Photo: Alpha, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Age-based licence checks in Australia vary a lot between states. NSW requires a yearly medical from 75 and a driving assessment every 2 years from 85, WA requires a yearly medical from 80, the ACT requires one from 75, and Queensland drivers aged 75 and over must carry a current medical certificate. Victoria has no age-based test, and Tasmania ended compulsory medicals at 75 in 2014. This page sets out the rules in each state as of November 2026, for older drivers, their families, and adults learning to drive for the first time later in life.
Key facts
- Every state requires you to report a medical condition that affects your driving, whatever your age. Age-based checks come on top of that.
- NSW: annual medical and eyesight test from 75; practical driving assessment every 2 years from 85, or a modified local-area licence instead.
- Queensland: from 75 you must always carry a current medical certificate when you drive.
- WA: annual medical assessment from 80 before each renewal.
- SA: annual self-assessment for car licence holders over 75 with no medical condition recorded; a doctor’s certificate of fitness instead in some cases.
- ACT: eye tests at 50, 60, 65 and 70, and a yearly medical from 75.
- Victoria: no licence test at any particular age.
Older driver rules in each state compared
| Jurisdiction | Age-based requirement (car licence) | Driving test? |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | From 75: pass a medical assessment and eyesight test every year | From 85: practical driving assessment every 2 years, unless you choose a modified (local area) licence |
| Victoria | None. Keeping your licence depends on your behaviour and medical fitness to drive | No age-based test |
| Queensland | From 75: you must carry a current medical certificate whenever you drive | Not age-based; check with TMR |
| WA | From 80: annual medical assessment with your doctor before your licence is renewed | Only if your doctor requests one, or from 85 if you want to keep a Light Rigid (LR) or higher class |
| SA | Over 75 with a car licence and no recorded medical condition: annual self-assessment. Certificate of fitness instead if you have a reported condition under periodic review, or from 70 if you hold a class other than car (unless you downgrade) | No age-based test |
| Tasmania | None since October 2014, when compulsory annual medicals for drivers 75 and over without a medical condition ended | No age-based test |
| ACT | Eye test at 50, 60, 65 and 70. From 75: yearly medical assessment from your doctor | Not age-based for car licences. Public vehicle and heavy vehicle licence holders need annual medical and driving assessments from 70 |
| NT | Not age-based. Keeping your licence depends on your driving behaviour and medical fitness. You pass an eyesight test when you first apply, and you may need further vision assessments depending on your circumstances or licence conditions | No age-based test; check with the MVR |
The NSW rules come from the 2022 Road User Handbook and the Tasmanian point from a 2014 Tasmanian document. Confirm current requirements with Transport for NSW, Transport Tasmania or the NT MVR before relying on them.
NSW: 75 and 85
- From 75: pass a medical assessment and eyesight test every year to keep your licence.
- From 85: you also take a practical driving assessment every 2 years.
- The alternative: if you no longer need a full licence, you can choose a modified licence that limits you to your local area. With that, no practical driving assessment is needed.
Licence types and fees: NSW licence and test fees 2026.
Queensland: the medical certificate rule at 75
Queensland has no upper age limit on driving if you can drive safely. Once you are 75 or older, you must always carry a current medical certificate when driving. Ask your GP how long your certificate lasts and diary the renewal well before it expires. Details are on the qld.gov.au page “Driving when you’re 75 and over”.
WA: the annual medical from 80
- About 12 weeks before your licence expires, DTMI posts you a Medical Assessment Certificate (Form M108A).
- Fill in the driving history and medical question sections, then book a medical with your doctor. Bring the form, a list of your medications, and any glasses or hearing aids you use.
- Your doctor sends the completed form to DTMI.
- Your doctor may ask you to pass a Practical Driving Assessment before renewal.
- If you are found fit, you are sent a new licence or a renewal notice. You must still validate it online, through DoTDirect, by phone on 13 11 56, or in person, even if no fee is payable.
An annual PDA is compulsory from 85 only if you want to keep a Light Rigid or higher class. WA’s Drive Safe handbook (section 2.4) also says doctors concerned about a person’s fitness may recommend a driving assessment. Concessions on renewal fees are available to eligible seniors, pensioner and veteran card holders.
SA: the self-assessment from 75
- If you hold a car licence, are over 75 and have no medical condition recorded, you complete a self-assessment every year. Service SA sends a notice around your birthday.
- Complete it online through your mySAGOV account (in a web browser, not the app), on the paper form returned in person at a Service SA centre or by post, or by phone on 13 10 84. Return it by the due date.
- If you answer “yes” or “unsure” to any question, take the form to a doctor to complete.
- If you already have a medical condition recorded, you submit a certificate of fitness completed by a medical practitioner instead. The same applies if you hold a driver accreditation.
- From 70, if you hold a class other than car, such as heavy vehicle or motorbike, you need a certificate of fitness unless you downgrade your licence. Car, light rigid and motorbike holders use form MR712; medium rigid and heavier classes use MR713.
ACT: eye tests from 50, medicals from 75
- Take an eye test when you turn 50, 60, 65 and 70. An optometrist, doctor or Access Canberra Service Centre can do it, and the result is valid for 6 months.
- From 75, see your doctor for a medical assessment every year. Your doctor completes the Driver Licence Medical form, which is valid for 6 months.
- Access Canberra may also ask for a driving assessment by an occupational therapist.
Victoria, Tasmania and the NT
Victoria’s transport department says drivers aren’t required to pass a licence test at any particular age. All Victorian licence holders must report serious, permanent or long-term conditions to VicRoads Medical Review. Victoria may offer a conditional licence to keep you driving, for example local roads only, daylight or off-peak only, or with vehicle modifications.
Tasmania ended compulsory annual medicals for drivers 75 and over without a medical condition in October 2014. Drivers are expected to self-assess regularly and report conditions themselves.
In the NT, keeping your licence depends on your driving behaviour and medical fitness, not your age, and the rules on reporting medical conditions apply at every age. You need an eyesight test when you first apply. You may also be asked for periodic vision assessments to show you still meet the standard. Follow any conditions on your licence and ask the MVR what you need when you renew.
Worried about an older family member’s driving?
- Talk to them first. Tasmania’s guidance suggests raising it directly and, if they won’t discuss it, encouraging them to see their doctor for an objective opinion.
- Suggest a self-check. SA’s self-assessment and Victoria’s ageing and safe driving guide are useful starting points.
- Look at conditional options. A local-area licence (NSW) or daylight-only conditions (Victoria) can keep someone independent.
- If they refuse and you believe they are unsafe, you can notify the licensing authority. Tasmania accepts third-party notifications and keeps the notifier’s details confidential.
The ACT Government also points to Thriving Without Driving, a resource for planning life after driving.
Learning to drive for the first time when you are older
You follow the same learner steps as anyone else: knowledge test, learner licence, supervised practice, hazard perception test where it applies, and a driving test. What changes:
- Shorter minimums for adults. Most states cut the learner period or logbook hours once you are 25 or older. See learning to drive over 25 in Australia.
- Medical declaration and eyesight test. You declare conditions and medications when you apply, as every applicant does. See medical conditions and fitness to drive.
- Age-based checks. The checks above are tied to holding a licence at a given age. If you are already past a threshold, ask the licensing authority when you apply how and when they will apply to you.
- Automatic or manual. Most states put a condition on your licence if you pass in an automatic. See automatic licence conditions in each state.
- Budget for lessons and fees. See the cost of getting a licence in Australia.
Common questions
Is there a maximum age for driving in Australia?
Queensland says there is no age limit on driving if you can drive safely. The rules in each state and territory, set out above, are about checking fitness at set ages, through medicals, eye tests or driving assessments. If you are unsure what applies to you, ask your state or territory licensing authority.
At what age do you need a medical to drive in NSW?
From 75, every year, together with an eyesight test. From 85 you also take a practical driving assessment every 2 years, unless you choose a modified local-area licence.
Do older drivers in Victoria have to retest?
No. Victoria has no age-based licence test. You must still report serious or long-term medical conditions to VicRoads Medical Review.
What happens if I fail the WA seniors medical?
If you don’t pass the medical assessment or meet the safe driving standards, your licence can’t be renewed. DTMI tells you in writing and explains your rights of appeal. Once your licence expires, you can’t drive.
Can I keep driving while waiting for my SA certificate to be processed?
Yes. Once you have submitted the form, you may keep driving unless your doctor or Service SA tells you otherwise.
Do these rules apply to drivers moving from interstate?
The rules follow the licence you hold. Once you transfer to a new state, its age-based checks apply. See moving to NSW, moving to Queensland, moving to Victoria and moving to WA.
National overview: the Australian Road Rules explained.
Sources
- Transport for NSW, “Road User Handbook”, Medical conditions and disability: As you get older (nsw.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Planning Victoria, “Ageing and safe driving” (transport.vic.gov.au)
- Queensland Government, “Driving when you’re 75 and over” (qld.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure WA, “Renew your driver’s licence (seniors 80 years or more)”, “Report a medical condition” and “Booking a PDA” (transport.wa.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure WA, “Drive Safe: A handbook for Western Australian road users”, section 2.4 Seniors Assessments (transport.wa.gov.au)
- Government of South Australia, “Complete your self assessment” and “Submit your certificate of fitness to drive”, Department for Infrastructure and Transport, both last updated 5 November 2026 (sa.gov.au, Driving and transport, Licences, Fitness to drive)
- Government of South Australia, “The Driver’s Handbook” (MR200, February 2026), Fitness to drive responsibilities (mylicence.sa.gov.au)
- Department of State Growth Tasmania, “Ceasing compulsory medicals for drivers aged 75 and over in Tasmania: frequently asked questions” (transport.tas.gov.au)
- Access Canberra, “Medical conditions and fitness to drive” and “Renew or replace your driver licence” (accesscanberra.act.gov.au)
- ACT City Services, “Driving as an older adult” (cityservices.act.gov.au)
- Northern Territory Government, “Road Users’ Handbook”, Medical fitness to hold a licence (nt.gov.au)
- Road Safety NT, “Seniors” (roadsafety.nt.gov.au)
- Northern Territory Government, “Eyesight tests” and “Renew your driver licence” (nt.gov.au)