Getting a car driver’s licence involves gradually progressing through a series of stages until you qualify for a full licence.
There's a different process if you're:
- Step 1
Check you're allowed to drive
Through all stages of getting a driver's licence you must:
- meet the age and time requirements
- be medically fit to drive
- not be disqualified from driving.
- Step 2
Apply for your L's
You can be 15 years and 9 months old to start the process of completing and passing your learner's theory test to get your learner's permit (L's).
You can only be issued your learner's permit when you are at least 16 years old.
To get your L's you'll need to:
- study for and pass the learner's theory test
- attend a Service SA centre to provide proof of your identity, have your photo taken, and apply for your L's.
Your learner's permit will be valid for 2 years.
- Step 3
Driving on your L's
Having your L's means you're allowed to drive a car on the road with a qualified supervising driver or driving instructor, but there are conditions.
While learning you must complete at least 75 hours of driving. This includes a minimum of 15 hours of night driving. This must be recorded in your log book.
You must hold your learner's permit for:
- at least 12 months if you are under 25 years old
- at least 6 months if you are 25 years old or over.
- Step 4
Apply for your P's
When you're ready to progress to your provisional licence (P's) you'll need to:
- be at least 17 years old
- have held your learner's permit for at least:
- 12 months if you're between 17 and 24 years old
- 6 months if you're at least 25 years old
- complete at least 75 hours of driving. This includes a minimum of 15 hours at night with a qualified supervising driver or a driving instructor. This must be recorded in your log book.
- pass either a:
- vehicle on road test (VORT) practical driving test with a VORT authorised examiner
- competency based training and assessment (CBT&A) course
- pass the hazard perception test.
- Step 5
Driving on your P's
Your provisional licence is valid for 3 years - P1 for 1 year and P2 for 2 years.
On your P's you can drive independently, without a supervising driver, but there are conditions.
If you're eligible, your P1 licence will automatically be upgraded to a P2 licence when both of these apply:
- you're at least 18 years old
- you've held a P1 licence for a minimum of 12 months.
- Step 6
Full licence
When you are due to progress to your full driver's licence, a licence renewal notice will be automatically posted to you. Your provisional conditions will finish midnight of the expiry of your P2 licence.
You must:
- be at least 20 years old
- held a provisional licence for at least 3 years - including at least 12 months on P1 and at least 2 years on P2.
Renew online or go to a Service SA centre to get your full licence:
