In South Australia, there are 9 different licence classes. Read this page to find out what one you need to drive your vehicle.
Your driver's licence may also have conditions.
Car (C)
Vehicles you can drive
A vehicle with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) not greater than 4.5 tonne but not including:
- a bus designed to carry more than 12 seated persons
- a motorbike or motor trike
- a vehicle under class U.
Examples of vehicles which may be driven:
- sedans
- station wagons
- panel vans
- utilities
- light delivery vans
- small trucks
- quad bikes
- special purpose vehicles - eg farm machines, small tractors and forklifts. If you intend to operate a forklift you will require a high risk work licence- visit Safework SA for information on forklift operation.
- a vehicle towing a single trailer, subject to the combination mass limits fixed under the Road Traffic Act 1961 - eg towing a horse float, trailer, caravan or farm implement.
Light Rigid (LR)
Vehicles you can drive
- A vehicle authorised to be driven by a licence of the preceding class
- A vehicle with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) greater than 4.5 tonne but not greater than 8 tonne - eg trucks, vans, tippers, special purpose vehicles, and buses designed to carry 13 or more seated persons.
- A bus with a GVM not greater than 8 tonne.
- A vehicle included above towing a single trailer, subject to the combination mass limits fixed under the Road Traffic Act 1961 or the Heavy Vehicle National Law (South Australia).
May tow:
- any farm implement
- any trailer provided the overall mass is within the gross combination mass (GCM) of the towing vehicle.
Driver’s licence card or digital licence must be carried if driving a vehicle over 4.5 tonne GVM.
Minimum driving experience
Must have held a class C for at least one year.
Medium Rigid (MR)
Vehicles you can drive
- A vehicle authorised to be driven by a licence of a preceding class.
- A vehicle (other than a special purpose vehicle) with 2 axles and a gross vehicle mass (GVM) greater than 8 tonne.
- A vehicle included above towing a single trailer (other than a semi-trailer) with a GVM not greater than 9 tonne, subject to the combination mass limits fixed under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (South Australia).
- A special purpose vehicle with 2 axles and a GVM greater than 8 tonne, or 3 or more axles and a GVM not greater than 15 tonne.
May tow:
- any farm implement
- any trailer with a GVM not exceeding 9 tonne provided it is within the gross combination mass (GCM) of the towing vehicle.
Driver’s licence card or digital licence must be carried if driving a vehicle over 4.5 tonne GVM.
Minimum driving experience
Must have held a class C for at least one year.
Heavy Rigid (HR)
Vehicles you can drive
- A vehicle authorised to be driven by a licence of a preceding class.
- A vehicle (other than an articulated vehicle or a special purpose vehicle) with 3 or more axles and a gross vehicle mass (GVM) greater than 8 tonne.
- A vehicle included above towing a single trailer (other than a semi-trailer) with a GVM not greater than 9 tonne, subject to the combination mass limits fixed under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (South Australia).
- An articulated bus with 3 or more axles and a GVM greater than 8 tonne.
- A special purpose vehicle with 3 or more axles and a GVM greater than 15 tonne.
May tow:
- any farm implement
- any trailer with a GVM not exceeding 9 tonne provided it is within the gross combination mass (GCM) of the towing vehicle.
Driver’s licence card or digital licence must be carried if driving a vehicle over 4.5 tonne GVM.
Minimum driving experience
Must have held a class C for at least 2 years or a class LR or MR for at least one year.
Heavy Combination (HC)
Vehicles you can drive
- A vehicle authorised to be driven by a licence of a preceding class.
- A prime mover to which is attached a single semi-trailer (whether or not any unladen converter dolly or low loader dolly is also attached).
- A rigid vehicle to which is attached a single trailer with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) greater than 9 tonne (whether or not any unladen converter dolly or low loader dolly is also attached).
Driver's licence card or digital licence must be carried if driving a vehicle over 4.5 tonne GVM.
Minimum driving experience
Must have held a class MR or HR for at least one year.
Multi Combination (MC)
Vehicles you can drive
- Any vehicle or combination of vehicles except a motorbike or motor trike (Includes B doubles and road trains).
Driver's licence card or digital licence must be carried if driving a vehicle over 4.5 tonne gross vehicle mass (GVM).
Minimum driving experience
Must have held a class HR or HC for at least one year.
Restricted motorbike (R-Date)
Vehicles you can drive
A motorbike or motor trike that:
- has an engine capacity not exceeding 660 mL and a power to weight ratio not exceeding 150 kW per tonne
- is of a kind approved by the Registrar by notice in the Government Gazette.
(An * (asterisk) means the expiry date of the learner's permit or the date falling one year after class R-Date was endorsed on the licence. It indicates the date on which the holder may apply for a class R licence.)
Minimum driving experience
- Must be at least 19 years of age.
- Must have held a motorbike learner's permit for at least 12 months.
Motorbike (R)
Vehicles you can drive
Any motorbike or motor trike.
Minimum driving experience
Must have held a class R-DATE for at least 2 years.
Ultra high powered vehicle (U)
Vehicles you can drive
Any vehicle, other than a bus, motorbike or motor trike, with a gross vehicle mass of 4.5 tonnes, that has a power to weight ratio of 276 kilowatts per tonne or more.
This includes some vehicles that are referred to as 'supercars' or 'hypercars'.
If you're not sure if a vehicle is classed as a UHPV, you can check the high powered vehicle status. It is the responsibility of the driver to determine whether their vehicle is a UHPV.
Minimum driving experience
Must hold a full or probationary C (Car) licence.
Driving a bus
There are no specific licence classes to drive a bus.
The authority to drive a bus is included in the 3 rigid vehicle licence classes LR, MR and HR. Holders of a licence class MC or HC are also authorised to drive buses.
The size of bus that you are authorised to drive is limited by the licence class appearing on your driver's licence.
Driving a bus for hire, fare or reward
You must be accredited to drive a bus for hire, fare or reward.
