Photo: DaHuzyBru, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The NT driver knowledge test (the theory test, often called the learners test) has 30 multiple-choice questions, and you need at least 26 right to pass. It is the first step to a Northern Territory learner licence. This guide covers who can sit it, where, the $20 fee, what the questions cover, and what happens after you pass or fail. For the full licence path, see learning to drive in the Northern Territory.
Key facts
- 30 questions picked at random from a pool of more than 300.
- Pass mark: 26 out of 30 (you can get no more than 4 wrong).
- Fee: $20 per attempt as of November 2026. Free for DriveSafe NT participants.
- Minimum age: 16, and you must be an MVR customer.
- Verbal test or interpreter available at some MVR offices.
- A pass stays valid for 12 months if you do not get your licence straight away.
Who can sit the NT theory test?
You must be at least 16 and a Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) customer. If you are not one yet, bring evidence of your identity and NT residency when you sit the test. You also need a completed L1 application for an NT driver licence form.
Where and when you take it
- At any MVR office, up to one hour before the office closes.
- You can book an appointment at MVR Darwin online through Territory Services.
- DriveSafe NT participants sit the knowledge test at the end of their first theory class instead.
- In remote areas, non-participants can sit it at their local police station: see getting a licence in remote NT communities.
How the test works
Each question has three answer options, (a), (b) and (c). The questions come from the official Class C question bank, which covers the whole NT Road Users’ Handbook. During the test you must not:
- get help from anyone or use the handbook, notes, websites or a phone
- speak or signal to anyone except the registry officer
- leave the test area
Anyone caught cheating fails immediately and is banned from taking another test for two weeks.
What topics are in the NT question bank?
The NT Government publishes the full question bank (“Class C Knowledge Test”, January 2021) as a free PDF. Its questions cover:
- traffic signs and what they mean
- intersections, give way rules and turning
- lanes, merging and road markings
- speed limits, including the learner limit
- alcohol, drugs and penalties
- seatbelts and passengers
- pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and long vehicles
- wet weather, fog, night driving and parked vehicles
- crashes: what you must report and what details you must give
- licence rules, such as whether a P plater can supervise a learner (they cannot)
How to prepare
- Read the whole NT Road Users’ Handbook. The handbook says any section can be tested. Use the NT handbook study guide as a checklist.
- Work through the official question bank PDF. Cover the answers and test yourself.
- Take the free practice driver knowledge test on the NT Government website as many times as you like.
- Learn the NT numbers that come up: speed limits, zero alcohol for L and P drivers, and demerit point limits.
- Spend extra time on give way rules, intersections and signs, which come up again and again in the bank. The giving way in Australia guide covers the national rules.
Help with reading or English
If you are not confident with reading or writing, or find English difficult, you can ask for a verbal (spoken) test or an interpreter at some MVR offices. To arrange one:
- Call MVR on 1300 654 628 or visit an MVR office to check what is available in your area.
- Book the test.
- Pay the theory test fee before you sit it.
Interpreters come from the Interpreting and Translating Service NT (ITSNT). If you are not an Australian resident or citizen, you may need to pay ITSNT a fee. If you have a physical or mental impairment, talk to the MVR before booking so arrangements can be made.
After you pass
- Pass an eye test at the MVR office, or hand in a recent eye examination from your doctor or optometrist.
- Pay the learner licence fee ($29 for 2 years as of November 2026; free the first time for DriveSafe NT participants).
- Your learner licence is mailed to you. You can start driving once you have your driver licence receipt.
Then read the NT learner licence rules before your first drive.
If you fail
You can resit as many times as you need, but each attempt costs the fee again. The Learner Drivers’ Guide says you cannot sit it more than once a day. You get a different set of questions each time.
Common questions
How many questions can I get wrong on the NT learners test?
Four. You need at least 26 of the 30 correct.
Can I do the NT knowledge test online?
No. Only the practice test is online. The real test is at an MVR office, through DriveSafe NT, or at a police station in remote areas.
Is the NT test the same as other states?
No. Each state and territory runs its own theory test. The NT test is based on the NT Road Users’ Handbook, including NT rules such as the 80 km/h learner limit.
Do I have to renew my learner licence by resitting the test?
Yes. To renew a learner licence you pass the theory test again and pay the learner licence fee. Do it in the last six weeks before expiry so your 6 months on Ls is not broken.
How long is my pass valid?
12 months. After that, you must pass the test again to get your learner licence.
Sources
- Northern Territory Government, “Get your driver licence” (nt.gov.au)
- Northern Territory Government, “Driver and rider licence fees” (nt.gov.au)
- Motor Vehicle Registry, “Class C Knowledge Test” question bank, January 2021 (nt.gov.au)
- Northern Territory Government, “Road Users’ Handbook”, Fifth Edition, August 2020 (nt.gov.au)
- Motor Vehicle Registry, “Learner Drivers’ Guide”, Second Edition, January 2020 (nt.gov.au)
- DriveSafe NT, “Everything you need to know about DriveSafe” (drivesafe.nt.gov.au)