The learner logbook

By the end of this topic you can

• You can state how many hours, and night hours, your state requires.
• You can fill in a logbook entry correctly after each drive.
• You can explain the paper and app options in your state.
• You can plan your hours to cover a wide range of conditions.

What you need to know and understand

• NSW: 120 hours including 20 at night, for learners under 25.
• Victoria: 120 hours including 20 at night, for learners under 21 when they apply for a probationary licence.
• Queensland: 100 hours including 10 at night, for learners under 25.
• SA: 75 hours including 15 at night.
• WA: at least 50 hours including 5 at night (between sunset and sunrise).
• The NT sets no minimum number of logbook hours. Tasmania and the ACT have their own requirements, so check their handbooks.
• Over 25 in NSW you do not need to log hours, and Victorian learners 21 or over do not need to present a logbook.

Credits and shortcuts that are allowed

Some states reward structured training. In NSW, each 1 hour lesson with a licensed NSW instructor can be logged as 3 hours under the 3 for 1 scheme (up to 10 lesson hours count this way), and completing the Safer Drivers Course earns 20 hours of credit. These schemes have limits and conditions, so read the details for your state.

Credits are there to help, not to replace real experience. Research quoted in the WA handbook suggests young drivers with 100 to 120 hours of practice are better prepared, even though WA's minimum is lower.

Logging a drive properly

1. Fill in the entry straight after each drive, not days later.
2. Record the date, start and finish times, and whether it was day or night.
3. Note the type of road, traffic and weather conditions if your logbook asks for them.
4. Have your supervising driver check and sign the entry.
5. Keep a running total so you know when you have met the minimum.
6. Before your test, complete the final declaration and supervisor list.

Paper or app

Many states now offer a digital logbook. Victoria uses the myLearners app as well as a paper Learner Log Book. WA lets you use a printed logbook, the free digital version or a mix of both; if you use the app only, the declaration must be submitted 24 hours before the test.

Look after a paper logbook. In WA, if a printed logbook is lost and you are not using the app, earlier hours will not be credited.

Errors have real consequences. In Victoria, an incomplete or incorrect logbook means you cannot take the test, you lose your fees and you must wait at least six weeks. False entries can lead to prosecution in WA and to legal penalties in Victoria.

Common mistakes

• Leaving entries to fill in later from memory. Log each drive straight away.
• Only doing easy daytime drives. Spread hours across night, rain, highways and busy traffic.
• Forgetting supervisor signatures. An unsigned entry may not count.
• Inflating hours. It is illegal and leaves you underprepared for solo driving.
• Losing a paper logbook. Keep it safe or use your state's app.

Test yourself: The learner logbook

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