NSW Driver Knowledge Test: Online vs In Person, Fees and Tips

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The NSW Driver Knowledge Test (DKT) is the road rules test you pass to get your learner licence. You can take it online as a 4 to 6 hour course from 15 years and 11 months, or in person at a service centre from age 16. Both cost $58 (from 1 July 2026), but online covers unlimited attempts while in person is per attempt. This guide compares the two, explains what the questions cover and how to prepare.

Key facts

• Fee: $58 online (unlimited attempts) or $58 for each in-person attempt, effective 1 July 2026.
• Online: enrol from 15 years 11 months; you still cannot get your Ls until 16.
• Online retake: if you fail, go back over the modules and retake after 12 hours.
• In person: from 16, multiple choice on a computer, same-day resit possible if a slot is free.
• Questions come from the official Class C question bank, grouped into General Knowledge, Road Safety and Traffic Signs.

DKT online vs DKT in person

Which should you pick? Online suits most learners: you start a month before your 16th birthday, work at your own pace and pay once. Choose in person if you need an interpreter, Auslan, an assistant reader, or a language only offered in person (such as Greek or Turkish).

How many questions are on the NSW DKT and what is the pass mark?

The NSW Government’s DKT page does not state the number of questions in the test or the pass mark, and the current Road User Handbook does not either. What is official:

• Transport for NSW publishes the full Class C question bank as a PDF (“Driver Knowledge Test Questions Class C (Car) Licence”).
• The bank is split into three sections: General Knowledge, Road Safety and Traffic Signs.
• Road Safety questions cover speed, alcohol and drugs, fatigue, seatbelts, and negligent driving.
• Every question is multiple choice with three answers, and each points to the Road User Handbook.

Unofficial sites quote specific question counts and section pass marks. Treat those as unconfirmed and check with Service NSW on 13 22 13 if you want the exact current figures. The safest plan is to know every question in the bank.

How to prepare for the DKT

1. Read the Road User Handbook. Our NSW Road User Handbook study guide breaks it down by chapter.
2. Download the official Class C question bank PDF from nsw.gov.au and work through all three sections.
3. Use the official NSW practice test (linked from the DKT page on nsw.gov.au).
4. Focus on the rules that catch learners out: licence restrictions, speed limits, give way and alcohol limits.

Topics worth extra time:

• NSW learner, P1 and P2 restrictions
• NSW speed limits for learners and P platers
• Giving way in Australia
• Australian road signs explained

Step by step: DKT online

1. Create a MyServiceNSW Account if you do not have one.
2. Enrol in the DKT online. You need an Australian identity document or an existing NSW customer number (such as from a licence or photo card). Without one, prove your identity at a service centre.
3. Work through the course, quizzes and practice tests. Text-to-speech is built in.
4. Sit the test. Fail, and you can retake after 12 hours.
5. Once you pass and are 16, go to a service centre (no booking) with your identity documents. Pay the test fee and the $32 learner licence fee.

Step by step: DKT in person

1. Book and pay at Service NSW. Choose your service centre.
2. Bring a completed licence application form (Form 1001), your proof of identity documents, and glasses or contacts if you wear them.
3. Pass the eyesight test and the DKT.
4. Pay the learner licence fee. You get a temporary paper licence on the day and your card by post.

Cheating and bribes

The official question bank says that if you are caught cheating on the knowledge test, you cannot take another test for 6 weeks. Offering a bribe can lead to fines and prison.

Extra support

• Driver Licensing Access Program (DLAP): free help for Aboriginal people and people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Some DLAP participants do not pay the in-person test fee.
• Get licensed, get legal, get work: help with literacy, numeracy and computer skills.
• Assistant reader or interpreter: call 13 22 13 and book the in-person test.

Once you pass, the next stage is your log book: see the NSW learner log book guide. For the whole journey, start at learning to drive in NSW.

Common questions

Can I do the NSW DKT at 15?

You can enrol in and pass the online DKT from 15 years and 11 months. You cannot apply for your learner licence until you turn 16.

Is the online DKT easier than the in-person test?

Both test the same rules. The online version teaches the content first, lets you take practice tests, and gives unlimited attempts for one fee, so most learners find it less stressful.

How many times can I fail the DKT?

There is no limit. Online, you wait 12 hours between attempts at no extra cost. In person, you pay $58 for every attempt.

Do I need a booking to get my Ls after passing online?

No. Walk into a service centre, mobile service centre or council agency with your identity documents.

Does passing the DKT expire?

The DKT pages do not set an expiry for an unused pass. Your learner licence lasts 5 years; if it expires you must pass the DKT again.

Can I take the test in another language?

Yes. Online in 9 languages, in person in 10, and with a free interpreter for others (in person only).

Sources

• NSW Government, “Driver Knowledge Test (DKT)” (nsw.gov.au)
• Service NSW, “Driver Knowledge Test (DKT) online” (service.nsw.gov.au)
• Service NSW, “Book a Driver Knowledge Test (DKT) in person” (service.nsw.gov.au)
• Transport for NSW, “Driver Knowledge Test Questions Class C (Car) Licence” (nsw.gov.au)
• Transport for NSW, “Road User Handbook” (nsw.gov.au)
• NSW Government, “Licence and test fees” (nsw.gov.au)