The NSW learner licence: rules for your Ls

Getting your Ls

1. Pass the DKT, online or in person.
2. Go to a service centre with proof of identity, a completed licence application form and evidence you're 16 or older. No booking needed after an online pass.
3. Pass the eyesight test and have your photo taken.
4. Pay the test and licence fees: $58 and $32 as of October 2026.
5. Leave with a temporary paper licence and a paper log book. Your card comes in the mail, and you can add a digital licence in the Service NSW app.

Rules on your Ls

• A supervisor with a full Australian licence sits next to you every time you drive. They must have a BAC under 0.05.
• L plates clearly on the front and back of the car, or an L sign on the roof.
• Never over 90 km/h, and zero alcohol or drugs.
• No phone at all while driving or stopped but not parked, including hands-free and loudspeaker.
• Cars only, and no towing.
• No driving in Parramatta Park, Moore Park or Centennial Park in Sydney.
• 4 demerit points within 3 years means suspension. These rules apply outside NSW too.

Your log book

Under 25, you need to log at least 120 hours, including 20 at night, before the driving test. You can use the paper log book or a log book app. If you use the app, submit it at least 48 hours before your test.

Two ways to build hours faster: the Safer Drivers Course adds 20 hours to your log book, and every 1-hour lesson with a licensed driving instructor can be recorded as 3 hours. If you're 25 or over, you don't need a log book at all.

How long you stay on your Ls

Under 25, at least 12 months. You can book the HPT after 10 months, then the driving test at 12 months once your hours are done. If you're 25 or over, you can sit the HPT and the driving test whenever you're ready.

Your learner licence lasts 5 years. Let it expire and you'll need to pass the DKT again and pay the test and licence fees again.