If you hold a current licence and have complied with the minimum driving experience for the class of licence being sought, you may drive a motor vehicle of that class without a learner’s permit under the following conditions.
Drivers

• must not drive while there is any alcohol present in their blood or the presence of THC (Cannabis) or Methylamphetamine (Speed) or MDMA (Ecstasy) in their blood or oral fluid.
  
• must carry their current licence while driving
  
• must display ‘L’ plates to the front and rear of the vehicle they are driving
  
• must be accompanied by a passenger who holds a Driver’s Licence (not being a provisional licence) for that class of vehicle
  
• must not exceed any speed limit by more than 10 km/h. (Exceeding any speed limit is an offence under the Road Traffic Act)
  
• must not exceed 80 km/h (or 100 km/h if accompanied by a Motor Driving Instructor in a clearly marked driving school vehicle fitted with dual service brake controls) in areas where the speed is permitted.

Heavy vehicle classes (exemptions only)

Under special circumstances the Registrar of Motor Vehicles may grant an exemption to an applicant from the minimum experience requirements for a specific licence class. Applicants who are exempted by the Registrar must produce evidence of the exemption to a Customer Service Centre to obtain a learner’s permit for the licence class.

All applicants for the class HC Training-In-Lieu of Experience (TILE) course must obtain a learner’s permit before in-vehicle training can commence.

Practical tests for licensing

For all classes of licences, except class MC, you may choose to undertake either a Vehicle-On-Road-Test (VORT) or a Competency Based Training (CBT) course.

For the class MC licence, you must successfully complete the South Australian CBT course (in a B-double vehicle) that is based on the Austroads class MC curriculum. This course is delivered through approved heavy vehicle training organisations (see Driving Schools in the Yellow Pages)

Details on heavy vehicle specifications for practical test requirements and practical test content may be obtained from the pamphlet Heavy Vehicle Driving Tests - Minimum Vehicle Specifications and Practical Test Content. Copies are available from any Customer Service Centre or from most heavy vehicle Driving Instructors.

On passing the VORT or CBT course, the Authorised or Accredited Instructor will issue a Certificate of Competency, which must be presented to a Customer Service Centre together with a current licence and completed Driver’s Licence Replacement application. The licence will be endorsed with the new class on payment of the administration fee. Learner’s conditions still apply until the licence is endorsed with the upgraded class.

NOTE: While driving vehicles over 4500 kg GVM, drivers must carry their licence with them at all times.

Trainee Guides for Heavy Vehicles

Competency based training and assesment

The Trainee Guide is a document which tracks the training tasks as they are completed in the heavy vehicle Competency Based Training and Assessment (CBT&A) system of training.

	Trainee Guide for Light and Medium Rigid (LR & MR)	1.6 MB
	Trainee Guide for Heavy Rigid (HR) and Heavy Combination (HC)	1.7 MB
	Trainee Guide for Multi Combination Course (MC)	1 MB