Photo: Luke Stewart, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The practical driving test is the last hurdle before your Ps in every Australian state and territory. Its length, manoeuvres, scoring and car rules all differ. This checklist compares the on-road test in all eight jurisdictions as of November 2026, so you can prepare for the test you will actually sit and pick a car that will be accepted on the day.
Key facts
- A 90 per cent score with no fail items is the pass standard in NSW and the NT, and for SA’s VORT.
- SA and the ACT let you choose between a one-off test and competency-based training and assessment (CBT&A) with an instructor.
- Victoria, WA and Tasmania need a car with a centrally mounted handbrake the examiner can reach. Victoria bans electronic and foot park brakes for solo tests. The ACT accepts an electric park brake if it is centre-mounted and reachable.
- In NSW, AEB and traction control must stay on. In the NT, cruise control, lane centring and other listed driver aids are banned during the test.
- Minimum age is 17 in NSW, Queensland, WA, SA, Tasmania and the ACT, and 18 in Victoria.
Practical driving tests at a glance
| State | Test | Length | How you pass | Fee (Nov 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | Driving Test with a Service NSW testing officer | Set course of 25 zones | At least 90 per cent, no fail items | $72 |
| VIC | Drive test: pre-drive check plus two stages | About 30 minutes of driving (10 then 20) | Pass stage one to reach stage two; no critical or termination errors | $53.20 plus $22.10 appointment fee |
| QLD | Q-Safe practical driving test | No more than 35 minutes of driving | Examiner assessment, including two manoeuvres | $69.40 |
| WA | Practical Driving Assessment (PDA) | 35 to 50 minutes | Seven assessment items; any automatic fail item ends it | First PDA included in the $150.80 permit fee; resit $120.50 |
| SA | VORT (one test) or CBT&A (30 tasks) | Check with Service SA | VORT: 90 per cent combined, no road law breach | Set by the instructor |
| TAS | P1 driving assessment | About 30 minutes on the road | Marked on seven criteria across six sections | $108.93 (government assessor) |
| ACT | CBT&A (23 competencies) or one-off assessment | One drive (one-off) | Competent in every area | One-off: $133.90 booking fee |
| NT | Practical test with an authorised examiner | About 40 minutes, recorded | At least 90 per cent, no fail items | Set by each examiner |
Eligibility before you can book
| State | Minimum age | Time on Ls (under 25) | Also needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 17 | 12 months | 120 logged hours (20 at night) if under 25; HPT pass within 15 months |
| VIC | 18 | 12 months if under 21 | 120 hours (20 at night) if under 21; HPT pass |
| QLD | 17 | 1 year | HPT pass; TMR-approved logbook (100 hours) if under 25 |
| WA | 17 | 6 months | HPT pass; 50 logged hours (5 at night) if under 25 |
| SA | 17 for P1 | 12 months (6 if 25 or over) | 75 logged hours (15 at night); HPT pass needed before P1 issue, but it can be taken after the practical |
| TAS | 17 | 12 continuous months | 80 logged hours (15 at night); HPT pass in the last 12 months |
| ACT | 17 | 12 months (6 if 25 or over) | 100 logged hours (10 at night) if under 25 at L issue; HPT pass |
| NT | 16 years 6 months (16 plus 6 months on Ls) | 6 months continuous | Test at the location nearest where you live |
Manoeuvres by state
| State | What you may be asked to do |
|---|---|
| NSW | Some of: kerbside stop, hill start, 3-point turn, parking manoeuvre |
| VIC | A low-speed manoeuvre in stage one, such as a reverse parallel park or a three-point turn |
| QLD | Two set manoeuvres, at least one with reversing. Reverse parking must finish within 45 cm of the kerb using no more than 2 reverse movements and 1 forward movement |
| WA | Two exercises, each with two low-speed manoeuvres drawn from a set of ten (including driveway turnarounds, U-turns, reverse parallel parking and angle parking) |
| SA (VORT) | Five slow-speed manoeuvres: parallel park, angle park, moving off, U-turn and 3-point turn, worth 2 marks each |
| TAS | “Left something behind” (turn around twice and park where you started) and “visit a friend” (turn around and reverse parallel park), plus a merge or lane change on an 80 km/h+ road |
| ACT | Competencies include hill starts, reversing, right angle parking, reverse parallel parking, U-turns and 3-point turns |
| NT | Three compulsory: reverse parallel park, three-point turn, and a kerbside stop or hill start |
Car rules that can stop your test
In every state you bring a registered, roadworthy car, and the examiner checks it first. A failed car check usually costs you the fee. State-specific points:
- NSW: no dashcam or device that can record the test. Park assist off for reversing. AEB and traction control stay on.
- VIC: for a solo test the car needs a centrally mounted handbrake the officer can reach, and a speed display they can see. An instructor’s dual-control car is the exception.
- QLD: you need the registered operator’s permission to use the car. You may use a reversing camera, but you must still look around.
- WA: a centrally mounted park brake that holds on a slope. At least 1.5 mm tyre tread. No dash warning lights, including low fuel. No cars under recall or with Takata airbags. Remove the L plates.
- TAS: a handbrake between the front seats, at least 1.5 mm tread, and no brake, ABS, SRS or red stability warning lights.
- ACT: a centre-mounted park brake (electric or manual) within the examiner’s reach, at least a quarter tank of fuel, and L plates front and back.
- NT: lane centring, adaptive speed assistance, cruise control, active parking assistance and “autopilot” features must not be used.
Pass in an automatic and your licence is restricted to automatics in NSW (on P1), Victoria (during your P period), Queensland, WA, Tasmania, the ACT and the NT (first 12 months of Ps). See automatic licence conditions in each state.
What examiners look for everywhere
The score sheets use different names, but they check the same skills:
- Observation: mirrors and head checks before every lane change, merge, turn, and move off or back to the kerb.
- Gaps and following distance: 3 seconds in NSW and the NT; at least 2 seconds in Queensland’s Q-Safe.
- Speed: speeding is a fail item in NSW, WA and the NT, and a road law breach ends SA’s VORT.
- Stop lines: stop fully, within 1 metre of the line and not over it (NSW and NT). Rolling over the line is one of the ACT’s most common mistakes.
- Signals: at least 5 seconds before leaving the kerb (NSW, NT and Tasmania).
- Not hesitating: turning down a clearly safe gap can fail you in NSW and the NT.
Detailed guides by state
- NSW: NSW Driving Test and manoeuvres and fail items
- VIC: VicRoads drive test, drive test fails and which cars you can use
- QLD: Q-Safe practical driving test and Q-Safe manoeuvres
- WA: WA Practical Driving Assessment and the PDA practice exercises
- SA: VORT or CBT&A
- TAS: Tasmanian P1 driving assessment
- ACT: CBT&A or the one-off assessment
- NT: NT practical driving test
Before the test, check the driving test day checklist. If it goes wrong, see failed your driving test: rebooking by state.
Common questions
Which state has the longest driving test?
WA’s PDA, at 35 to 50 minutes. The NT test runs about 40 minutes, and Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania are about 30 to 35 minutes of driving.
Can my parent sit in the car during the test?
Generally no. Victoria allows only an instructor with a dual-control car. In the NT, only you, the examiner and sometimes a compliance officer are in the car. In NSW it is you and the officer, and sometimes a monitoring officer.
Can I use a car with a reversing camera?
Yes, in every state that addresses it. But you must still use your mirrors and look around. Relying on the camera alone counts against you.
Is CBT&A easier than a one-off test?
The skills are the same. CBT&A in SA and the ACT spreads assessment over lessons with an instructor, which suits nervous learners but costs more in lesson fees.
Do I need my supervisor on test day?
Yes. You are still a learner when you arrive. NSW says the person who comes with you must drive the car away if you fail, and Tasmania lists the supervisor among the things to bring.
What is the most common reason for failing?
States do not publish fail statistics by item. The ACT lists the commonest mistakes as speed, missing blind-spot checks and rolling over stop or give way lines.
Sources
- Transport for NSW, “Guide to the Driving Test” (nsw.gov.au)
- NSW Government, “Licence and test fees” (nsw.gov.au)
- Transport Victoria, “Drive test for a Victorian driver’s licence” (transport.vic.gov.au)
- VicRoads, “Ls and Ps fees” (vicroads.vic.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Planning, “Road to Solo Driving” handbook (transport.vic.gov.au)
- Queensland Government, “Practical driving tests” and “Licence fees” (qld.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Main Roads, “Your keys to driving in Queensland” (publications.qld.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure WA, “Pass your PDA” and “Drive Safe” handbook (transport.wa.gov.au)
- Government of South Australia, “The Driver’s Handbook (MR200, February 2026)” (mylicence.sa.gov.au)
- My Licence, “The Driving Companion: Vehicle On Road Test (VORT)” (mylicence.sa.gov.au)
- Transport Services Tasmania, “About your driving assessment” and “Licensing and assessment fees” (transport.tas.gov.au)
- Access Canberra, “One off practical driving assessment” and “Driver licence fees” (accesscanberra.act.gov.au)
- Motor Vehicle Registry, “A guide to the Driving Test”, 2nd Edition, April 2026 (nt.gov.au)
- Government of South Australia, “Applying for a provisional licence” (sa.gov.au)