To get your driver’s licence in SA you need to go through four main stages: getting your learner licence > getting your provisional 1 licence > getting your provisional 2 licence > getting your full licence.
Licensing information on this site will be updated on a irregular basis. We will do our best to provide up-to-date information according to current legal obligations regarding licensing. The SA licencing authority is: Service SA
Finding a good driving instructor in SA is a very important part of getting your driver license.Why bother wasting time shopping around when driving instructors can come to you. Register and publish your request via this page. Also you can compare driving lesson prices from Adelaide driving schools.
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Learner licence
What are the prerequisites?
- Minimum Age: 16
- Must be resident of SA
What test/s do I have to take?
The Theory Test
What’s on the test?
- Part A: 8 diagram-based road rules questions
- Part B: 42 multiple choice road rules and road safety questions.
What do I need to score to pass?
- Part A: all questions must be answered correctly
- Part B: at least 32 correct answers
What study materials do I need?
The Driver’s Handbook, available online or at any Service SA customer service centre.
How do I book the test?
You need to book ahead by going into your nearest Service SA customer service centre between 9am and 4.15pm to make an appointment. Rural applicants can take the test at most country police stations.
Where do I take the test?
At any Service SA customer service centre. Rural applicants can take the test at most country police stations.
What do I bring to the test?
- Evidence of identity
- Means to pay for the test and licence fee
- I’ve completed the requirements, now how do I get my learner’s permit?
- Your learner’s permit will be issued to you on the spot when you successfully complete the required test and pay the licence fee.
What does having a learner’s permit mean?
- You are now permitted to drive a car under supervision. Your supervisor must be someone who has held a full Australian driver’s licence for a minimum of two years
- You must adhere to the special rules for learner drivers
What are the special rules for learner drivers
- Must clearly display L plates on front and rear of the vehicle’s exterior
- Must not exceed a blood alcohol level of 0.00%
- Must not exceed the speed limit by 10km/h or more
- Must be supervised at all times by a person with a full Australian driver’s licence with a blood alcohol level of no more than 0.05%, who has held their full licence for at least two years
- Must carry learner’s permit when driving
- Must not accumulate four or more demerit points
What happens next?
The next stage is your P1 licence.
If you got your learner’s permit ON OR AFTER September 4th 2010, to be eligible for your P1 licence you must fulfill these requirements:
If you are under the age of 25, you must hold a learner’s permit for at least 12 months
If you are 25 years or older, you must hold a learner’s permit for at least six months
You must have completed at least 75 hours of supervised driving practice (including 15 hours at night), which must be recorded in your Learner Logbook. The logbook is available online in the Driving Companion booklet
You must obtain a Certificate of Competency
If you got your learner’s permit BEFORE September 4th 2010, you must:
Have held your learner’s permit for a minimum of 6 months
Have completed at least 50 hours of supervised driving practice (including 10 hours at night), which must be recorded in your Learner Logbook. The logbook is available online in the Driving Companion booklet
Obtain a Certificate of Competency
Provisional licence 1 (P1)
What are the prerequisites?
- Minimum Age: 16 years and six months
- Must have held a SA learner’s permit for a minimum of six months
- Must have completed at least 50 hours of supervised driving practice (included 10 hours at night), which must be recorded in your Learner Logbook. You will find the logbook in the
- Driving Companion booklet that was given to you when you received your learner’s permit
- Must obtain a Certificate of Competency
How do I get a Certificate of Competency?
To obtain your Certificate of Competency you can choose from the following methods:
- Vehicle-On-Road Test (VORT)
- Competency-Based Training Course (CBT) with an accredited driving instructor
What are the costs?
- Licence fee and administration fee
- VORT Price set by instructor
- CBT course Price set by instructor
What does the VORT involve?
The VORT is a practical driving test that takes around 45 minutes. A motor driving instructor will assess your driving and hazard perception skills. If you pass, you will receive your Certificate of Competency.
How do I organise to take the VORT?
You need to arrange an assessment with any accredited motor driving instructor (you cannot be assessed by an instructor who has already given you lessons). You will need to wait at least three days from the time of your booking to sit the test.
What do I bring to the VORT?
- Your learner’s permit
- Means to pay for the test
What does the CBT course involve?
The CBT course involves a series of training sessions with an accredited driving instructor, during which you must complete 30 assessment tasks. There is no time limit for the course – training will continue until you successfully complete all tasks, at which time you will receive your Certificate of Competency.
How do I organise to take the CBT course?
You can arrange to take the course with an accredited motor driving instructor.
I’ve completed the requirements, now how do I get my P1 licence?
Visit any Service SA customer service centre and bring the following:
- Your Certificate of Competency
- Your learner’s permit
- Your completed and signed Learner Logbook, including at least 50 hours of recorded driving practice
- Means to pay the licence fee
What does having a P1 licence mean?
- You are now permitted to drive a car without supervision
- You must adhere to the special rules for P1 drivers
What are the special rules for P1 drivers
- Must clearly display P plates on front and rear of the vehicle’s exterior
- Must not exceed a blood alcohol level of 0.00%
- Must not exceed 100km/h
- Must not exceed the speed limit by 10km/h or more
- Must carry P1 licence when driving
- Must not accumulate four or more demerit points
What happens next?
The next stage is your P2 licence. To be eligible to apply for your P2 licence, you must:
- Have held your P1 licence for a minimum of 12 months
- Not have incurred any demerit points on your P1 licence. If you have incurred 1,2 or 3 demerit points, you will be eligible to apply for your P2 licence 12 months after your last demerit point, or on the successful completion of the Driver Awareness Course
- Have passed the Hazard Perception Test
Provisional Licence 2 (P2)
What are the prerequisites?
- Minimum Age: 17 years and six months
- Must have held a P1 licence for a minimum of 12 months
- Must have passed the Hazard Perception Test (HPT)
- Must not have incurred any demerit points on your P1 licence. If you have incurred 1,2 or 3 demerit points, you will be eligible to apply for your P2 licence 12 months after your last demerit point, or on the successful completion of the Driver Awareness Course
What are the cost?
- Licence fee and administration fee
- HPT
- Driver Awareness course (only necessary for drivers who have incurred 1,2 or 3 demerit points)
What do I have to do?
- Hazard Perception Test (HPT)
- Driver Awareness course(only necessary for drivers who have incurred 1,2 or 3 demerit points)
What’s involved?
HPT: a computer-based test that measures your ability to recognise potentially dangerous situations when driving and react appropriately.
Driver Awareness course: covers both theory and practical components, spread over a total duration of eight hours.
What study materials do I need for the HPT?
The Hazard Perception Test Book, available online or at any Service SA customer service centre.
How do I book?
HPT: by phone 13 10 84 or at any Service SA customer service centre
Driver Awareness course: Roadsafe Australia (08) 8340 1912 / 0417 806 112
Where do I take the HPT?
At any Service SA customer service centre.
What do I bring to the HPT?
- Your P1 licence
- Means to pay for the test
I’ve completed the requirements, now how do I get my P2 licence?
Visit any Service SA customer service centre and bring the following:
- Your P1 licence
- Hazard Perception Test certificate
- Driver Awareness course certificate (if applicable)
- Means to pay the licence fee
What does having a P2 licence mean?
- You are now permitted to drive a car without displaying P plates
- You must adhere to the special rules for P2 drivers
What are the special rules for P2 drivers?
- Must not exceed a blood alcohol level of 0.00%
- Must not exceed the speed limit by 10km/h or more
- Drivers under 25 must not drive a high-powered vehicle
What happens next?
The next stage is your full licence. To be eligible to for your full licence, you must:
Have held your P1 and P2 licences for a combined minimum period of two years (including at least six months on P2)
Have reached the minimum age of 19 without incurring any demerit points. If you have incurred 1, 2 or 3 demerit points, you are not eligible until you turn 20
Full licence
What are the prerequisites?
- Minimum Age: 19, if you have not incurred any demerit points); 20, if you have incurred 1, 2 or 3 demerit points)
- Must have held your P1 and P2 licences for a combined minimum period of two years (including at least six months on P2)
What are the costs?
Licence fee plus administration fee.
I’ve completed the requirements, now how do I get my full licence?
Visit any Service SA customer service centre and bring the following:
- Your P2 licence
- Means to pay for licence fee
What does having a full licence mean?
Now that you are a little more experienced, you no longer have to adhere to the special rules that apply to provisional drivers, but you do need to abide by the general rules and restrictions that apply to all South Australian drivers.
