The Queensland driving test and hazard perception

By the end of this topic you can

• You can explain when you are eligible to sit the hazard perception test.
• You can describe the format and pass mark of the hazard perception test.
• You can book, reschedule or cancel a Q-SAFE practical test without losing your fee.
• You can list everything you must bring on test day.
• You can explain the waiting times between re-sits.

What you need to know and understand

• You can sit the car HPT once you have held a Queensland learner licence for at least 6 months; TMR emails you when you are eligible.
• The HPT has 25 short computer-generated clips; you must get at least 13 correct, in one sitting. A practice test comes with your enrolment.
• There are no exemptions from the HPT. The fee was $42.70 and the practical test $69.40 as at 1 July 2026.
• You can book the practical test once you have passed the HPT and, if under 25, had your logbook approved; to get your P licence you must also be at least 17 and have held your learner licence for at least 1 year.
• Reschedule or cancel at least 2 business days before the test to keep your fee.
• A car test usually takes 25 to 35 minutes on the road.
• If you fail a car test you can re-sit the next day after a first fail, 8 days later after a second, and 29 days later after a third or later fail.

The hazard perception test

The HPT checks whether you can spot risky situations early and respond safely. The clips are based on the situations that are hardest for new drivers. TMR describes the skill in three parts: scan the road, recognise which hazards need a response, and respond safely. You can take it on any device, but a laptop or desktop with a bigger screen is recommended, and you cannot save your progress part way through.

Learners in Indigenous communities can sit an offline version through the Indigenous Driver Licensing Unit during community visits.

Test day checklist for the Q-SAFE practical test

Your fee is not refunded if you arrive late, have not met the logbook requirements, do not have the owner's permission, or bring an unsafe car.

1. Arrive at least 20 minutes early and register with a customer service officer inside the centre.
2. Bring your current learner licence or Digital Licence (phone switched off for the test).
3. Bring a registered, roadworthy car that meets the standard test vehicle requirements, with L plates correctly displayed. TMR does not supply cars.
4. Have the car's registration number and the registered operator's permission to use it.
5. Bring a current medical certificate if you have a condition that affects driving.

During and after the test

Our deeper guides, Q-SAFE driving test: what the Queensland examiner checks and Queensland hazard perception test: online, after 6 months on Ls, go into each test in detail.

• The examiner gives instructions before you start and cannot answer questions that might help your driving once the test begins.
• You will be asked to complete tasks while following the road rules; you will never be asked to do anything illegal or unsafe.
• Even if the car has blind-spot mirrors, reverse cameras or driver assist systems, you must still do head checks and show you can drive without the technology.
• Driving errors are scored, and some critical errors end the test straight away. The Q-SAFE Driver Licence Assessment manual explains the scoring and is publicly available.
• If you pass, pay the licence fee, remove the L plates before you leave and display your P plates. A high-powered test car cannot be driven away by a new P plater under 25.

Common mistakes

• Booking the practical test before passing the HPT. The test will be cancelled and you lose the fee.
• Relying on blind-spot mirrors or a reverse camera. Examiners expect head checks and mirror use.
• Bringing a car without the owner's permission or with a fault such as a broken light.
• Cancelling the day before the test. You need at least 2 business days' notice to keep the fee.

Test yourself: The Queensland driving test and hazard perception

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

Go deeper

• Queensland Hazard Perception Test
• Q-Safe Driving Test
• Driving in Brisbane Tunnels and on Queensland Motorways