Getting your New South Wales learner licence

By the end of this topic you can

• You can list what you need to apply for a learner licence.
• You can describe what happens at the service centre on the day.
• You can explain what happens if you fail the eyesight test.
• You can state the main learner conditions, including plates, speed, alcohol and phones.
• You can say how long a learner licence lasts and what renewing involves.

What you need to know and understand

• You must be 16 or older, prove your identity, pass an eyesight test and pass the DKT.
• The handbook also says you need a residential address in NSW and must be medically fit to drive.
• You do not need a booking to apply for your licence after passing the DKT online. Just visit a service centre.
• You get a temporary paper licence on the day, and your card is posted to you.
• Your learner licence is valid for 5 years. To renew it you must pass the DKT again and pay the fees again.
• Learners have a demerit point limit of 4 points in a 3-year period.

What to take to the service centre

Once you have passed the DKT, apply in person at a Service NSW centre. Fees are set by Transport for NSW and change from time to time, so check the current amount before you go. Concessions may be available.

• Proof of identity documents. Check the current list of accepted documents with Service NSW.
• A completed Licence application form.
• Your glasses or contact lenses if you need them to see.
• Payment for the test and licence fees.

The eyesight test

Staff will ask you to read letters aloud from a chart. If you need glasses or contacts to pass, a condition is added to your licence and you must wear them whenever you drive.

If you do not pass, you cannot resit the test at the service centre. You will need an eyesight report from an optometrist or ophthalmologist. You must also tell Transport for NSW about any medical condition that could affect your driving.

Learner rules from day one

These conditions also apply when you drive outside NSW.

• Always have a supervisor with a full (unrestricted) Australian licence sitting next to you.
• Display L plates on the outside of the car at the front and back, or an L sign on the roof. The whole letter must be visible.
• Never drive faster than 90 km/h, even where the limit is higher.
• Have zero alcohol in your system.
• Do not use a mobile phone at all while driving, including hands-free, unless you are parked out of the line of traffic.
• Do not tow a trailer or any other vehicle.
• In Sydney, do not drive in Parramatta Park, Centennial Park or Moore Park.

Your log book

At the service centre you will be given a paper log book to record supervised driving. You can use an approved log book app instead. Deeper guides on this site cover licence and test fees, supervising a learner driver and the later P1 and P2 stages.

Common mistakes

• Turning up without the right identity documents. Check the accepted list before you go.
• Forgetting your glasses for the eyesight test. If you wear them to drive, bring them.
• Fitting L plates only on the back window. They must be on the outside, front and back, or on the roof.
• Using a phone in a holder for maps. Learners cannot use a phone for any purpose while driving, even on Bluetooth.

Test yourself: Getting your New South Wales learner licence

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• NSW Licence and Test Fees 2026
• Supervising a Learner Driver in NSW
• NSW P1 to P2 to Full Licence