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Tasmanian learners must stay under 90 km/h, keep a 0.00 BAC, never tow, never use a phone and always have a supervisor. Before the P1 assessment, they must also log 80 hours of supervised driving, including 15 at night. This guide is for learners and the parents or supervisors teaching them. It covers each restriction, how credit hours can shorten the 80, who can supervise and how the logbook and app work.
Tasmanian learner licence restrictions
On a novice learner licence you must:
- display L plates that can be seen from the front and back of the car
- drive no faster than 90 km/h, even where a higher limit applies (lower posted limits still apply)
- have a blood alcohol content of 0.00
- carry your licence
- never tow another vehicle or a trailer
- not use a mobile phone
- obey all Tasmanian road rules
- have a supervisory driver with you.
The mobile phone ban in detail
The ban covers hands-free and speaker mode, and it applies even when you are stopped at lights or in traffic. You can play music or follow GPS directions from a phone only if you set them up before you start driving and don’t touch or look at the phone while driving. Standalone GPS units are allowed.
The 80 hour logbook requirement
- 80 hours minimum, including 15 hours at night (any time from sunset to sunrise).
- Hold your learner licence for at least 12 continuous months.
- Your supervisory driver verifies the hours and signs the statutory declaration in the paper logbook, or you make the declaration in the app.
- You must show the completed logbook or app declaration before you can start the P1 assessment.
The department’s reasoning: research shows 80 to 120 hours of practice significantly cuts a learner’s crash risk once they drive solo. Plates Plus suggests leaving night driving until stage 3 of your learning.
Credit hours: how to reduce the 80
| Credit | What you get | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| RYDA (Rotary Youth Driver Awareness) program | 5 logbook hours | One-off. The course must be from 2020 onwards, and it only counts for learners who need 80 hours |
| Lesson with a certified driving instructor | Each 1 hour lesson counts as 2 hours | Capped at 20 credited hours (10 hours of lessons). Further lessons count hour for hour |
RYDA is a one-day course for Year 10 students, run through participating schools. Ask your school whether it takes part.
Worked example
A learner who did RYDA in Year 10 (5 hours) and has 10 hours of lessons with an instructor (20 hours credited) has 25 hours, so they need 55 more supervised hours. At least 15 of the 80 must be at night.
Who can be a supervisory driver in Tasmania?
Your supervisor must:
- hold a full Australian car licence (not a restricted licence)
- have held that full licence continuously for the previous 12 months
- give you driving instruction while you drive.
The supervisor should also make sure you follow your conditions: L plates, the 90 km/h cap and zero alcohol. Driving without an appropriate supervisor means a three-month disqualification and a fine.
If you have no supervisor or car and can’t afford lessons, the government-funded Learner Driver Mentor Program helps disadvantaged learners build their hours.
Paper logbook or Plates Plus logbook app?
| Paper logbook | Plates Plus logbook app | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $7.60 at Service Tasmania (as of November 2026) | Free on the Apple App Store and Google Play |
| Who signs | Supervisor signs each entry and the declaration | Supervisor or instructor approves each trip in the app. They do not need the app themselves |
| Night hours | You record them | Worked out automatically from GPS |
| Credit hours | Recorded by you | RYDA and two-for-one lessons added automatically |
| Trip length | Not stated | Maximum 4 hours per trip |
| Coverage problems | None | Works offline, then syncs. Unsynced trips are lost if you log out or delete the app |
You can move hours from the paper logbook into the app. App tips:
- Start “drive now” before you start the car, then put the phone away. Interacting with it while driving is illegal for learners.
- Edit trip times before sign-off. After sign-off, delete the trip and add it again manually.
- Make the in-app declaration once you finish your hours. You need an internet connection, and you can only make it once.
- Make sure your phone is charged on test day. If you can’t show the declaration, the assessment won’t go ahead.
Entering false information means the assessor will fail you. If you have already passed, your licence may be cancelled and you may be fined.
What car can a Tasmanian learner drive?
Any registered, roadworthy car, manual or automatic. Insurance is worth having in case of a crash. The car you use for the P1 assessment decides your licence: a pass in an automatic gives you an automatic-only licence. For the P1 car checklist, see the Tasmanian P1 driving assessment.
Common questions
How many hours do learners need in Tasmania?
80 supervised hours, including 15 at night, over at least 12 continuous months. Former L2 holders from before December 2020 need 50 (see Tasmania L1 and L2 explained).
What is the learner speed limit in Tasmania?
90 km/h, or the posted limit if it is lower.
Can a P plater supervise a learner?
No. The supervisor needs a full Australian car licence held for the previous 12 months.
Can learners tow a trailer in Tasmania?
No. Learners must never tow another vehicle or a trailer. P1 and P2 drivers can tow. See towing on L or P plates.
Can I log hours when driving interstate?
Yes. The app works for Tasmanian learners driving in other states, but the local rules there still apply. See driving interstate on L or P plates.
Do I need to finish my hours before the Hazard Perception Test?
No. The HPT can be done from three months before your earliest test date. Your hours only need to be complete before the P1 assessment.
Back to learning to drive in Tasmania. Next step: the Tasmania Hazard Perception Test.
Sources
- Department of State Growth, “Novice learner restrictions and credit hours” (platesplus.tas.gov.au)
- Department of State Growth, “Mobile phone ban” (platesplus.tas.gov.au)
- Department of State Growth, “Getting your P1s” (platesplus.tas.gov.au)
- Department of State Growth, “Supervisory drivers and learner vehicles” (platesplus.tas.gov.au)
- Department of State Growth, “Logbook frequently asked questions” (platesplus.tas.gov.au)
- Department of State Growth, “General frequently asked questions” (platesplus.tas.gov.au)
- Department of State Growth, “Learning to drive” (platesplus.tas.gov.au)
- Transport Services Tasmania, “Novice penalties and case management” (transport.tas.gov.au)
- Transport Services Tasmania, “Licensing and assessment fees” (transport.tas.gov.au)