Safe Driving
With statistics showing that young drivers, aged 17-25, are more likely to be involved in crashes resulting in death or injury than other drivers, NSW introduced the Graduated Licensing Scheme.
The scheme gives new drivers the chance to safely build experience on the road and improve driving skills as they move from a learner to a full licence.
1. Learn to drive in NSW
In NSW you must be 16 years of age or older to hold a NSW learner license. To obtain a learner license you must visit a Service NSW centre with proof of identity and pass a Driver Knowledge Test (DKT).
Once you’ve received your learner license you will be provided with a learner driver log book. This log book allows you and your supervising driver(s) to record your driving journey to ensure you log at least 120 hours of supervised driving, including a minimum of 20 hours of night driving. Night driving hours are between sunset and sunrise. These are the minimum hours required before you can attempt the driving test.
Visit the Roads and Maritime Services website for more information on requirements for learner drivers including a link for a practice session of the Driver Knowledge Test.
Did you know that 1 hour spent with an accredited driving instructor will count for 3 hours in the learner driver logbook in NSW? This allows for a maximum of 10 driving tuition hours to be recorded as 30 hours in the logbook.
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2. Learner Driver Licensing Scheme
2.1 What are the changes to the Learner Driver Licensing Scheme?
A learner driver who now completes a 1 hour structured driving lesson with a fully licensed driving instructor can record 3 hours driving experience in their Learner driver log-book.
2.2 Is there a minimum or maximum limit on the number of driving experience hours I can record in the Learner driver log-book?
While there is no minimum requirement for structured lesson hours, you’re only allowed a maximum of 10 structured lesson hours to be recorded as 30 hours in your log-book. This change doesn’t mean driving lessons are compulsory or that you should stop having professional lessons after reaching the 10 hours of training.
2.3 Do I still need to complete the minimum 120 driving experience hours?
Yes, the 120 hour minimum driving experience requirement remains the same for all Learner drivers – if you are under 25 years old, you will still need to hold your L-Licence for at least 12 months before attempting to take the Driving Test.
Learner drivers who are 25 and over are exempt from completing the Learner driver log-book and any tenure requirement. They are still required to complete all other formal licensing requirements and are encouraged to use the log book and obtain as much on-road practice with a supervising driver or driving instructor as possible.
2.4 Can I record 1 night driving hour as 3?
Structured driving lessons done at night (between sunset & sunrise) count for only 1 hour of night driving towards the required 20 hours. The other 2 hours are added to your day driving hours in your log-book for the corresponding entry.
2.5 What’s considered a “structured driving lesson”?
The driving lesson must be supervised by a fully licensed driving instructor, who will develop a structured lesson using the RTA Driving Instructor Lesson Planner. The driving instructor is required to keep a copy of each lesson completed in the Lesson Planner for auditing purposes. Each lesson should help enhance a learner driver’s practical skills in low-risk driving. The Learner driver log-book has a good outline of these low-risk driving principles.
The driving instructor will also complete the Structured Lesson Record Keeper – this is a summary of all the structured lessons you’ve taken. You need to attach this Record Keeper to the Declaration of Completion on page 111 of your Learner driver log-book.
2.6 Where can I get a copy of the Driving Instructor Structured Lesson Planner or Structured Lesson Record Keeper?
You can download them below or go to the RTA.
| Structured Lesson Planner (PDF 372KB/1 page) |
| Structured Lesson Record Keeper (PDF 284KB/2 pages) |
2.7 Can I count previous professional driving lessons completed before 19 December 2009?
Yes, lessons taken with a fully licensed driving instructor before 19 December 2009 count towards the maximum of 10 structured lesson hours recorded as 30 hours in your log-book. You can record these previous lessons in the Lesson Record Keeper – only the date, duration of each lesson and name of your driving school need to be completed. Where a driving instructor’s signature can’t be obtained, that particular lesson can be verified by your regular supervising driver, who will need to sign the Supplementary Declaration of Completion section.
2.8 Are there any new log-book requirements for learner drivers over 25 years old?
Learner drivers over 25 years no longer need to present their Learner driver log-book before attempting the Driving Test.
2.9 Where do I go to for more information?
Visit RTA Motor Registries, RTA Contact Centres or online at RTA to find out more information.
Please Contact Us or Call 0451 613 021.