Getting your Victoria learner licence

By the end of this topic you can

• You can check whether you are eligible for a learner permit.
• You can choose between the online and in-person test routes.
• You can gather the right original identity documents.
• You can describe what happens at your VicRoads visit.
• You can explain the main rules that start the day you get your Ls.

What you need to know and understand

• You must be 16 or older to be issued a permit, live at a Victorian residential address and be medically fit to drive.
• You cannot get a permit while disqualified, under a Fines Victoria licence suspension, or with outstanding relicensing requirements.
• The online course takes about 4 to 6 hours, and you have 12 months to finish it after enrolling.
• Your first online test attempt is free; later attempts cost a fee.
• VicRoads needs original documents, not copies.
• Your eyesight is tested when you collect your permit.
• A learner permit is valid for 10 years or until you get your Ps.

Four steps to your Ls

1. Set up a myVicRoads account and enrol in the learner permit course and test.
2. Work through the course and pass the test at the end. You can enrol from 15 years and 11 months, but the permit is only issued once you are 16.
3. Fill in the learner permit application in myVicRoads. VicRoads emails you a QR code and a list of the documents it needs.
4. Take everything to a VicRoads Customer Service Centre. No appointment is needed for this visit if you passed the test online.

Online or in person?

The online route is the default because it includes a free course, not just the test. The course is in English only. You can sit the test in person at a Customer Service Centre instead if you want it in another language, need an interpreter or do not have a computer or internet. In-person tests need a booked appointment and fees apply, so check current costs with VicRoads.

The Road to Solo Driving handbook is the study book for the test, and it is also published in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Turkish and Vietnamese.

Documents and the eyesight check

You prove who you are and that you live in Victoria. Names must match across documents. Typical documents are:

• a Category A document, such as a passport or Australian birth certificate
• a Category B document, such as a Medicare card
• evidence of your current Victorian address if it is not on the other documents
• a medical report, if you have a condition that could affect your driving
• your glasses or contact lenses, if you wear them, for the eyesight test

On the day and after

Staff check your documents, test your eyesight, take your photo and record your signature. You get a temporary permit to use until the card arrives, and you can load a digital permit in the myVicRoads app. At the time of writing the learner permit issue fee is waived under the Victorian Motorist Package, but always confirm current fees with VicRoads.

From your first drive you must carry your permit, show L plates front and back, have a zero blood alcohol concentration, never touch a phone and drive only with a supervisor who holds a full licence. Our Learning to drive in Victoria guide covers what comes next.

Common mistakes

• Bringing photocopies. VicRoads only accepts original documents, even certified copies are refused.
• Forgetting glasses for the eyesight test. Bring them if you normally wear them.
• Rushing the online test. Your first attempt is free, so finish the course properly first.
• Driving in a car park before your permit is issued. You need a permit to practise on roads and in car parks.

Test yourself: Getting your Victoria learner licence

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

Go deeper

• U-Turns in Victoria
• Learning to Drive in Victoria
• Moving to Victoria