How to Get Your Tasmania Driving Licence

So you’re just starting on your driving journey. Congratulations! Learning to drive is one of the most rewarding things you’ll experience. 

Once you pass your driving test and get your Tasmania driving licence, you’ll enjoy a newfound sense of freedom and independence. 

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to gain your provisional licence. 

We'll start with how to get those L Plates and finish with a few commonly asked questions. 

There’s plenty to cover along the way so let’s get into it! 

Learner’s Licence in Tasmania: The Journey

Getting your Tasmania driving licence starts before securing your Tasmania learner’s licence. 

Below we’ll explore the steps you can take before sitting your learner’s licence test and what happens once you pass it. 

The Pre-Learner Stage

There are two ways to get your Learner Licence in Tasmania. You can either complete the Plates Plus and Driver Knowledge Test online or sit the standalone Driver Knowledge Test at a Service Tasmania Shop.

The Plates Plus Course

The Plates Plus course is useful for pre-learners over the age of 15 years and 11 months who would benefit from gaining a foundational understanding of how to drive.

Introduced to lower the collision rates among young Tasmanian drivers, the Plates Plus course is an interactive online tool that guides pre-learners through the road rules and how to navigate the roads safely. 

It takes around 4 hours to complete and once it’s done you’ll be able to unlock the Driver Knowledge Test. 

So, what are the benefits of getting your Tasmania learner’s licence this way? You’ll be able to complete the Plates Plus course at your own pace, in your own home (or wherever you choose to sit it). You’ll be able to save your progress along the way, making it easy to take breaks. And most importantly, you’ll gain a better understanding of how to drive safely and confidently.

If this test sounds like something you’d be interested in, you can learn more about it here.

The Driver Knowledge Test

Also known as the Learner’s Licence Tasmania test, the Driver Knowledge Test is for pre-learners who have studied the Tasmanian Road Rules Handbook and are confident in their knowledge of the road rules.

It’s a simple in-and-out trip into a Service Tasmania Shop to complete the test.  

To sit the test, you must be 16 years or older.

If you are eligible to have your learner licence issued:

• you will need to provide evidence of identity
• your licence photo and signature will be captured
• you will need to complete a form notifying the Registrar of Motor Vehicles of any medical conditions that may affect your driving
• you will take an eye test
• you need to pay the learner licence fee.

To have a go at a practice Driver’s licence practice test in Tasmania, click here. Or, if you’re feeling ready, you can book in your learner licence Tasmania test here. 

The Learner Stage

You’ve passed your learner’s licence Tasmania test, congratulations! Now you can drive under the supervision of someone who holds a full licence, like a Tasmania driving licence.

For this phase of your driving journey, you’ll need to have your learner licence in Tasmania for a minimum of 12 months.  

During this time, your focus should be on learning how to drive safely on the roads, building up your confidence and being across all road rules.

That way, when you’re sitting the final test to secure your Tasmania driving licence, you’ll have the skills and experience to nail it on the first go.

One way you can build your skills is by taking driving lessons. Did you know as a learner, you can get two free driving lessons?

As part of the Government’s KeysDrive scheme, Tasmanian learners can now receive a second free lesson via the Plates Plus package. For more information, click here. 

Learner’s Logbook Tasmania

Unless you’re 25 years or older, you must complete a minimum of 80 hours of driving (including 15 hours of nighttime driving) and record it in your learner’s logbook in Tasmania. 

You can either use the Plus Plates logbook app or a hardcopy version.

There are a few things to remember when completing your hours of driving:

• Ensure your L plates are visible from the front and back of your car
• Do not exceed 90km/h even if the speed limit is higher 
• Make sure you carry your licence with you at all times
• Do not use your mobile phone, including handsfree
• Obey all Tasmanian road rules.

Ensure your supervisor driver (for example, your parent or driving instructor) has verified your logged hours and signed the statutory declaration in the middle of the logbook.

When learning how to drive, learners tend to assume the best supervisor drivers are the adults closest to them, like their parents, grandparents and friends. 

But the learners with the highest pass rates are those who take driving lessons with a licenced driving instructor.

Chances are, it’s been a long time since your parents or grandparents sat their driver’s licence test in Tasmania. 

Driving instructors are best equipped to teach you the fundamental road rules and help you navigate the driving test material.

Not only is driving with a qualified driving instructor the best way to improve your driving skills, but you’ll also get bonus credit hours. 

Each hour you do with an instructor equals 2 hours in your logbook. A maximum of 10 hours of lessons will be accepted and recorded as 20 hours driving experience.

Never taken a driving lesson before? Here’s what you can expect on your first session.

Sitting the Hazard Perception Test

Like many other states, learners must pass a Hazard Perception Test (HPT) before they can progress to their Provisional Licence and obtain their driver licence in Tasmania. 

The HPT is a computer-based test that measures a learner driver’s ability to respond to dangerous road situations.

Once you’ve passed your HPT test, you’ll be able to go for your P1 licence in Tasmania.

Provisional Licence: The Journey

The next step in obtaining your Tasmania driving licence is to secure your red and green Ps. We’ll explore the differences down below and how to get them successfully.

Getting your P1 Licence in Tasmania

Once you’ve held your learner licence in Tasmania for a minimum of 12 months and are at least 17 years old, you’ll be able to book a Practical Driving Assessment. 

Passing the Practical Assessment Test

The Practical Assessment Test is the final driver’s licence test in Tasmania, which you can sit in two ways.

You can either sit it with a Government Assessor (a government official who works for Transport Tasmania) or an Authorised Assessor (a qualified driving instructor with special permissions to conduct driving tests). 

If you choose to go with an Authorised Assessor, you won’t be able to sit the test with an instructor who has previously given you a driving lesson.

Both assessment types include a fixed route where an Assessor will sit in the car with you and evaluate your driving ability and hazard identification skills. 

Once you’ve passed the test, your assessor will give you all the paperwork that Service Tasmania requires to upgrade your licence along with a fee. 

This is a huge moment – you’ll now be able to drive solo and hold a Tasmania permit!

You can book your Ps test in Tasmania here.

Getting your P2 Licence in Tasmania

For provisional licence drivers under the age of 25, you must hold your P1 Licence for a minimum of one year before you can move on to your P2 licence.

Obtaining your P2 licence won’t include any driver’s licence tests in Tasmania, but will  include a range of restrictions. 

For example, you must have a blood alcohol level of 0.00% and display your green Ps each time you’re behind the wheel. 

If you’re under 25, you must hold your P2 licence for two years before you can receive your driving licence in Tasmania.

Drivers over the age of 25 are only required to hold their P2 licence for one year before progressing to their Tasmania driving licence.

Commonly Asked Questions

What Are The P Plate Rules Tasmania?

Regardless of whether you are on your Ls, red Ps or green Ps, you must have the relevant P Plates fixed to your car and visible each time you drive.

Most commonly, P Plates are stuck to the inside of your windows – one on your front windscreen and one on your back windscreen.

Having your P Plates visible notifies other road users that you’re learning and helps keep everyone safe on the roads.

Tasmania Drivers Licence Checks, What Are They?

Once you’ve received your Tasmania driving licence, you’ll need to have it on you at all times while driving. 

Keeping your Tasmania driving licence on you helps relevant authorities verify your driving licence at any given time to ensure you can drive on the roads.

If your details have changed since your Tasmania driving licence was issued, you can update your details here.

Is A Car Licence In Tasmania The Same As A Motorbike Licence?

A Tasmania driving licence is restricted to cars only and cannot pass as a  motorbike licence. This article focuses on a car licence; however if you’re interested in a motorbike licence, you can learn all about it here.

Conclusion

That’s it – a step-by-step guide to getting your Tasmania driving licence. It can seem like a lengthy process, but luckily EzLicence is here to simplify things. 

If you already have your learner’s licence, type in your postcode below to find an instructor near you.