Photo: Kat Smith, Pexels
Learning to drive in Tasmania follows the graduated licensing pathway that started on 1 December 2020: a single learner stage, a Hazard Perception Test, the P1 driving assessment, then red P1 and green P2 plates before a full licence. This guide is for new Tasmanian drivers and their parents. It sets out every stage, the minimum ages and times, the fees and where to find more detail.
Key facts
- You can start the Plates Plus course and driver knowledge test at 15 years and 11 months. Your learner licence is issued at 16.
- Learners must hold the licence for at least 12 continuous months and log 80 supervised hours, including 15 at night.
- Most learners must pass the online Hazard Perception Test before they can book the P1 driving assessment.
- You must be at least 17 to sit the P1 practical driving assessment.
- Zero alcohol (0.00 BAC) applies at every novice stage, and you must carry your licence whenever you drive.
- The fastest route is learner at 16, P1 at 17, P2 at 18 and a full licence at 20.
The Tasmanian licensing stages at a glance
| Stage | Minimum entry | Minimum time | Plates | Top speed | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-learner | 15 years 11 months | None | None | Cannot drive | Not applicable |
| Learner | 16 years, knowledge test passed | 12 continuous months, 80 hours logged | L plates | 90 km/h | No use at all |
| P1 | 17 years, HPT and P1 assessment passed | 12 continuous months | Red on white P plates | 100 km/h | No use at all |
| P2 | 12 months on P1 without a restart offence | 12 months to 2 years, depending on age | Green on white P plates | Posted limit | Hands-free or speaker only |
| Full | P2 period completed | None | None | Posted limit | Hands-free or properly mounted only |
Step by step: from pre-learner to full licence in Tasmania
- Get a Plates Plus client ID. Apply online through the Plates Plus site (it arrives within one to two business days) or ask at a Service Tasmania shop, taking your evidence of identity.
- Pass the driver knowledge test. Either complete the free Plates Plus course and test online, or sit the standalone test at a Service Tasmania shop. See the Tasmanian driver knowledge test and Plates Plus course.
- Collect your learner licence at Service Tasmania. You show identity, have your photo taken, complete a medical declaration, take an eye test and pay the fee. You must be 16.
- Drive with a supervisor for at least 12 months. Log 80 hours including 15 at night, in the paper logbook or the Plates Plus logbook app. Credit hours are available. See Tasmanian learner rules and the 80 logbook hours.
- Pass the Hazard Perception Test. It is free and online, and opens three months before your earliest P1 test date. See the Tasmania Hazard Perception Test.
- Pass the P1 practical driving assessment. About 30 minutes on the road with two set exercises. See the Tasmanian P1 driving assessment.
- Drive solo on red P1 plates for 12 months. If you avoid restart offences, disqualification and suspension, you move to P2 automatically. Your licence card covers both stages.
- Drive on green P2 plates. Two years if you are under 23 when you get P2. See Tasmanian P1 and P2 rules.
- Move to your full licence. If your Ps are offence free, you get a free three-year licence through the safer driver reward. See getting your full licence in Tasmania.
Licence classes and conditions that affect new Tasmanian drivers
- Class C (car): any vehicle up to 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass that seats up to 12 adults including the driver. The minimum age for a class C licence is 17.
- Heavy vehicle classes (LR, MR, HR, HC, MC): each needs a class C licence held for a set time first. Plates Plus covers car licensing only.
- Automatic or manual: pass the P1 assessment in an automatic and your licence carries condition A (automatic vehicles only). Pass in a manual and you can drive both.
- Removing condition A: Service Tasmania can remove it once it has been on your licence for at least three years. Before then you need to pass a driving assessment in a manual car.
- Other conditions appear as codes on the back of your licence, for example S (visual aids required) or Z (no alcohol in body). They apply anywhere in Australia.
How much does it cost to get a licence in Tasmania?
Fees as of November 2026, from the Department of State Growth fee schedule:
| Item | Standard fee |
|---|---|
| Plates Plus course and driver knowledge test | Free |
| Learner licence (novice) | $40.68 |
| Hazard Perception Test | Free |
| P1 driving assessment (novice, car) | $108.93 including GST |
| Provisional licence, P1 and P2 issue | $68.12 |
| Full licence after offence-free Ps (safer driver reward, 3 years) | $0.00 |
| Paper learner driver logbook | $7.60 |
| Printed Tasmanian Road Rules handbook | $6.90 |
Authorised P1 Driving Assessors in the private sector can charge extra for tuition or car hire, so check before you book.
What if you held an L1 or L2 before December 2020?
People who already held an L1, L2, P1 or P2 licence on 1 December 2020 follow a transition pathway. For example, former L2 holders need 50 hours and nine months instead of 80 hours and 12 months, and do not sit the HPT. See Tasmania L1 and L2 explained.
Rules, offences and study
- The plain-English road rules are in the Tasmanian Road Rules handbook: our chapter-by-chapter study guide.
- Learners and P platers face suspension at 4 demerit points and can be forced to restart P1: Tasmanian demerit points for learners and P platers.
- To compare Tasmania with other states, see learner licence rules in every state and P plate rules in every state.
- Driving on the mainland on Tasmanian plates: driving interstate on L or P plates.
- Alcohol and drug testing: zero alcohol for learners and P platers.
Common questions
How old do you have to be to get your Ls in Tasmania?
You can do the course and knowledge test from 15 years and 11 months, but the learner licence is only issued once you turn 16.
How old do you have to be to get your Ps in Tasmania?
At least 17, with 12 continuous months on your learner licence, 80 logged hours and (for most learners) a pass in the Hazard Perception Test.
Can learners drive at 100 km/h in Tasmania?
No. Learners must not exceed 90 km/h, even where the limit is higher. P1 drivers are capped at 100 km/h.
Can you get your P1 early in Tasmania?
Only in exceptional circumstances, such as losing a job or being unable to reach medical treatment or study. You must be 17, have held your learner licence for at least 9 months, have all 80 hours logged and have no other way of getting around, including public transport. You apply with the P1 eligibility exemption form.
Do I need a new licence card for P2?
No. Under the current system one card covers P1 and P2, and you move to P2 automatically after 12 clean months.
Does Plates Plus cover motorcycles?
No. Plates Plus is for car licences only. Motorcycle and heavy vehicle licensing is handled through Transport Services and external providers.
Sources
- Department of State Growth, “Plates Plus Tasmania: graduated licensing system for drivers” (platesplus.tas.gov.au)
- Department of State Growth, “Getting your licence” (platesplus.tas.gov.au)
- Department of State Growth, “Summary of novice car licensing pathway” (platesplus.tas.gov.au)
- Department of State Growth, “P1 eligibility exemption” (platesplus.tas.gov.au)
- Department of State Growth, “Course frequently asked questions” (platesplus.tas.gov.au)
- Transport Services Tasmania, “Licence classes” (transport.tas.gov.au)
- Transport Services Tasmania, “Licence conditions” (transport.tas.gov.au)
- Transport Services Tasmania, “Licensing and assessment fees” (transport.tas.gov.au)