What Age Can I Get My Driver’s Licence in Australia?

Jump into the driver's seat and put it into speed drive 🎵🚗

Sick of carpooling with your parents and catching public transport? We get it.

Having the freedom to drive by yourself and with your mates is the absolute best.

So, how old do you need to be before you can apply for a driver's licence?

Each state has their own rules. And even if you're old enough, there are a few things you'll need to do to ensure you're ready and able to drive safely.

First, you'll need to acquire a learner's permit for supervised driving (AKA your 'Ls') and complete the minimum required hours for you to go for your provisional license (P plates). Your provisional license is when you can drive solo before getting your full license.

If you feel like you're ready to hit the roads, find out if you're old enough and what to do next

(Remember, there are certain rules all L and P platers need to adhere to, and certain exceptions in each state. Be sure to follow the relevant links to learn absolutely everything you need to know!)

 

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

How old do I need to be? 15 years and nine months or older.

Where can I get all the relevant info? Right here!

Of all the states and territories in Australia, the age limit for L-platers is lowest in the ACT: you just need to be 15 & 9 months to apply. However, you will first need to complete a pre-learner Licence Course and a computerised test on the ACT Road Rules. Here's the great news: the Road Ready course is provided free by most ACT schools in Year 10.

After that, you'll need to rock up to an Access Canberra Service Centre to provide your test certificate, pass an eye test, prove your identity and pay the licence fee.

After 3 months of having your L's, you will have to then complete an online Hazard Perception Test (HPT).

Once you've had your Ls for 12 months and you are 17 years of age (or 6 months if you're over 25), and completed your required supervised driving hours, you can go for your provisional licence through a driving assessment. Read more.

 

New South Wales (NSW)

How old do I need to be? 16 years or older.

Where can I get all the relevant info? Right here!

In NSW, you need to be at least 15 and 11 months to complete the Driver Knowledge Test (DKT), which will allow you to apply for your learner driver's license at 16.

Once the DKT is passed, you'll need to visit a service centre to prove your identity and pass an eyesight test.

After holding Ls for a minimum of 10 months, you can take a Hazard Perception Test on the computer. Then, you'll need to book a driving test, but only after you've had your Ls for 12 months and logged 120 hours of driving practice, including 20 hours of night driving (there are some exceptions).

Pass that, and you'll get a provisional P1 licence (red plates). Hold that P1 for 12 months and you'll be eligible for the P2 (green plates). Hold the P2 for at least 24 months and you'll be eligible for a full licence. Read more.

 

Northern Territory (NT)

How old do I need to be? 16 years or older.

Where can I get all the relevant info? Right here!

In the NT, you need to be at least 16 and also be a Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) customer. To apply for your license, you need to pass the Drivers Knowledge theory Test at an MVR office, pass an eyesight test, prove your identity and pay the fee. Driver Knowledge.

Once you've had your Ls for six months, you can take a practical driving test, which you'll need to pass to graduate to your Ps. Once you've had your Ps for two years, you can progress to a full licence. Read more.

 

Queensland (QLD)

How old do I need to be? 16 years or older.

Where can I get all the relevant info? Right here!

You can get your Ls in Queensland when you turn 16, provided you've passed PrepL or a written road rules test, and proven you're medically fit to drive.

When you're 17, you can apply for a driving test to get your provisional P1 licence, though only after you've held your learner license for at least 1 year, recorded 100 hours of supervised driving (including 10 hours of night driving) in a logbook and passed a Hazard Perception Test (HPT).

If you're 18 and held your P1 licence (with red plates) for at least one year, pay the fee to upgrade to a P2 licence (with green plates).

You have to hold your P2 for a minimum of two years, and be at least 20 years of age, to upgrade to an open/full licence. Read more.

 

South Australia (SA)

How old do I need to be? 16 years or older.

Where can I get all the relevant info? Right here!

When you are 15 and 9 months old, you can begin the process of completing and passing a learner's theory test before getting your learner's license. You will be issued your L's once you turn 16 and have attended a Service SA centre to provide proof of identity.

In order to get a P1 provisional license, you are required to have your learners permit for 12 months and fill your logbook with 75 hours of supervised driving, including 15 hours of night driving and pass the Hazard Perception Test. Then you'll be allowed to take a practical driving test or competency based training course, which you'll need to pass to move onto your P's.

Hold your P1 license for 12 months and you can apply for your P2 license. When you're 20 and held your P2 for at least 2 years, (and held a provisional licence for at least three years, total), you're eligible for a full licence. Read more.

 

Tasmania (TAS)

How old do I need to be? 16 years or older.

Where can I get all the relevant info? Right here!

Interestingly, you can take the Driver Knowledge Test when you're 15 years and 11 months of age, but you can't pay for a L1 learner's licence until you're 16 (also, you need to take an eye test).

Learners need to log 80 hours (including 15 night hours), pass the Hazard Perception Test (HPT) be 17 years old or older and hold your learners license for a minimum of 12 months before taking a practical driving assessment.

You must hold a P1 for 12 months in a row, and, when you're 18, you will automatically upgrade to a P2 provisional licence, which you'll need to hold for two years before graduating to a full licence (at the minimum age of 20). Read more.

 

Victoria (VIC)

How old do I need to be? 16 years or older.

Where can I get all the relevant info? Right here!

Once you're 16, you can get a learner's permit, though, as in other states, you'll need to take an eye test, pass a learner permit test online and pay your fees first.

To apply for your P's, you need to be at least 18 years old, fill a logbook with a minimum of 120 hours of supervised driving, including 20 hours of night driving, held your learner's permit for 12 months and passed the Hazard Perception Test (HPT).

And of course, you will have to pass a driving test to be granted your provisional license. You'll then be granted a four-year probational licence, with 12 months at P1 level (red plates) and three years at P2 level (green plates). Read more.

 

Western Australia (WA)

How old do I need to be? 16 years or older.

Where can I get all the relevant info? Right here!

In WA, you need to be 16 to apply for a learner's permit, though you'll need to take a theory test and, yep, you guessed it, pass an eyesight test and pay some fees. Once you turn 16 years old and 6 months and have had your learners permit for at least 6 months, you can sit the Hazard Perception Test (HPT) which you need to pass in order to do the practical driving assessment.

Once you're at least 17, with six months of driving experience and 50 hours of logged supervised driving (including five hours of night driving), you can take a Practical Driving Assessment.

Pass the driving test (and pay the fees!) to get your red P plates, which must be displayed for the first six months of your provisional licence, followed by green P plates for 18 months.

When you're 19 or older and held a licence for at least two years, you will no longer be considered a ‘novice driver' and can graduate to an ordinary/full licence. Read more.

 

Have fun but stay safe 😎

A previous version of this article was published on 7 February 2019.