1,800+ official drive tests conducted · Founder, Lessons2Drive
How to get your Victorian learner permit is one of the first questions every new driver in Victoria asks — and it's worth getting right from the start. At Lessons2Drive, we help learners understand not just the permit process, but what comes after it. Our founder is an ex-VicRoads Licence Testing Officer who conducted over 1,800 official drive tests, and every lesson we teach is built around what VicRoads actually assesses when the time comes to sit your test.
Whether you're a teenager counting down to your 16th birthday or a parent trying to figure out what happens next — this guide covers every step of the Victorian learner permit process clearly and completely. And because our founder spent years on the other side of the clipboard, we've added what most guides leave out: what the permit period is actually preparing you for.
Before You Start — Eligibility Requirements
16
Minimum Age
You must be at least 16 years old to apply
15yr 9m
Start LPT At
Begin the online test 3 months before your 16th birthday
Victorian Residency
Required
Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible visa
No Existing Licence
Required
Must not hold a licence in Victoria or anywhere else
Before You Start — Download This First
Road to Solo Driving Handbook — Official VicRoads Study Guide
The Road to Solo Driving handbook is the official Victorian study guide for your Learner Permit Test. You must study this book before sitting the LPT — the test draws directly from its content. Download the current version free from Transport Victoria below.
Also available in other languages on the same page:
ArabicChinese (Simplified)TurkishVietnamese
⚡ LTO Insider Tip
Don't just skim the handbook. The Learner Permit Test and the VicRoads Drive Test both draw from its content — students who understand why each road rule exists, not just what it says, perform consistently better in both. Read it once carefully before starting the LPT, and refer back to it throughout your permit period.
The Complete Step-by-Step Process
1
Do this first
Create a myVicRoads Account
Before you do anything else, create a free account at vicroads.vic.gov.au. This is your central hub for the entire process — booking the LPT, accessing study materials, booking the HPT, scheduling your permit appointment, and eventually booking your drive test.
Tip: Use an email address you check regularly — all VicRoads communications go to this address. Don't use a school email that might expire.
2
4–6 hours · Can start at 15 years 9 months
Complete the Learner Permit Test Online (LPT)
The LPT is a comprehensive online course covering Victorian road rules, safe driving habits, and hazard awareness. It takes approximately 4–6 hours and must be finished within 12 months of starting. Access it through your myVicRoads account.
✓ Covers road rules, traffic signs, and Victorian-specific laws
✓ Includes video scenarios and interactive questions
✓ Can be completed in multiple sessions — no need to do it all at once
✓ No pass/fail — you must complete all modules to proceed
Don't skip this. The LPT content directly relates to what the VicRoads drive test assesses. Students who treat the LPT as a box to tick often arrive at the drive test without understanding why certain road rules exist — and that matters in the assessment.
3
At a VicRoads Customer Service Centre
Pass the Hazard Perception Test (HPT)
After completing the LPT, you must pass the HPT at a VicRoads Customer Service Centre. The HPT shows video clips of real road situations and assesses how early and accurately you identify developing hazards.
Important: If you fail the HPT, you must wait before attempting again. Practice using the free HPT practice tests on the VicRoads website before booking.
⚡ LTO Insight
Hazard perception is not just a test requirement — it's one of the most important skills a driver can have. From our drive test experience, students with good hazard awareness make smoother, safer decisions throughout the entire test.
4
In person · Must bring specific documents
Attend Your VicRoads Appointment — Collect Your Permit
Once you've passed the HPT, book an appointment at a VicRoads Customer Service Centre to receive your learner permit. You must bring the correct identity and residency documents — missing even one can delay the process.
What to Bring to Your VicRoads Appointment:
✓Proof of identity — Australian birth certificate, passport, or ImmiCard
✓Proof of Victorian residency — utility bill, bank statement, or school enrolment letter
✓Medicare card or secondary ID — VicRoads uses a points system; bring as many as possible
✓Payment for the permit fee — check current fees on vicroads.vic.gov.au
✓Eyesight check — VicRoads conducts this at the centre. Bring glasses or contacts if you wear them
⚡ From the Examiner's Side
"The permit period is not just about clocking 120 hours. It's about building habits that become automatic. The students who came to their drive test having driven with intention — understanding why they check mirrors, why they signal early, why they position correctly — consistently performed better than students with more hours but less understanding. The permit period is your window to build the right habits before the test reveals whether you have them."
Once you have your learner permit, you must complete a minimum of 120 hours of supervised driving — including at least 20 hours at night — before you can book your practical drive test.
Download the free official VicRoads myLearners App to log your hours:
Both the learner and supervising driver need a free myVicRoads account to start logging. Each drive is recorded with date, time, duration, weather, road conditions, and supervisor details.
Your 120 Hours — What Counts and What Doesn't
✓ All supervised driving counts — with a parent, relative, or professional instructor
✓ Professional lessons count toward your hours
✓ Night hours must be logged separately — minimum 20 hours between sunset and sunrise
✗ Driving without a supervising driver does not count — and is illegal on a learner permit
✗ Supervising driver must hold a full (not provisional) Victorian licence and sit next to you at all times
How to Use Your Permit Period Properly
Hours 0–20
Build the foundations
Focus on local streets at 50 km/h. Build the mirror–signal–head check sequence until it's completely automatic. Master basic intersections and roundabouts. Book your first professional lesson early — a qualified instructor identifies bad habits before they become ingrained.
Hours 20–60
Expand conditions and environments
Introduce busier roads, multi-lane driving, and 60 km/h zones. Begin parking practice. Start accumulating night hours from this stage — don't leave all 20 hours to the end. Drive in rain, peak hour, and unfamiliar areas.
Hours 60–100
Build higher-speed confidence
Introduce freeway, dual carriageway, and arterial road driving. Focus on lane changes, merging, and maintaining appropriate following distances at higher speeds. Continue professional lessons to check your assessment-readiness.
Hours 100–120
Test preparation
Book a mock drive test with a professional instructor using the VicRoads marking criteria. Complete your night hours. Drive through the area near your intended VicRoads test centre to build familiarity with the roads you'll be assessed on.
Quick Reference — Victorian Learner Permit at a Glance
Item
Requirement
Minimum age to apply
16 years old
When you can start LPT
15 years 9 months
Supervised hours required
120 hours minimum
Night hours required
20 hours minimum (between sunset and sunrise)
Permit validity
10 years from issue date
Speed limit on permit
Maximum 100 km/h (lower of posted limit or 100)
Blood alcohol limit
Zero — no alcohol permitted at all
Mobile phone use
Zero — completely prohibited on a learner permit
Supervising driver
Full Victorian licence (not provisional), seated next to learner at all times
For Parents and Supervising Drivers
As a supervising driver, you're not just filling logbook hours — you're either reinforcing good habits or building bad ones. The most effective thing you can do: attend the first professional lesson and watch. You'll see exactly how your learner is being taught and what the assessment criteria actually requires.
✓ Stay calm — your emotional state transfers directly to the learner
✓ Give instructions early and clearly — "turn left at the next street" not "turn left NOW"
✓ Let them make small mistakes in safe situations — recovery is part of learning
✓ Don't override the professional instructor's teaching — if they do something differently, ask why
Start your permit period the right way
Learn from the People Who Used to Test You
Your first professional lesson with Lessons2Drive sets the foundation for everything that follows. Book early — the habits you build in the first 20 hours are the habits you'll carry into the test.
