Obtaining your Provisional Licence
You must be at least 16 years and 6 months of age, have held a Learner's Permit for a total period of at least 6 months or an interstate or overseas Driver's Licence (with similar conditions).
All Learner’s Permit holders are to be supervised whilst driving by a qualified supervising driver. Before obtaining a Provisional Licence, new Learner’s Permit drivers will complete a logbook demonstrating they have completed at least 50 hours of supervised driving under a range of road conditions, including a minimum 10 hours at night.
Once you have a Learner’s Permit you can look at the options for obtaining your Provisional Licence. You can find information on this from The Driver's Handbook or the Driving Companion (Logbook), both available from any Customer Service Centre. The Driving Companion is usually given to you upon the issue of a Learner’s Permit.
You will need to demonstrate your knowledge of the road rules to everyday driving situations and display competent observation, driving and traffic management skills on the road before a Provisional Licence is issued to you.
Important - Before you begin to drive
Be aware that you are fully responsible for ensuring you operate a motor vehicle within the conditions of your Learner's Permit and the road rules. You are also responsible for ensuring that anybody who supervises your driving is doing so legally. Before you begin to drive check that you fully understand the following:
1. Your licence conditions
2. The road rules described in The Driver's Handbook
3. Choosing a qualified supervising driver
4. Choosing a driving instructor
5. Prescribed “L” and “P” plates
Options available
Option 1: Practical Driving Test (Vehicle On Road Test or VORT)
The practical test is conducted by an Authorised Driving Instructor.
To do the practical test:
* book direct with an Authorised Driving Instructor at least 3 days before you want to do the practical test
* you can take the practical test on Mondays to Saturdays between 7am and 7pm or sunset (which ever is earlier except Christmas day and Good Friday)
* on Sundays or Public holidays (except Christmas day or Good Friday), the practical test can be taken between 10.00am and 7.00pm or sunset (whichever is earlier)
* your practical test will take place on an officially authorised test route
* you cannot take the test with an instructor with whom you have had lessons or who contributed to your training
* you can elect to undertake Option 2 (Logbook Training) below at anytime, even if you have already failed a practical driving test
* if you fail a Class C (car) practical driving test, you will not be allowed to attempt another practical driving test for at least two weeks. You may elect instead to complete Option 2 below during this 14-day period to obtain the Provisional Licence.
Option 2: Competency-Based Training Course (CBT or Logbook Training)
The Logbook is contained in the “Driving Companion" with information at the back of the booklet on how to drive. You can pick up a copy of the booklet at any Customer Service Centre. The CBT course does not involve a formal practical driving test, but you still need to demonstrate good road skills in short assessments conducted by your Accredited Instructor during your training
To complete the CBT Course (or Logbook)
* you need to find an Accredited Driving Instructor
* your instructor will ‘sign off’ each task in your Logbook as you learn and demonstrate competence in each particular task.
* You can choose to take a Practical Driving Test at any point during your Logbook training provided you have logged at least 50 hours including 10 hours night driving. Should you fail you may continue with your Logbook Training.
Finding an Instructor
Before choosing a driving instructor, you should check that they hold the correct driving instructor's licence. If your instructor is not authorised all tasks undertaken by you will not be counted towards your licence. If you intend to complete the Competency Based Training (CBT) course or 'log book' training, the instructor must have a yellow flash and the word 'Accredited' on the instructor's licence. If you intend taking the Vehicle-On-Road-Test (VORT), the instructor conducting the VORT must have a red flash and the word 'Authorised' on the instructor's licence.
Driving Instructors normally advertise in the Yellow Pages.
If you have special needs such as physical disabilities or language difficulties, you can contact the Australian Driver Trainers Association of SA Inc. ph 8377 2669.
You also need to bring to the Practical Driving Test or Logbook Training Sessions
* your current Learner’s Permit
* payment for the Test or Logbook session (as arranged with the instructor) and
* if you are doing the Logbook training your copy of the Driving Companion
Once you have passed the test
When you have passed the Practical Test or finished the Logbook training, present the following to your nearest Customer Service Centre to obtain the Provisional licence;
* the Certificate of Competency given to you by the instructor on successful completion of the test or the Logbook training.
* your Learner’s Permit
* fee for your Provisional Licence.
Learner's permit conditions apply until you have been issued with a Provisional Licence.
You will be given a Temporary Provisional Licence after you have paid the fee and had your photo taken. Your photo licence will be posted to you within 1 week.
The Provisional Licence will authorise you to drive a motor vehicle of the class appearing on it from the day that it is issued until the expiry date appearing on the licence.
After 31 October 2005, enhancements to the Graduated Licensing Scheme for new drivers have been introduced as part of the State Government’s road safety reforms to reduce road trauma in South Australia. As part of the new Road Safety requirements the current provisional licence has been split into two stages now know as P1 and P2.
You will hold a Provisional Licence (P1 and P2) for two years or until your 19 th birthday whichever is longer.
You may apply to obtain your P2 licence if you have held your P1 licence for at least 12 months and:
* not incurred any demerit points for the last 12 months while holding a P1 licence; or
* have successfully completed an approved Driver Awareness Course * if you have incurred 1,2 or 3 demerit points; and
* have passed a Hazard Perception Test * - Learn online here: Hazard Perception Site.
*The Driver awareness Course is designed to address the common reasons for novice driver involvement in road crashes and involves theoretical and practical components spread over a total duration of 8 hours. For safety reasons those who hold a motorcycle licence only will be exempt from the practical component of this course.
* The Hazard Perception Test is a computer based test that displays a series of moving traffic scenarios that recreate high-risk road safety situations commonly encountered by novice drivers. You will be required to respond by touching the screen to indicate when it is safe to commence a manoeuvre or to choose an appropriate action to avoid an accident.
If you have incurred 1,2 or 3 demerit points and have not successfully completed a Driver Awareness Course, you must hold your P1 licence for at least 2 years before obtaining your P2 licence or hold your P1 licence for 12 months without incurring further demerit points.
If you commit a serious disqualification offence, a curfew condition of “Prohibited from driving between 12:00am to 5:00am, unless accompanied by a qualified supervision driver” will be imposed on your licence for 12 months when you return to driving.
Once you have obtained your P2 licence, you must have held your P2 licence for at least 6 months and have held a Provisional Licence (P1 and P2) for a total of 2 years or more.
Where a P2 licence is issued to a person who has previously incurred 1,2 or 3 demerit points, they cannot apply for a full/unconditional licence until they reach 20 years of age. Regardless, a P2 licence must be held for a minimum of 6 months before a full/unconditional licence can be issued.
The holder of a P1 Driver’s Licence must:
* not drive a motor vehicle or attempt to put a motor vehicle in motion when there is any concentration of alcohol in their blood or the presence of THC (Cannabis) or Methylamphetamine (Speed) in their blood or oral fluid.
* not drive a motor vehicle at a speed exceeding by 10 km/h or more of any speed limit under the Road Traffic Act, or to exceed the 100 km/h speed limit prescribed under the Motor Vehicles Act
* not accumulate 4 or more demerit points during the Provisional Licence period
* not drive a motor vehicle on the road unless the prescribed P plates are displayed so as to be clearly visible from the front and rear of the vehicle (rear only for motor cycles)
* carry the licence at all times whilst driving .
The holder of a P2 Driver’s Licence must also abide by the above conditions with the exception of displaying P Plates. All P2 Driver’s Licence holders are exempt from displaying P Plates while driving.
A Provisional Licence holder who fails to comply with the provisional licence conditions, can be disqualified from driving for 6 months, have their licence cancelled and have their Provisional Licence period extended when they obtain a further licence after the disqualification period.
From 31 October 2006, disqualified Provisional Licence holders will regress to an earlier licence.
After disqualification P1 drivers are required to re-apply for a Learner's Permit (no theory test required) and pass a practical driving test again (Vehicle on Road Test, Competency Based Training or Advanced Ridersafe), prior to being reissued with another P1 licence.
After disqualification P2 drivers are issued with a P1 Provisional Licence and must re-pass the Hazard Perception Test again before regaining their P2 licence.
For more information on these regressive penalties please go to
www.stopthink.sa.gov.au NOTE:
* An applicant obtaining a Provisional Licence is required to hold a P1 Licence for a minimum of one year and a P2 licence for a minimum of six months. The applicant must hold the P1 and P2 licences until they turn 19 years of age or for two years, whichever period is longer.
* However, if a P1 Licence holder incurs one or more demerit points, the applicant must undertake a Driver Awareness Course if they want to progress to a P2 licence after one year. Alternatively, the person must hold their P1 licence for a further 12 months without incurring further demerit points or for two years.
* Once the licence holder has met the minimum requirements to progress from a P1 licence to a P2 licence, they must successfully complete a Hazard Perception Test before a P2 licence can be issued.
