Photo: Chris.sherlock2, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If you are under 25, you must log at least 120 hours of supervised driving, including 20 hours at night, before the NSW Driving Test. Two official shortcuts reduce the real hours: 3 for 1 lessons with a driving instructor (up to 20 bonus hours) and the Safer Drivers Course (20 bonus hours). Use both and you need 70 hours of supervised driving plus 10 hours of lessons. This guide explains the rules, the maths and how to record hours on paper or in the Roundtrip app.
Key facts
- 120 hours total, at least 20 at night (sunset to sunrise), for learners under 25.
- No log book needed if you are 25 or older.
- 3 for 1: each hour with a NSW-licensed instructor logs as 3 hours, for up to 10 lesson hours (20 bonus hours).
- Safer Drivers Course: 20 bonus hours, once only. $140, with 1,000 free places a year for eligible learners.
- Roundtrip is the only log book app Transport for NSW accepts (since 29 June 2024).
- App users: submit at least 48 hours before the Driving Test.
How many log book hours do you really need?
| Your plan | Instructor lessons | Bonus hours | Supervised hours still needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervisor only | 0 | 0 | 120 (20 at night) |
| 10 hours of 3 for 1 lessons | 10 | 20 | 90 |
| Safer Drivers Course only | 0 | 20 | 100 |
| Both | 10 | 40 | 70 |
The 70-hour figure is the one Transport for NSW gives for a learner who does the Safer Drivers Course and 10 structured lessons. Bonus hours from night lessons count as day hours only, so plan to get your 20 night hours from real supervised driving.
3 for 1 instructor lessons
- Every 1 hour of structured lesson with a NSW-licensed driving instructor logs as 3 hours.
- Only the first 10 lesson hours earn the bonus, giving a maximum of 20 bonus hours. You can have as many lessons as you like; they just stop earning extra.
- Bonus hours from night lessons count as day hours only.
- Interstate instructors without a NSW instructor licence do not qualify.
- In the paper book, you and the instructor both record the bonus. In the app, enter the instructor and lesson details and it calculates the bonus.
The Safer Drivers Course
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who can do it | NSW learner licence holders under 25 with at least 50 logged hours, including at least 10 at night |
| What counts towards the 50 | Actual driving only; 3 for 1 bonus hours do not count |
| Module 1 | 3-hour group discussion with other learners |
| Module 2 | 2-hour in-car coaching session with a coach and another learner, taking turns to drive and observe |
| Topics | Speed management, gap selection, hazard awareness, safe following distances and staying safe when distracted |
| Cost (as of November 2026) | $140, paid to the provider |
| Credit | 20 log book hours, once only |
Free places: the NSW Government funds 1,000 free places a year. You must meet the normal criteria and also hold a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card in your own name, be a current or former Driver Licensing Access Program participant, or be in or have left Out of Home Care. Apply with the concession form through your provider. Find a provider with Service NSW’s “Find a Safer Drivers Course provider” search, then book with them directly.
Paper log book or app?
| Paper Learner Driver Log Book | Roundtrip app | |
|---|---|---|
| How you get it | Issued with your learner licence | Download and link to your licence |
| Bonus hours | Recorded by you and the instructor | Calculated automatically |
| Before the test | Bring it, completed and signed | Submit at least 48 hours before |
| If lost | Records are lost. Replacement book $18 | Stored in the app |
L2P stopped being accepted on 29 February 2024 and Licence Ready on 29 June 2024. Service NSW can move earlier hours from those apps to a paper book.
What the log book must show at the Driving Test
- At least 120 hours, including 20 at night.
- The 20 learning goals.
- The Declaration of Completion signed by a supervising driver.
An incomplete or late-submitted log book is a reason to terminate the test. See the NSW Driving Test.
Who does not need a log book
- Learners aged 25 or older.
- Anyone who previously held a NSW, interstate or overseas licence other than a learner licence.
- Overseas licence holders issued a learner licence after failing one Driving Test.
- Anyone specifically exempted by Transport for NSW.
Interstate learner hours are recognised if you bring evidence when you apply for your NSW learner licence. See moving to NSW.
Driver Licensing Access Program
DLAP is a free NSW program for Aboriginal people and people from disadvantaged backgrounds who face extra challenges getting a licence, including logging hours. It can also be a route to a free Safer Drivers Course place.
Getting good hours, not just hours
- Plan practice with the official Practice drives weekly planner (on nsw.gov.au).
- Mix road types, traffic levels, weather and times of day. Include freeways (see learners on motorways and freeways).
- Spread your 20 night hours over many drives.
- Work towards the skills the HPT and Driving Test check: following distance, gap selection and scanning. See the NSW Hazard Perception Test guide.
Your supervisor’s duties are covered in supervising a learner driver in NSW. Full journey: learning to drive in NSW.
Common questions
What counts as night driving in the NSW log book?
Driving between sunset and sunrise.
Can I do more than 10 hours of lessons for the bonus?
You can have as many lessons as you want, but only 10 lesson hours earn the 3 for 1 bonus (20 extra hours in total).
Can I do the Safer Drivers Course twice for 40 hours?
No. The 20 bonus hours count once only.
What happens if I write false hours?
False entries are rejected and you can be fined for each one. You can also be barred from the Driving Test for up to 6 weeks.
Do I need to keep logging hours after failing the Driving Test?
No. Your hours still count, though more practice is a good idea. Wait at least 7 days before the next test.
I turn 25 before my test. Do I still need 120 hours?
Transport for NSW says no logged hours are required if you are 25 or over. Check your situation with Service NSW on 13 22 13 before booking.
Sources
- NSW Government, “Using your Learner Driver Log Book” (nsw.gov.au)
- NSW Government, “NSW Safer Drivers Course” (nsw.gov.au)
- Transport for NSW, “Road User Handbook” (nsw.gov.au)
- Transport for NSW, “A Guide to the Driving Test” (nsw.gov.au)
- NSW Government, “Driving Test” (nsw.gov.au)