Learners Permit Rules: What You Can and Can't Do

You can never drive alone

The single rule that defines a learners permit is supervision. On your Ls you may only drive when a fully licensed driver is sitting in the front passenger seat beside you. That supervisor must hold a current, unrestricted (full) licence for the class of vehicle you are driving — a P-plater cannot legally supervise you, and neither can someone whose licence is suspended or expired.

The supervisor is legally responsible for the drive. They can be fined and lose points for offences committed while overseeing you, and in every state they must themselves be under the legal alcohol limit while supervising. Practically, their job is to watch the road with you, give calm instruction, and take over the decision-making the moment something is beyond your skill. This is why picking a patient, experienced supervisor — not just any licence holder — makes the biggest difference to how fast you actually learn.

There is no exception for ‘just moving the car’ or a quick trip to the shops. If you hold a learners permit and there is no eligible supervisor beside you, you are driving unaccompanied, which is one of the most serious learner offences and can set your progression back significantly.

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Displaying your L-plates

L-plates must be clearly displayed on the front and rear of the vehicle whenever a learner is driving, and they must be visible from outside the car. The plate is a white L on a yellow background in every Australian state and territory.

The rules are stricter than most learners expect. Plates that are faded, partly hidden by a bumper or tow ball, sitting inside the rear window where the demister lines obscure them, or displayed on only one end of the car can all attract a fine. If you drive more than one vehicle — a family car and a driving-school car, for example — each one needs its own set of plates. When a fully licensed driver is behind the wheel of the same car, the L-plates must be removed or covered so they are not misleading to other road users.

The plate is not just paperwork. It tells the traffic around you to leave more space and expect slower, more cautious moves — which is exactly the protection a new driver needs.

Speed limits for learners

This is where the rules genuinely differ by state, so it is worth checking rather than assuming. Some states impose a lower maximum speed on learner drivers than the posted limit — a fixed cap you must not exceed even on a high-speed road. Other states have no special learner speed and simply require you to obey the signed limit like any other driver.

Because a wrong assumption here can cost you demerit points at the very start of your licence, confirm the exact learner speed rule with your state authority — Service NSW, VicRoads, Queensland TMR, WA Department of Transport, South Australia’s mylicence/DIT, Transport Tasmania, the NT MVR or ACT Access Canberra. Whatever the number, the safe habit is the same: leave a generous following gap, ease off early, and never let a supervisor or another car pressure you into going faster than you can control.

Zero alcohol — and no drugs

Every learner driver in Australia must have a blood (and breath) alcohol concentration of zero. There is no allowance for one drink, no matter your age or body weight. This is uniform nationwide and it does not change until you reach a full licence — provisional (P-plate) drivers carry the same zero-alcohol condition.

The same principle applies to illegal drugs: driving with any prescribed illicit drug in your system is an offence, and roadside drug testing is now routine. Some prescription and over-the-counter medicines also impair driving — if a medicine warns against operating machinery, treat it as a reason not to drive. A drink-driving or drug-driving offence on your Ls typically means licence loss and a fresh start, which is far more costly than simply not driving.

The mobile phone ban

In most states, learner and P1 drivers are banned from using a mobile phone in any way while driving — including hands-free, loudspeaker and phones sitting in a cradle. That is stricter than the rule for full licence holders, who may use a mounted phone for some functions.

‘Using’ is defined broadly: holding the phone, touching it, texting, scrolling, or having it resting on your leg all count, and the offence applies even when you are stopped at traffic lights or in queued traffic. The phone should be out of reach and out of mind — put it in the glovebox or hand it to your supervisor before you start. Because the precise wording varies, check the phone rule for your state, but the safest and simplest approach anywhere in Australia is to not touch your phone at all while you hold a learners permit.

Logbook hours and supervised practice

Most states require you to complete a set number of supervised driving hours, recorded in a logbook, before you can attempt the practical driving test. Several states also require a minimum amount of that practice to be done at night, because dusk and darkness are when new drivers are most at risk.

The exact number of hours, the night-driving component, how long you must hold your permit, and the minimum age all vary by state and sometimes by your age — so confirm the current requirement with your own authority (Service NSW, VicRoads, Queensland TMR, WA DoT, mylicence/DIT in SA, Transport Tasmania, NT MVR or ACT Access Canberra) before you plan your test date. Fill the logbook honestly: it is a legal record, spot-checks happen, and false entries can void your progress. More importantly, those hours exist to build real competence — a driver who genuinely logs varied practice in wet weather, heavy traffic and at night is a far safer P-plater than one who rushes the minimum.

What you CAN do — and how to prepare

The Ls are not just a list of restrictions. With a supervisor beside you, you can drive on any road you are ready for — suburban streets, main roads and, once your confidence is there, freeways and country highways. This stage is your one long, low-pressure window to make mistakes safely and build the habits that carry into your provisional years.

Before you can hold a learners permit at all, you must pass the Driver Knowledge Test (the road-rules theory test) for your state. All of our practice for that theory test is free — you can work through real-format practice questions as many times as you like, and brush up on Australian road signs whenever you need. For a state-by-state breakdown of the licensing path, see our driving tests by state guide, and for every other ‘can a learner…’ question, return to the learner guides hub. If you want to master hazard perception too, our optional Hazard Perception course is a one-time A$9.90 — a single payment, no subscription and nothing to cancel — but the driving-test practice itself never costs anything.

We are an independent study resource and are not affiliated with any government authority. Always confirm the current rules, fees and ages for your licence with your state or territory road authority.

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Last verified 7 September 2026 against the Australian Road Rules and the relevant state road authority. Rules, fees and figures change — always confirm current details before you rely on them.