Photo: Kgbo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
School zone times and speed limits are set by each Australian state and territory. Most use 40 km/h at set times on school days, but the hours differ, the ACT runs all day, and South Australia uses 25 km/h whenever children are present. This checklist gives the rule in each state so you know what applies wherever you drive.
School zone times and limits by state
| State | Usual times (school days) | Limit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm | 40 km/h | Non-standard zones have red or orange signs showing the times |
| VIC | 8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm | 40 km/h, or 60 km/h on roads of 80 km/h or more | Some zones are permanent and apply at all times |
| QLD | 7am to 9am and 2pm to 4pm | As signed | Some councils use other times; some all-day zones run 7am to 4pm |
| WA | 7.30am to 9am and 2.30pm to 4pm | 40 km/h | Times may vary in regional areas |
| SA | Any time children are present (25 km/h zones); 8am to 9.30am and 2pm to 4pm on school days (40 km/h zones) | 25 km/h or 40 km/h, as signed | 25 km/h zones apply 24 hours a day, every day. 40 km/h zones are on main roads near schools that are otherwise 50 km/h or more |
| TAS | Times shown on the sign | 40 km/h | School days are Monday to Friday in school terms |
| ACT | 8am to 4pm | 40 km/h | Signs show whether the zone is open or closed |
| NT | Times shown on the sign, on gazetted school days | 40 km/h maximum | Extra care is advised near school buses |
The sign at the zone is always the final word. Times on a sign override the usual state times.
New South Wales
- Most zones run 8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm on school days.
- The 40 km/h limit does not apply on weekends, public holidays or public school holidays. School days are published by the NSW Department of Education.
- Zones with non-standard hours have red or orange signs showing the times.
- Every school zone has at least one set of flashing lights, and “dragon’s teeth” markings are painted on the road.
- In a school bus stop zone, do not pass a bus with flashing lights at more than 40 km/h. The same applies when you travel in the same direction as a bus showing a “40 when lights flash” sign. These are two separate rules: the first applies only inside a signed school bus stop zone, while the bus sign rule is triggered by its flashing lights, not by school zone hours. 40 km/h is a maximum, not a safe passing speed if children could step out from behind the bus.
- Speeding penalties are higher in school zones.
More: NSW speed limits for learners and P platers.
Victoria
- Time-based zones run on weekdays during Victorian school terms, 8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm. They do not apply on public holidays.
- The limit is usually 40 km/h where the normal limit is under 80 km/h, and 60 km/h where it is 80 km/h or higher.
- Permanent 40 km/h zones outside schools on most 50 km/h roads apply at all times.
- Speeding in a school zone on the drive test is covered in VicRoads drive test fails.
Queensland
- Most zones run 7am to 9am and 2pm to 4pm. Some areas use slightly different times.
- Examples from TMR: Bundaberg Regional Council uses 7.30am to 9am and 2.30pm to 4pm. Mackay Regional Council uses 8am to 9am and 2.30pm to 3.30pm.
- Some split-campus schools have all-day zones, mostly 7am to 4pm.
- Queensland groups school zones with other “hazardous localities”. See hazardous localities in Queensland.
Western Australia
- Main Roads WA enforces the 40 km/h limit on school days from 7.30am to 9am and 2.30pm to 4pm.
- Times may vary in regional areas, so read the sign.
- Newer 40 km/h zones at children’s (warden) crossings use the same standard school zone hours.
South Australia
- The school zone limit is 25 km/h whenever a child is present on the road, footpath or median strip, including children on bikes. It applies 24 hours a day, every day.
- The same 25 km/h limit applies when school crossing lights are flashing, and when you pass a school bus that has stopped to pick up or drop off children.
- South Australia is also adding time-based 40 km/h limits on main roads near schools where the limit is otherwise 50 km/h or more. They apply from 8am to 9.30am and 2pm to 4pm on school days, not at weekends, on public holidays or in school holidays. Follow the signs.
More: SA Driver’s Handbook study guide.
Tasmania
- You must not go over 40 km/h after passing a School zone sign, on official school days, during the times on the sign.
- School days are Monday to Friday during school terms. The limit does not apply on school holidays, weekends or public holidays.
- The limit continues until an End school zone sign or another speed sign, even if you turn into another road.
- It also applies in road-related areas inside the zone, such as driveways and car parks.
- Within 50 metres of a school bus with its warning sign and lights flashing, the limit is 40 km/h. This applies whether you are behind the bus or coming towards it.
Australian Capital Territory
- Signposted school zones require 40 km/h from 8am to 4pm on school days. That is longer than most states.
- Signs are “open” or “closed”. When closed, the normal limit applies (50 km/h by default unless signed otherwise).
- Speed cameras can operate at any time, including in school zones.
More: driving in Canberra.
Northern Territory
- School zones have a maximum limit of 40 km/h. It applies only on gazetted school days, during the times on the sign.
- The NT handbook advises particular care when passing stationary buses from 7am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 5pm.
- School buses use signs and flashing orange lights when children are getting on or off. The lights keep flashing for about 30 seconds after the doors close.
- The handbook recommends no more than 40 km/h past a bus with its lights flashing. If the bus shows a speed sign, you must not pass it in the same direction faster than that speed.
Checklist for driving near schools
- Know your state’s usual hours, but obey the times on the sign.
- Check whether today is a school day in your state.
- Slow down before the sign, not at it.
- Watch for flashing lights on school buses and the limit that goes with them.
- Expect children between parked cars and at crossings, even outside zone hours. Tasmania’s handbook reminds drivers that school grounds are used at weekends too.
- In SA, treat any child near the road in a school zone as switching the 25 km/h limit on.
Common questions
What time do school zones start in Australia?
It depends on the state:
- NSW and Victoria: 8am
- Western Australia: 7.30am
- Queensland: usually 7am
- ACT: 8am, running all day until 4pm
- South Australia: whenever children are present
Do school zones apply in school holidays?
Not in NSW, Victoria (public holidays excluded), Tasmania or the NT, where they apply on school days only. South Australia’s 25 km/h rule applies whenever children are present, whatever the date.
Is the school zone limit always 40 km/h?
No. Victoria uses 60 km/h on roads normally 80 km/h or above, and South Australia uses 25 km/h. Always read the sign.
Do I need to slow down for a school bus?
- NSW: do not pass a bus with flashing lights in a school bus stop zone at more than 40 km/h.
- Tasmania: 40 km/h within 50 metres of a bus with lights flashing.
- South Australia: 25 km/h past a stopped school bus.
- Northern Territory: 40 km/h is recommended, and any speed shown on the bus is enforceable.
How do I know which days count as school days?
NSW applies zones on all notified school days, which the NSW Department of Education publishes. Tasmania defines school days as Monday to Friday during school terms. In other states, check the official school calendar.
Do learner speed caps still apply in a school zone?
Yes, but the school zone limit is lower, so it is the one you follow. See learner licence rules compared and the Australian Road Rules explained.
Sources
- Transport for NSW, “School zones” (transport.nsw.gov.au)
- Transport for NSW, “Road User Handbook” (nsw.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Planning Victoria, “School zones” (transport.vic.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Planning Victoria, “Road to Solo Driving” (transport.vic.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Main Roads Queensland, “School zones” (tmr.qld.gov.au)
- Main Roads Western Australia, “School Zones and Children’s Crossings Improvement Program” (mainroads.wa.gov.au)
- Department for Infrastructure and Transport SA, “Way2Go: School zones, signs and restrictions” (dit.sa.gov.au)
- SA Police, “School road safety operation results” (police.sa.gov.au)
- Government of South Australia, “The Driver’s Handbook”, February 2026 (mylicence.sa.gov.au)
- Department of State Growth Tasmania, “Tasmanian Road Rules, Version 2.1” (transport.tas.gov.au)
- ACT Policing, “Slow down in school zones” (policenews.act.gov.au)
- Access Canberra, “ACT Road Rules Handbook” (accesscanberra.act.gov.au)
- Northern Territory Government, “NT Road Users’ Handbook” (nt.gov.au)