Photo: Kerry Raymond, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Learning to drive in Queensland means passing PrepL, holding a learner licence for at least a year, passing the hazard perception test (normally taken online) and then the Q-Safe practical driving test. If you are under 25 you also need a logbook with 100 supervised hours, 10 of them at night. You can get your Ls at 16, your red P1 at 17, your green P2 at 18 and an open licence from 20. This guide sets out every step, what changes if you are 25 or older, and the 2026 fees.
Key facts
- Learner licence: from age 16, after passing a road rules test (normally PrepL). You can start PrepL from 15 years and 11 months.
- Minimum time on Ls: 1 year before you can move to a provisional licence.
- Logbook: 100 hours including 10 at night if you are under 25.
- Hazard perception test: normally online, after at least 6 months on your Ls, and passed before you book the driving test. An offline version is run by the Indigenous Driver Licensing Unit during community visits, and TMR (13 23 80) can help if you cannot do the test online.
- Licence path: learner, P1 (red), P2 (green), open. Minimum ages 16, 17, 18 and 20.
- Department: the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), phone 13 23 80.
The steps from L plates to an open licence in Queensland
For a learner under 25 with no motorcycle licence, the path looks like this.
- Pass PrepL. The online course and assessment takes about 4 to 6 hours. You need 27 out of 30 to pass. See PrepL and the Queensland road rules test.
- Get your learner licence at a TMR customer service centre (see below for what to bring).
- Drive with a supervisor and fill in your logbook. 100 hours, 10 at night. See the Queensland learner logbook and Queensland learner rules.
- Sit the hazard perception test after 6 months on your Ls. See the Queensland hazard perception test.
- Submit your logbook and wait for approval. TMR asks you to submit at least 12 business days before your test. Wait for approval before relying on it.
- Pass the Q-Safe practical driving test once you have held your Ls for at least 1 year and are 17 or older. See the Q-Safe practical driving test and Q-Safe manoeuvres and re-sit rules.
- Drive on red P1 plates, then green P2 plates, then upgrade to an open licence. See Queensland P1 and P2 rules.
How long each licence stage lasts
| Stage | Minimum age | Minimum time held | Plates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learner | 16 | 1 year before P1 (2 years if you have a logbook exemption) | L plates, black on yellow |
| P1 provisional | 17 | 1 year | Red P |
| P2 provisional | 18 | 2 years if you got your P1 under 23 and your P2 under 25; otherwise 1 year | Green P |
| Open | 20 | Not applicable | None |
Time on a licence must be within the last 5 years. TMR says time while your licence is suspended, surrendered, cancelled or expired does not count, but the time does not have to be continuous.
Worked example
You get your Ls on your 16th birthday, pass Q-Safe at 17 and go onto P1. After a year you move to P2 at 18. Because you got P1 under 23 and P2 under 25, you hold P2 for 2 years and can upgrade to an open licence at 20.
What if you are 25 or older?
Under the Driver Licensing Regulation, the logbook rules only apply to learners under 25. If you are 25 or older when you apply for your provisional licence, you skip P1 entirely:
- hold your learner licence for at least 1 year
- pass the hazard perception test (after 6 months on your Ls) and the practical driving test
- go straight onto a P2 licence, which you hold for 1 year before an open licence
If you were first granted a P1 at 24, you can move from P1 to an open licence after 1 year without a P2 stage.
Applying for your learner licence card
You apply in person at a TMR customer service centre so staff can verify your identity and take your photo. TMR’s online service says to bring:
- original identity documents, unless you hold a Queensland licence or photo card: most people need 3, one from Category A, one from Category B and one more from either (photocopies and certified copies are not accepted)
- a Category C document if your Queensland home address is not on those, and a Category D document if your name differs from them
- a current medical certificate if you have a medical condition likely to affect your ability to drive safely
The regulation lets TMR issue a licence for a term of 1 to 5 years. TMR’s fees page lists the car learner licence as a 3-year licence.
Eyesight and medical conditions
Queensland’s “Jet’s law” provisions in the Driver Licensing Regulation require you to tell TMR about a permanent or long-term medical condition that is likely to affect your ability to drive safely, and to tell them again if it gets worse. You normally need a medical certificate from your doctor when you report, but not if you are only reporting that you need glasses or contact lenses to drive. TMR may put conditions on your licence. If you are unsure whether your eyesight or a condition needs reporting, ask your doctor and TMR before you apply.
Queensland driver licence types
- Learner licence: you can only drive with a supervisor.
- P1 and P2 provisional licences: you drive alone with red or green plates and extra restrictions.
- Probationary licence: issued after a disqualification ends, with tighter conditions.
- Restricted licence: a court-ordered licence for specific driving, such as work, in limited circumstances.
- Open licence: the full licence.
Motorbikes: a class C car licence does not let you ride a motorbike. Queensland has two motorbike classes, RE (the lower class) and R. Under the Driver Licensing Regulation, you generally need to be at least 18 and have held a car P or open licence for at least 1 year in the last 5 years before getting a class RE learner licence, and you can only learn to ride a class R motorbike after holding a class RE P or open licence for at least 2 years. To get the RE licence you pass a motorbike hazard perception test, then complete Q-Ride training with a registered provider, or, if you live more than 100 km from a Q-Ride training area, you can take a practical riding test instead.
Learner and P plate drivers can only have 4 demerit points in a year. See Queensland demerit points and licence sanctions.
Queensland learner and P plate fees (from 1 July 2026)
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| PrepL or written road rules test | $29.70 |
| Learner licence (3 years) | $80.15 |
| Hazard perception test | $42.70 |
| Practical driving test | $69.40 |
| Provisional licence, 1 year / 3 years / 5 years | $94.65 / $163.25 / $212.00 |
Fees are indexed each July. Check the current figures on the TMR licence fees page before you pay.
Study material
The official handbook is Your keys to driving in Queensland. TMR has flagged that it is being reviewed for the e-scooter and e-bike rules that started on 1 July 2026. See our study guide to Your keys to driving in Queensland. For road rules that apply in particular places, read hazardous localities in Queensland and driving in Brisbane tunnels.
Common questions
Can I get my Ls in Queensland at 15?
No. You can start PrepL online from 15 years and 11 months, but the learner licence itself needs you to be at least 16.
What is the fastest way to a Queensland open licence?
Starting at 16, the minimum is 1 year on Ls, 1 year on P1 and 2 years on P2, which brings you to an open licence at 20. Any suspension adds time.
Do I need a logbook if I am over 25?
No. The 100 hour logbook only applies if you are under 25. You still need 1 year on your Ls, the hazard perception test and the practical test.
I have a licence from another state. Do I start again?
No. Interstate licences transfer, but you must swap within 3 months of moving. See moving to Queensland.
Can I drive in another state on Queensland L or P plates?
Generally yes, but check the rules first. See driving interstate on L or P plates.
How does Queensland compare with other states?
See learner licence rules compared and P plate rules compared.
Sources
- Queensland Government, “Transport Operations (Road Use Management: Driver Licensing) Regulation 2021”, current as at 21 September 2026 (legislation.qld.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Main Roads, “Enrol in PrepL” (service.transport.qld.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Main Roads, “Bookings online: book a driving test” (service.transport.qld.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Main Roads, “Enrol in hazard perception test” (service.transport.qld.gov.au)
- Queensland Government, “Driver tests: written and online” (qld.gov.au)
- Queensland Government, “Licence fees” (qld.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Main Roads, “Your keys to driving in Queensland” (publications.qld.gov.au)
- Queensland Government, “Learner logbook” (qld.gov.au)
- Queensland Government, “Car hazard perception test” (qld.gov.au)
- Queensland Government, “Evidence (proof) of identity for individuals” (qld.gov.au)
- Queensland Government, “Reporting your medical condition” (qld.gov.au)