Provisional Licence (Red Ps) Details

Provisional Licence (Red Ps) Details

Prerequisites:

To progress to your red Ps (provisional licence) you must complete 50 hours of supervised driving (including a minimum of 5 hours at night) and pass both the Hazard Perception Test and the Practical Driving Assessment (in that order).

These requirements must be completed in a specific order and based on certain time periods. The steps are outlined below:

Start towards your 50 hours experience

The first step towards a provisional licence is to get supervised driving experience. Before you can sit your Practical Driving Assessment, you must complete at least 50 hours with a supervisor (including a minimum of 5 hours at night). There is no maximum limit to the experience you can get before taking your driving test, so you should continue to gain experience beyond the 50-hour requirement until you feel comfortable.

Hazard Perception Test (HPT)

You must be at least 16 years 6 months old to attempt the Hazard Perception Test and 6 months must have passed since successfully obtaining your learner permit (having complete the Learner's Test.

Before the test can begin, your post-PDA Log Book must be checked to confirm you and your supervisor have signed the declaration of complete and you're eligible to progress.

You should sit the HPT only when you are a confident you will pass, having completed our practice tests many times.

Finish your 50 hours experience

Before you can sit your Practical Driving Assessment and drive independently, you must complete the 50 hours of supervised experience on your L plates. As you gain more experience and come closer to the 50 hours requirement, your experience should be slightly different. You are now preparing to drive independently and should be taking little to no instruction from your supervisor.

Once again, there is no maximum limit to the experience you can get before taking your Practical Driving Assessment, so you should continue to gain experience beyond the 25-hour requirement until you feel comfortable you can be safe while driving without supervision.

Try to get as much experience in varied conditions as possible during the 50 hours (or more) you complete.

Practical Driving Assessment (PDA)

You must be at least 17 years old to attempt the Practical Driving Assessment. You are not required to have held your learner permit for a minimum period (although you are required to have passed the HPT which has a 6-month minimum holding period). You can book and sit the PDA when you have passed the HPT, have the required 50 hours and feel ready.

Before the test can begin, your Log Book must be checked to confirm you and your supervisor have signed the declaration of complete and you're eligible to progress.

You should sit the PDA only when you are a confident you will be able to drive safely without supervision.

Licence features:

When you pass the PDA, you must be on your provisional licence for 2 years before you progress to a full drivers licence.

The 2 years of the provisional licence are made up of 6 months on your red Ps and the remainder on your green Ps. As long as you have a good driving record throughout this period, you will automatically progress from red to green and then green to full licence.

In addition to following the road rules like all road users should, there are specific rules associated with red Ps. Disobeying these additional rules could result in heavy fines or loss of licence.

Blood Alcohol Concentration Zero (no alcohol in your system)
Demerit points 4 points (as a Type 1 Novice)
Plate display Red P plates (white P on a red background) must be displayed clearly on front and back of the vehicle 
Maximum speed limit The limit as signed
Transmission If tested in automatic, can only drive automatic
Mobile phone Drivers can only use a phone to make/receive calls if it is securely mounted or can be operated without touch (voice activated). It is illegal to use text, video or email messaging or similar communication while driving. GPS function can be used if the phone is securely mounted and does not need touch input.
Night driving restriction Drivers have night time driving restrictions for the first 6 months of a provisional licence (the entirety of your red Ps).

This prohibits driving between midnight - 5am.

Night time driving restrictions do not apply to people travelling to, from, and in the course of paid or voluntary work or for training or education purposes.

If you do need to drive at night for these reasons, obtain and carry proof (e.g. a letter from your employer) to provide to police who may pull you over.
Licence category Only applies Class C - cars (not buses, trucks or motorcycles)
Supervision Not allowed to supervise a learner

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Requirements to progress:

To progress to your green Ps you must have held your red Ps for periods adding up to 6 months. Any period during which your licence is cancelled or suspended because of driving offences does not count toward this requirement.

Depending on the severity of the offence, you may be required to start accruing time again and previously accrued time will be lost.

Check out the other resources available to help you get your provisional licence (Red Ps):

For comprehensive information on the provisional licence, please refer to the Department of Transport website. The above information is a summary of this content and although current when published may now be outdated. To ensure you are accessing the most current and accurate information, use the DoT website or visit your nearest Department of Transport centre.