You must:

• be at least 16 years and 6 months of age,
• have held a learner's permit (may be an interstate permit) for at least 6 months;
• have completed a logbook demonstrating you have completed at least 50 hours of supervised driving under a range of road conditions, including a minimum 10 hours at night.

You can find information on obtaining a provisional licence in The Driver's Handbook or the Driving Companion, both available from any Customer Service Centre. The Driving Companion is usually given to you upon the issue of a learner's permit.

Before being issued with a provisional licence, you will need to obtain a Certificate of Competency.

Options available to gain a Certificate of Competency

Option 1: Practical Driving Test (Vehicle On Road Test or VORT)

The practical test is conducted by an Authorised Driving Instructor.

To do the practical test you need to book directly with an Authorised Driving Instructor at least 3 days before you want to do the practical test. Your practical driving test will take place on an officially authorised test route.

You cannot take the test with an instructor with whom you have had lessons or who contributed to your training.

You can elect to undertake Option 2 below at anytime, even if you have already failed a practical driving test. If you fail a Class C (car) practical driving test, you will not be allowed to attempt another practical driving test for at least two weeks. You may elect instead to complete Option 2 below during this 14-day period to obtain the Certificate of Competency.

Option 2: Competency-Based Training Course

The Competency Based Training Course is contained in the Driving Companion with information at the back of the booklet on how to drive. You can pick up a copy of the booklet at any Customer Service Centre. The Competency Based Training Course does not involve a formal practical driving test. You must successfully undertake 30 tasks with your Accredited Instructor for a Certificate of Competency to be issued.

To complete the Competency Based Training Course:

• you need to find an Accredited Driving Instructor
• your instructor will 'sign off' each task in your Driving Companion as you learn and demonstrate competence in each particular task
• you can choose to take a Practical Driving Test at any point during your Competency Based Training Course. However you may not obtain a provisional licence until you have logged at least 50 hours of driving including 10 hours of night driving. Should you fail a practical driving test you may continue with your Competency Based Training Course.

Finding an Instructor

Before choosing a driving instructor, you should check that they hold the correct driving instructor's licence. If your instructor is not authorised all tasks undertaken by you will not be counted towards completing the Competency Based Training Course. If you intend to complete the Competency Based Training Course, the instructor must have a yellow flash and the word 'Accredited' on the instructor's licence. If you intend taking the Vehicle-On-Road-Test, the instructor conducting the VORT must have a red flash and the word 'Authorised' on the instructor's licence.

Driving Instructors normally advertise in the Yellow Pages.

If you have special needs such as physical disabilities or language difficulties, for assistance you can contact the Australian Driver Trainers Association of SA Inc. ph 8377 2669 or Professional Driver Training Association Mob 0413 949 871.

You also need to bring to the Practical Driving Test or Competency Based Training Course sessions:

• your current learner's permit
• payment for the Test or Competency Based Training Course session (as arranged with the instructor) and
• if you are doing the Competency Based Training Course your copy of the Driving Companion.

Once you have passed the test or completed the Competency Based Training Course

When you have passed the practical test or finished the Competency Based Training Course, present the following to your nearest Customer Service Centre to obtain a provisional licence:

• the Certificate of Competency given to you by the instructor on successful completion of the test or the Competency Based Training Course
• your learner's permit
• your record of supervised driving hours (logbook section of The Driving Companion)
• the fee for your provisional licence.

Learner's permit conditions apply until you have been issued with a provisional P1 licence.

You will be given a Temporary P1 Provisional Licence after you have presented a Certificate of Competency, paid the fee and had your photo taken. Your photo licence will be posted to you within 1 week.

The provisional P1 licence will authorise you to drive a motor vehicle of the class appearing on the licence from the day that it is issued until the expiry date appearing on the licence.

P1 provisional licence

The following conditions apply to a P1 provisional licence holder:

• you must not drive a motor vehicle or attempt to put a motor vehicle in motion when there is any concentration of alcohol in your blood or the presence of THC (Cannabis), Methylamphetamine (Speed) or MDMA (Ecstasy) in your blood or oral fluid
• you must not drive a motor vehicle at a speed exceeding by 10 km/h or more of any speed limit under the Road Traffic Act or Motor Vehicles Act
• you must not drive a motor vehicle on the road unless the prescribed P plates are displayed so as to be clearly visible from the front and rear of the vehicle (rear only for motor cycles).

Additionally, you must:

• carry your licence at all times whilst driving; and
• not exceed the 100 km/h speed limit prescribed under the Motor Vehicles Act

To progress to a P2 provisional licence

You may apply to obtain your P2 provisional licence if you:

• are at least 17 and a half years of age
• have passed a mandatory Hazard Perception Test (you are exempt from undertaking the hazard perception test if you reside more than 100kms from the nearest place at which Hazard Perception Tests are conducted or if you live on Kangaroo Island)
• have held your P1 licence under one of the following circumstances:
  • have held your P1 licence for a minimum of twelve months and have not incurred any demerit points; or
  • have held a P1 licence for a minimum of twelve months since the offence date of your last demerit offence; or
  • have held a P1 licence for a minimum of twelve months, have incurred one, two or three demerit points (without breaching provisional -conditions) and have successfully completed a Driver Awareness Course; or have held a P1 licence for a minimum of two years.

A P2 licence must be held for at least 6 months and a provisional licence (P1 and P2) must be held for a total of 2 years or more before you are eligible to progress to a full unconditional licence.

The holder of a P2 provisional licence must also abide by the above conditions with the exception of displaying P Plates.

The Hazard Perception Test is a computer based test that displays a series of moving traffic scenarios that recreate high-risk road safety situations commonly encountered by novice drivers. You will be required to respond by touching the screen to indicate when it is safe to commence a manoeuvre or to choose an appropriate action to avoid an accident.

Upon completing the test you will receive a report advising you of your result and further advice on how to improve your hazard perception skills. If you pass the test you may apply for a P2 provisional licence. If you fail the Hazard Perception Test you may resit the test as soon as the next vacancy is available. There is no regulation on the number of times a person may resit the test, however a fee is payable for each attempt.

The Driver Awareness Course is designed to address the common reasons for novice driver involvement in road crashes and involves theoretical and practical components spread over a total duration of 8 hours. For safety reasons those who hold a motorcycle licence only will be exempt from the practical component of this course.

Important information about provisional licences

You are required to hold a provisional licence (P1 and P2) for a minimum of two years or until your 19th birthday whichever is longer.
If you have incurred 1,2 or 3 demerit points while under the age of 19 as a holder of a P1 or P2 provisional licence, you may not progress to a full licence until after your 20th birthday.

If you commit a serious disqualification offence, a curfew condition prohibiting you from driving between 12:00am to 5:00am, unless accompanied by a qualified supervision driver, will be imposed on your licence for 12 months when you return to driving.

A provisional licence holder who fails to comply with the provisional licence conditions, will be disqualified from driving for 6 months, have their licence cancelled and have their provisional licence period extended when they are reissued a licence after the disqualification period.

Following a disqualification, P1 licence holders are required to re-apply for a learner's permit (no theory test required) and pass a practical driving test again (Vehicle on Road Test, Competency Based Training or Advanced Ridersafe), prior to being reissued with another P1 licence.

Following a disqualification P2 licence holders are issued with a P1 provisional licence and must re-pass the Hazard Perception Test again before regaining their P2 licence.

Frequently asked questions on the Graduated Licensing Scheme.