Photo: The Q915, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
People with a disability can learn to drive and hold a licence in every Australian state. The usual route is to declare your condition, get a medical report and an occupational therapist (OT) driving assessment, learn in a car with any modifications you need, and then pass the test in that car. Your licence may carry conditions, such as driving only a modified car. This guide explains each step, what NSW and Victoria require, and the support available if you find reading or the knowledge test hard.
Key facts
- You must declare any medical condition or disability that could affect your driving when you apply. The NSW, Victorian, WA, SA, ACT and NT handbooks all say so.
- An OT driver assessment can recommend vehicle modifications, training and licence conditions.
- In NSW you cannot book a disability driving test online. Book in person at a service centre or on 13 22 13.
- In Victoria the OT assessment is not covered by Medicare or VicRoads. The NDIS, WorkCover or the TAC may help with costs in some cases.
- A medical condition does not mean you cannot be licensed. Many drivers get a licence with conditions (NT handbook).
Step by step: the usual route
- Declare the condition on your learner licence application.
- Get a medical report from your doctor about your fitness to drive. In Victoria, the report goes to the medical review team before you learn to drive or sit the licence test.
- Have an OT driver assessment if your doctor or the licensing authority asks for one. It usually has an off-road part and an on-road part.
- Check what approval your modifications need before they are fitted. In Victoria this can include a VASS approval certificate.
- Take lessons in a car with the modifications, ideally with an instructor experienced in modified cars.
- Pass the driving test in a car that has the fittings you need.
- Receive your licence, with any conditions printed on it.
NSW: disability driving test rules
To book a disability driving test in NSW you must:
- be 16 or over and have a completed licence application
- have passed the OT assessment, an eyesight test and the Driver Knowledge Test
- have a vehicle with the right modifications fitted
- pay the test fee.
Book in person at a service centre or by calling 13 22 13. If you need special fittings to drive, you must pass the test in a vehicle that has them. Transport for NSW decides whether a disability has a serious effect on your driving. If it does, the test checks your ability and whether you need aids or modifications. People with a minor disability may be told to sit the standard test instead. Find an OT through Occupational Therapy Australia.
Victoria: medical review, OT and modifications
- A medical report must go to Transport Victoria’s medical review team before you learn to drive or sit the licence test.
- An OT qualified in driver assessment assesses how your abilities affect driving and can recommend modifications or training. VicRoads keeps a list of assessors, but it does not endorse any of them.
- Modifications are listed as a condition on your learner permit or licence. You may only drive a vehicle with them fitted.
- Before modifying a car, get OT advice and check whether you need a VASS approval certificate.
- Normal learner rules still apply, including your supervisor and logbook. See Victorian learner permit rules.
- A medical review usually leads to a conditional licence rather than a cancellation. Examples are modifications or daylight-only driving. VicRoads makes the final decision.
Other states and territories
| State | What the official handbook says |
|---|---|
| QLD | Check with TMR how to declare a condition and whether you need an assessment |
| WA | You must declare medical conditions and medication on the application. Doctors may recommend a driving assessment |
| SA | Declare any illness, disease or disability truthfully on applications. If it develops later, tell the Registrar of Motor Vehicles in writing as soon as possible |
| TAS | Check with Transport Tasmania |
| ACT | Report any medical condition that may affect your driving to the ACT Road Transport Authority |
| NT | Notify the Registrar if a condition, including disability, mental illness or eyesight, could affect your driving. Some conditions need an on-road OT assessment. Health professionals must also notify the Registrar if they believe a patient’s condition could affect driving |
Help with the knowledge test
| State | Support |
|---|---|
| NSW | Book the in-person DKT for an assistant reader, interpreter or Auslan. For the HPT, staff can read and explain questions if you arrange it before booking |
| VIC | Auslan or sign language interpreter for the in-person test; tell VicRoads when you book |
| WA | Oral test for people who have trouble reading or using computers |
| NT | Verbal test at some MVR offices. If you have a physical or mental impairment, talk to the MVR before booking |
| QLD, SA, TAS, ACT | Ask when you book. Queensland can arrange a staff member to help with the written test if you cannot complete PrepL online |
Language support is covered in learner tests in other languages.
Paying for assessments and modifications
- In Victoria, OT assessments are not covered by Medicare or VicRoads.
- Transport Victoria says the NDIS, WorkCover or the TAC may help with costs, depending on your situation.
- In other states, ask your OT about funding before you commit to modifications.
Common questions
Can I get my Ls if I have a disability?
Yes, in every state. You declare the condition, and the licensing authority decides whether you need a medical report or assessment first.
Do I have to use my own modified car for the test?
In NSW you must pass the test in a vehicle with the fittings you need. Check with your state who can supply the car.
What does an OT driving assessment involve?
NSW describes it as an on-road and off-road assessment. The OT judges how your abilities affect driving and can recommend modifications, training or licence conditions.
Will my licence have conditions?
Possibly. Common examples are driving only a vehicle with specified modifications, or daylight-only driving.
I have dyslexia. Can I get help with the theory test?
Yes in several states: an assistant reader in NSW, an oral test in WA and a verbal test in the NT. Elsewhere, ask when you book.
What if my condition starts after I get my licence?
You must tell your licensing authority. NSW, Victoria, SA and the NT say this directly.
Related guides
- Medical conditions and driving in Australia
- Learner licence rules in every Australian state compared
- Automatic licence conditions in each state
- Practical driving tests in every state compared
- NSW Driver Knowledge Test
Sources
- NSW Government, “Driving assessments” (nsw.gov.au)
- Transport for NSW, “Road User Handbook”, Medical conditions and disability (nsw.gov.au)
- NSW Government, “Driver Knowledge Test” and “Hazard Perception Test” (nsw.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Planning, “Licences and medical conditions” and “Vehicle modifications for drivers with a disability” (transport.vic.gov.au)
- VicRoads, “Occupational therapy and driving” (vicroads.vic.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Planning, “Road to Solo Driving” handbook (transport.vic.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure WA, “Drive Safe” handbook (transport.wa.gov.au)
- Government of South Australia, “The Driver’s Handbook (MR200, February 2026)” (mylicence.sa.gov.au)
- Access Canberra, “ACT Road Rules Handbook” (accesscanberra.act.gov.au)
- Northern Territory Government, “Road Users’ Handbook” and “Get your driver licence” (nt.gov.au)