After you pass in Australian Capital Territory: P-plate rules and your licence
Passing your assessment means you can drive alone, but the first years of solo driving are when new drivers are most at risk. The ACT provisional licence keeps some extra rules in place for 3 years to help you build experience safely.
This page explains what changes on P1 and P2, and how you move to a full licence. A deeper guide to ACT learner and P-plate rules is also on this site.
By the end of this topic you can
- You can list the rules that apply to all ACT provisional drivers.
- You can explain the P1 late-night peer passenger restriction and its exemptions.
- You can describe how and when you move from P1 to P2 and then to a full licence.
- You can explain how to remove an automatic-only condition.
What you need to know and understand
- Drivers under 25 receive a P1 licence; drivers 25 or older receive a P2 licence and display green plates for the full 3 years.
- After passing, Access Canberra issues a temporary licence; the card is posted and can take up to 21 business days.
- P1 lasts 12 months with red plates. You move to P2 automatically and receive a letter telling you to switch to green plates.
- P1 drivers may carry only one passenger aged 16 to 22 between 11pm and 5am, with exemptions for family members, work and education.
- P1 drivers must not tow a trailer heavier than 750 kg.
- All provisional drivers must have zero alcohol, follow the full phone ban and stay under the 4-point demerit limit.
- When the 3-year provisional period ends you receive a renewal notice and can apply online for your full licence.
Your first year on red Ps
- Display red P plates at the front and rear, the right way up.
- Zero alcohol and no drugs every time you drive.
- No phone use at all while driving, including hands-free.
- One peer passenger (aged 16 to 22, not family) between 11pm and 5am unless an exemption applies.
- No trailers over 750 kg.
Moving up to green Ps and a full licence
After 12 months on P1 you change to P2 automatically. The late-night passenger limit and the P1 towing limit end, but zero alcohol, the phone ban and the 4-point demerit limit continue for the rest of the 3 years.
If you are suspended, the suspended time does not count towards the 3 years. At the end, apply online for your full licence. A full licence can be valid for up to 10 years. Online renewals are usually for up to 5 years; a 10-year renewal needs a photo of you taken in the last 12 months. A clean record through P1 and P2 earns a fee refund and a discount on your full licence.
The automatic condition
If you passed in an automatic, your licence has an A condition. To drive a manual alone you can retest in a manual car, or ask to have the condition removed once you have held your provisional licence for 12 months. It is removed automatically when you renew to a full licence.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to swap to green plates when your P2 letter arrives.
- Assuming the passenger limit ends at midnight. It runs from 11pm to 5am.
- Thinking the P2 stage allows a small amount of alcohol. It is zero for the whole provisional period.
- Using your phone on speaker now you are driving alone.
Test yourself: After you pass in Australian Capital Territory: P-plate rules and your licence
Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.
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Sources: Get your provisional driver licence, Access Canberra, ACT Government; Licence classes and conditions, Access Canberra, ACT Government; Learner and provisional driver safety, City Services, ACT Government; Safe Plates frequently asked questions, City Services, ACT Government. Independent guide, not affiliated with any licensing agency. Always check the latest official rules with your state or territory road authority.