Log book hours and supervised practice in Queensland

By the end of this topic you can

• You can state how many supervised and night hours you need and who must log them.
• You can record a trip with all the details TMR requires.
• You can use driver trainer lessons to earn triple time correctly.
• You can submit your logbook in time for your practical test.
• You can explain who is allowed to supervise you.

What you need to know and understand

• Learners under 25 need 100 hours, at least 10 of them at night (between sunset and sunrise).
• Learners 25 and over do not have to keep a logbook, though TMR recommends it.
• Up to 10 hours of daytime lessons with an accredited driver trainer count as triple time, giving up to 30 hours of credit; trainer hours beyond that are logged in real time.
• A night trip with a driver trainer counts either as triple time or as night hours, not both.
• Your supervisor must hold a current open licence for the class and have held it for at least 1 year.
• Submit your logbook at least 12 business days before your test; you cannot take the test until it is approved.
• False entries can bring a fine and a 6 week wait after the resubmitted logbook is approved before you can test.

What every logbook entry needs

You can use the Queensland Learner Logbook app, the approved third-party YLOODrive app, a paper logbook from a customer service centre, or a mix. Record each trip only once.

• The date
• Start and finish times and total minutes driven
• Whether the trip was by day or at night
• Start and finish locations
• The vehicle's number plate
• Start and finish odometer readings
• Your supervisor's name and contact details, and whether they are an accredited driver trainer
• Your supervisor's signature or approval for each trip

Getting the most from driver trainer lessons

The first 10 hours of daytime trips with an accredited driver trainer count three times over. A one hour lesson becomes three hours in your logbook, so 10 hours of lessons can give you 30 hours of credit.

If a trainer lesson happens after dark, you must choose: count it as triple time or as night hours. For example, a lesson from 7pm to 8pm can count as 3 hours of day driving or 1 hour of night driving.

Submitting and special cases

Supervised driving done on a learner licence in another Australian state, or in New Zealand, can count for up to 100 hours. Up to 50 hours can count from some other listed countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, using the Prior Driving Experience Application. In limited cases you can apply for a logbook exemption, but then you must hold your learner licence for at least 2 years before testing. Our deeper guide, Queensland learner logbook: 100 hours, 10 at night, approval, has worked examples.

1. Reach your target hours (100, or your adjusted figure if you have credits).
2. Submit through the app, or take a paper logbook to an Australia Post outlet to send to TMR.
3. Allow at least 12 business days for review; TMR tells you by SMS or email whether it passed.
4. Once approved, book your Q-SAFE practical driving test.

Common mistakes

• Filling in trips weeks later from memory. Record each trip straight after you drive so details are accurate.
• Counting a night lesson with a trainer as both triple time and night hours. It can only be one or the other.
• Submitting the logbook a few days before the test. Allow at least 12 business days.
• Driving only the same short local route. Mix in rain, night, highways and busy traffic so your 100 hours are varied.

Test yourself: Log book hours and supervised practice in Queensland

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

Go deeper

• Queensland Learner Logbook
• Driving in Brisbane Tunnels and on Queensland Motorways
• Hazardous Localities in Queensland