakes workFriction and heat, brake fade, why air brakes are used on large vehicles, the built-in application delay, drum versus disc brakes and which systems need a Z endorsement.
- Foundation brakesS-cam, disc and wedge brakes: the parts inside and outside the wheel, how the camshaft, slack adjuster and pushrod work, and which designs adjust themselves.
- Air supply subsystemCompressor, governor cut-in and cut-out, the 80 to 145 psi operating range, wet and dry tanks, draining, air dryers, alcohol evaporators, safety valves and low-air warnings.
- Service brakes and brake chambersThe foot valve and dual circuits, front wheel-limiting valves, service brake chambers, pushrods, slack adjusters and why stroke must stay within the adjustment limit.
- Spring (parking and emergency) brakesHow spring brakes apply when air is lost, the 60 psi release pressure, the yellow and blue control knobs, caged chambers and DD3 actuators on buses.
- Trailer brakesGladhands and colour coding, cross-connected lines, the trailer hand valve, the red trailer supply valve, the tractor protection valve and spring or service brake priority.
- Speed, weight, heat and ABSHow weight and speed multiply stopping distance, brake heat and fade, retarders, why out-of-adjustment brakes go unnoticed, and what anti-lock brakes do and do not do.
- Compliance and safe inspectionLegal duties of drivers and operators, penalties for defective brakes, reporting defects and how to secure a vehicle safely before inspecting it.
- Inspecting brake componentsLining contact, cracks, contamination and thickness, chamber leaks and matching sizes on the steering axle, slack adjuster length, drums, air lines, tanks and compressor belts.
- Brake adjustment and pushrod strokeDaily stroke checks, identifying chamber size and long-stroke chambers, the two measuring methods at 90 to 100 psi, the adjustment limits chart and automatic slack adjusters.
- Air brake system testsPass and fail limits for the low-air warning, build-up time, governor settings, air-loss rates, tractor protection valve, trailer and spring brake tests and draining tanks.
- Getting and renewing the Z endorsementWho needs a Z endorsement, course and DriveTest routes, the referral envelope, practical test versions and equipment, and the online renewal module since 2023.