How To Get Your Driving Learner Permit - Adventure Driving School

A driving learner permit allows you to drive a car on the road with an experienced driver while you are learning to drive. The learner permit is valid for 10 years or until you obtain a driver licence.

How old do I need to be?

You must be at least 16 years of age and a Victorian resident to be eligible to apply for a learner permit. You will need to pass a driving learner permit test at a VicRoads Customer Service Centre

Exemption from a learner permit

From 9 Nov 2009 there are new rules about overseas drivers and their requirement to hold a learner permit. Similar rules apply to Australian drivers who have held an Australian licence but not in the last 5 years.

You will not be required to hold a learner permit to undergo a drive test if:

you are driving the vehicle to have your driving skills assessed, and,
The person conducting the test holds an Australian driver licence for the category of vehicle being driven.

Study material

To prepare for your test you need to study the most recent edition of the Road to Solo Driving handbook. Make sure you study all of the handbook, as the questions in the learner permit test are based on all four chapters. The handbook is available to view online in English as well as Chinese (Mandarin), Vietnamese, Turkish and Arabic and can be purchased from the Victorian Government Bookshop, VicRoads Customer Service Centres, RACV offices, some newsagents and bookshops.

Make, transfer or cancel an appointment for your test

online (pay by Visa or Mastercard)
by calling VicRoads on 13 11 71 (Mon-Fri 8.30am – 5pm, Sat 8.30am – 2pm) (pay by Visa or Mastercard)
by visiting a VicRoads Customer Service Centre (pay by cash, cheque, EFTPOS or credit card).

Only the appointment holder can change their appointment.

If you want to change your appointment you will need to pay another appointment fee. The test fee can be transferred to a new time (or refunded if the test is cancelled) if at least 24 hours notice is given. No refund will be provided for the appointment fee. This fee covers VicRoads costs associated with the transaction of making an appointment. Failure to provide at least 24 hours notice will result in you forfeiting your appointment and test fees.

Fees

Please refer to driver licence and learner permit fees for the information on the following fees:

Appointment
Learner permit test
Learner permit card
There are no concessions available for appointment, test or learner permit fees.

Evidence of identity

On the day of your test you need to bring original evidence of identity documents.

Forms & medical conditions

You will need to complete an Application for a Licence or Learner Permit form [PDF, 627KB, 2pp]

You will need to complete the relevant medical forms if you have a particular medical condition or take prescribed medicines that may affect your ability to drive safely.

You must provide a medical report and get clearance from VicRoads Medical Review before you can be issued with a licence. If you are not sure whether you need to supply a medical report please call VicRoads Medical Review on 13 11 71.

Learner permit test

To get your learner permit you need to pass a learner permit knowledge test and an eyesight test at a VicRoads Customer Service Centre. The knowledge test is conducted on a computer and consists of 32 multiple choice questions based on road law information in the most recent edition of the Road to Solo Driving handbook. This is important as the practice test contains a selection of all the possible test questions. You will need to correctly answer at least 25 questions (78%) to pass. Before you attempt the learner permit test, you can do a practice test online.

You can take the test in one of 14 different languages including English. The languages available are:

Albanian
Macedonian
Somali
Arabic
Persian
Spanish
Cambodian
Russian
Turkish
Chinese (Mandarin)
Serbian
Vietnamese
English
Sinhalese

Learner Kit

The Learner Kit which includes the Guide for Learners with a Learner Log Book and the Guide for Supervising Drivers, is available free of charge to all learner drivers who obtain their learner permit for the first time from 1 July 2007. These guides outline the roles and responsibilities for both learning and supervising drivers. Please see the Learner Kit page for more information.

Driving on your learner permit

After you pass your learner permit test and get your learner permit you can drive a car under certain restrictions and conditions.

Do not practise without a learner permit

Remember, you can’t get behind the wheel unless you have a learner permit.

Without a learner permit you cannot practise in any area accessible to the public, including car parks. Doing so will result in you being charged with unlicensed driving.

The road environment can be complex. Having earned your learner permit means you understand the road rules, know your legal responsibilities and you are prepared for the challenges of driving.

Learner permit restrictions

All learner permit holders will be subject to the following restrictions and conditions:

must display L plates on the front and rear of the vehicle, visible from a distance of 20 metres
must be accompanied by an experienced driver at all times while driving. (see Experienced Driver section below)
must have a zero Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) at all times while driving
must carry learner permit at all times while driving
must not use a mobile phone, including hands free, hand held and messaging while driving
must not tow a trailer or vehicle
must not drive a vehicle issued with an Unregistered Vehicle Permit

Holding period restrictions & supervised driving experience

The following restrictions will also apply to learner permit holders

if you are under the age of 21, you will be required to complete a minimum of 120 hours (including at least 10 hours at night) of driving with an experienced driver before you take your licence test. You must record these hours in an official Learner Log Book which must be signed by you and your experienced driver
if you are under 21 years of age, you must hold your learner permit for at least twelve months
if you are 21 years of age or over but under 25 years of age, you must hold your learner permit for at least six months
if you are 25 years of age or over you must hold your learner permit for at least three months.

Exemptions from the learner permit minimum holding period

Exemptions may only be granted by VicRoads if the nature of a person’s occupation, employment or family circumstances are such that compliance with the minimum holding period would impose undue hardship on the person or their family. VicRoads must also consider the likely effect of the exemption on safe, efficient and equitable road use in Victoria.

If an exemption is issued, it will be conditional and include restrictions. This information will be sent to you in writing and must be carried at all times while driving.

VicRoads may cancel an exemption if your learner permit is cancelled or suspended.

Applications will only be considered where the appropriate Exemption from the minimum holding period form [PDF, 133KB, 7pp] is completed and supporting documentation has been provided. Please send applications to:

VicRoads
Exemptions
53 – 61 Lansell St
Bendigo, VIC 3550

Experienced driver

After you get your learner permit to drive on the road, you must have a supervising driver seated beside you at all times while driving. The supervising driver must be an experienced driver who holds:

a current Victorian full (not probationary) driver licence which authorises the person to drive that motor vehicle, or
a current interstate or overseas (not probationary or provisional) driver licence in English (or with an English Translation or International Driving Permit) for the category of motor vehicle being driven by the learner driver.

When supervising a learner driver, all experienced drivers:

must have a full (non-probationary) car licence
are subject to a 0.05 Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) requirement
must have a zero BAC if subject to an alcohol interlock restriction or are an authorised driving instructor
must not drink a beverage containing alcohol while supervising

Supervising drivers must also complete their details in the ‘List for Supervising Drivers’ and ‘Declaration of Completion’ in your Learner Log Book.

Note: An experienced driver with licence restrictions such as hand controls, automatic transmission, alcohol interlock etc is not prohibited from being the supervising driver for a learner driver. The supervising driver must not contravene any provision of the restriction.

Displaying your L plates

How to display L plates on your vehicle. Find out more about Displaying L & P plates.

For more information click here……