Frequently Asked Questions
Learner driver
Do I need a learner’s permit to learn to drive?
You do not require a learner’s permit if:


You already hold a current Australian driver’s licence; and
You meet the eligibility requirements for the class of vehicle you wish to learn how to drive.
What if I have a medical condition?
You are required to inform the Department if you have a permanent or long-term medical condition that
may affect your driving even if the symptoms are under control.
You may be asked to:




Undertake a medical assessment with your health professional; or
Undertake a practical driving assessment; or
Your licence may be amended requiring you to only drive under certain circumstances; or
Your application may not be affected at all.
How do I apply for a learner's permit?
To get your learner’s permit you must:






Be a minimum of 16 years of age. 15 ½ years of age for a moped (R-N) class.
Submit a completed Driver’s Licence Application form (DLA1).
Bring your required proof of identity documents for an initial driver’s licence application.
Pass any relevant theory test/s.
Complete an eyesight test.
Have your photograph taken.
How much does it cost to learn to drive?
Refer to the Payments, fees and concessions section of our website for a schedule of driver licensing fees
(including learner driver fees).
How do I sit the computerised road rules theory test?
The test consists of 30 multiple choice questions on the WA road rules and safe driving practices and is
conducted at the Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) Centre or regional agent where you apply for your
licence.
You should prepare for the test by studying the Drive Safe handbook (Ride Safe handbook) and taking the
online road rules theory test sample quizzes.
Page 1 of 5
Computerised theory tests are conducted between 8.15 am and 3.45 pm, weekdays at metropolitan DVS
Centres. Regional agents may differ from these hours.
I did the theory test at school; do I have to do the computerised theory
test?
Provided that you have passed a road rules theory test as part of a driver education program delivered by
an approved organisation and have been issued with a recognised certificate of achievement, you will not
be required to do the computerised theory test.
Certificates issued by ‘Keys for Life’ are valid for 24 months from the date of passing the test (shown on
the certificate). If a theory test fee is payable the certificate will be endorsed with, “NOT EXEMPT from
payment of theory test fee”.
What conditions do I have to comply with when I am learning to drive?
As a learner you must always:




display L plates;
carry your learner’s permit whenever you drive and present the permit to a police officer on
request;
be accompanied by a qualified supervisor ; and
comply with any other conditions as specified on your learner's permit.
You MUST NOT:



exceed the posted speed limit, and you cannot exceed 100 km/h;
have a blood alcohol concentration that exceeds 0.00% (novice drivers only); or
drive within the boundaries of Kings Park.
Can I learn to drive on my overseas or interstate learner’s permit?
If you hold a valid learner’s permit from another state, you may continue to gain driving experience in WA
provided you comply with the conditions imposed on learner drivers in this State.
If you hold an overseas learner’s permit, you are required to make application and be granted a WA
learner’s permit before you are able to learn to drive in this State.
What is a log book?
When you get your learner’s permit you will be issued with a Learner Guide and Log Book. This
publication contains information to assist you in developing safe driving skills. It also has the pre and post
practical driving assessment log books you need to record your supervised driving experience in.
The log book is an important part of you getting your licence and should be kept in a safe place at all
times.
A fee applies.
Page 2 of 5
What vehicle can I drive to accumulate hours in the log book?
Unlike a driver’s licence, a learner’s permit cannot be varied once it is granted, therefore, if you were
granted a learner’s permit authorising you to drive C class vehicles for the purpose of learning to drive,
you are able to learn in any C class vehicle, regardless of the transmission type. Even if you pass your
Practical Driving Assessment (PDA) in an automatic C class vehicle, the original learner’s permit still
authorises you to drive all C class vehicles for the remainder of your permit.
If, at the time of applying for the initial grant of the learner’s permit, you applied for the authorisation to
learn to drive automatic C class vehicles only, the learner’s permit would be granted with an ‘A’ condition
and you would be restricted to driving automatic C class vehicles only.
Will my driving experience from another state or territory be
recognised in WA?
The Department of Transport Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) will recognise the supervised driving
hours recorded in a log book issued and approved in another Australian jurisdiction for the pre-PDA
requirement only.
You will need to present your interstate log book at the time of making an application for a WA driver’s
licence. Interstate log books will only be recognised if you have completed and recorded a minimum 25
hours of supervised driving. You will still be required to record the subsequent minimum 25 hours of
supervised driving post-PDA in a DVS issued log book.
The ACT and NT do not require learner drivers to accumulate supervised driving hours, therefore there is
no exemption for applicants from those two jurisdictions from the requirement to complete a minimum of
25 pre-PDA supervised driving hours.
How much driving experience do I need before I can sit my practical
assessment?
If you are a learner driver who was issued a learner’s permit prior to 12 November 2012 there is no
prerequisite number of hours before you can sit your practical driving assessment (PDA). The more
experience you have behind the wheel will increase your chances of successfully completing your PDA.
If you are a learner driver who was issued a learner’s permit on or after 12 November 2012, you are
required to complete and record a minimum 25 hours of supervised driving experience and be a minimum
of 16 years and 6 months before you can undertake the PDA.
What do I need to know about practical driving assessments?
For a full explanation on the practical driving assessment (PDA), including how to book an assessment,
how to prepare for the assessment, and what happens once you pass, please refer to the web page
related to the type of licence you want to obtain:





Licence to ride a moped, R-N class licence
Licence to ride a LAMS approved motorcycle, R-E class licence (under 660 cc and under
150 kW/t)
Licence to ride an R class motorcycle (over 660cc or over 150 kW/t)
Licence to drive a car
Licence to drive a heavy vehicle.
Page 3 of 5
How long do I have to wait between passing my PDA and taking the
HPT?
Learner drivers who were issued their learner’s permit on or after 30 June 2008 can only undertake the
Hazard Perception Test (HPT) once a minimum of six months has elapsed since they passed their
practical driving assessment (PDA). Learner drivers are also required to complete and record at least 25
hours of supervised driving post-PDA prior to being eligible to sit the HPT.
Learner drivers who were issued their learner’s permit before 30 June 2008 fall under the ‘old system’ and
are not required to wait six months between passing their practical driving assessment and taking the
Hazard Perception Test.
They will only have to complete and record 25 hours of supervised driving and be a minimum age of 17
before undertaking the Hazard Perception Test.
Is anyone exempt from completing the HPT?
Some communities in Western Australia do not have Hazard Perception Test (HPT) facilities so an
exemption may be granted where it is proven that you live outside a radius of more than 100 kilometres
from a HPT location.
If you believe you may be eligible for an exemption, you will be required to complete an Exemption from
the Hazard Perception Test form (E19). Once your application has been reviewed you will receive a letter
advising you of the decision.
How do I renew a learner's permit?
A learner's permit is valid for three years. When the permit expires you must attend a Driver and Vehicle
Services (DVS) Centre or regional agent to have a new learner’s permit granted.
How do demerit points affect learners?
The graduated demerit point system commenced on 1 December 2010 and applies to all novice drivers.
The following laws apply:


If a person who has not held a driver’s licence for at least one year (or periods adding up to one
year) or a person who has never held a driver’s licence gains four or more demerit points they will
be disqualified for three months, after which they will have to re-apply for a new licence.
If a person who has held a driver's licence for at least one year, but less than two years (or
periods adding up to two years) gains a total of eight or more points, they will be disqualified for
three months, after which they will have to re-apply for a new licence.
To make it fairer for people who already have some demerit points, the points accrued before 1
December 2010 will NOT count towards the four or eight point limit, but they WILL still count
towards a 12 point limit. (This means that no driver will ever be able to gain 12 or more points
without being subject to demerit point disqualification.)
Page 4 of 5
What if I want to learn to ride a motorcycle?
You can apply for an R-N learner’s permit at 15 years and 6 months of age or an R-E learner’s permit at
16 years of age.
If you wish to apply for an R-E vehicle class and have not previously held a driver’s licence, you must
follow the same procedures for someone getting their licence for the first time. This will include passing a
motorcycle theory test, practical riding assessment, completing a Learner Guide and Log Book, and
Hazard Perception Test (HPT). If you wish to apply for an R-N vehicle class, you will not be required to
complete a Learner Guide and Log Book or sit the Hazard Perception Test (HPT).
I hold an R-N vehicle class, how can I get a higher class of licence?
You can apply for a learner’s permit to learn to drive an additional class of vehicle at 16 years of age.
You will be required to complete all six steps of getting a licence including any applicable theory test/s and
practical driving assessment/s, gaining 50 hours of driving experience, and completing the Hazard
Perception Test.
Please see the applicable sections of our website for details on how to do this.
Page 5 of 5