How to Get Your Driver's Licence in Queensland (2026)

The minimum age to hold a Queensland learner licence is 16 years. You can actually start the licensing process a little earlier, sitting the online road-rules assessment from age 15 years and 11 months.

The PrepL Program

Queensland does not use a traditional paper road-rules test. Instead, you complete PrepL, an online 'Prepare to Drive' program developed by the Queensland Government. PrepL covers road rules, hazard awareness, and attitudes to risk. You work through it at your own pace, answer questions as you go, and must pass before you can get your learner licence. The hazard perception content that some other states test separately is built directly into PrepL at this stage.

How Long You Hold the Learner Licence

If you are under 25, you must hold your learner licence for at least 12 months before you are eligible to take the practical Driving Test. There is no minimum hold period if you are 25 or over.

The logbook requirement applies to under-25 learners only. If you are 25 or over, you are exempt from logging hours entirely.

The 100-Hour Target

You need 100 hours of supervised driving in total, and at least 10 of those hours must be completed at night. Every hour is recorded in an official Queensland logbook, signed off by your supervising driver. Your supervisor must hold a current open licence.

Cutting Hours with Accredited Lessons

Lessons with an accredited Queensland driver trainer count at a 1-for-3 ratio: one hour in the car with a professional instructor is recorded as three logbook hours. This bonus is capped at a maximum of 30 bonus hours, which works out to 10 lessons with an accredited trainer.

There is one important catch. Bonus hours are daytime hours only. They cannot count toward your 10 compulsory night hours. You still need to get out after dark with a supervising driver and log those night hours separately.

To move from your learner licence onto provisional plates, you must pass the on-road practical Driving Test conducted by Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads.

What the Test Involves

The Driving Test is an on-road assessment, typically 30 to 45 minutes, during which an examiner assesses your ability to control the vehicle, follow road rules, manage intersections and merges, and respond to other traffic. The specific route varies by test centre.

No Separate Hazard Perception Test

Queensland removed its standalone Hazard Perception Test in September 2021. That content is now embedded in PrepL, which you completed at the learner stage. There is no additional computer-based hazard test to pass before your practical Driving Test.

If you do not pass the Driving Test first time, you can rebook and try again. A good driving school will run a mock test lesson beforehand so you know what to expect.

After passing your Driving Test, the stage you enter depends on your age.

P1: Red Plates (Under 25)

You hold red P-plates for at least one year. During P1, your blood alcohol limit is 0.00. Under-25 drivers must not use a mobile phone in any way, including hands-free. Between 11pm and 5am, you may carry no more than one passenger under the age of 21 who is not an immediate family member. These restrictions apply to drivers who are under 25.

P2: Green Plates (Under 25)

After completing P1, you move to green P-plates. You hold these for at least two years before you can apply for an open licence. The 0.00 BAC continues on P2. You may now use a hands-free phone while driving. The late-night passenger restriction no longer applies at P2.

The 25-and-Over Pathway

Drivers who are 25 or older when they pass the practical Driving Test skip P1 entirely and go straight onto P2 (green plates). They still hold P2 for at least two years before moving to an open licence. The phone and passenger conditions listed above are tied to being under 25 and do not apply to older drivers.

Make the Most of Accredited Lessons

The 1-for-3 bonus is genuinely valuable. Ten lessons with a Queensland accredited driver trainer can reduce the hours you need to clock privately by up to 30 hours. Beyond the numbers, a trained instructor teaches you habits that are hard to pick up from a well-meaning parent, things like scanning intersections early, smooth lane changes, and reading speed signs in complex zones.

Plan Your Night Hours Early

Night hours can pile up as a last-minute problem. Aim to get a few night hours each month from early in your learning, rather than scrambling to log them in the weeks before your test. Wet weather, rural roads, and arterial roads at dusk are all good practice environments.

What Lessons Cost

Driving lesson prices across Queensland vary depending on location, lesson length, and whether you choose automatic or manual tuition. As a general guide, learners in 2026 can expect to pay somewhere in the range of $80 to $120 per hour for a standard lesson, though this varies and prices in regional areas or for specialist test-preparation packages may differ. Always confirm the rate when you book.

Choosing an Instructor

Check that your instructor is accredited with the Queensland Government / Department of Transport and Main Roads, since only lessons with a Queensland-accredited trainer count toward your logbook bonus. Ask whether they offer mock test drives, and whether they are familiar with the test routes at your local test centre.