Queensland’s learner and provisional licence stages help you build experience gradually. The rules depend on your licence and age, so check the conditions that apply to you before driving.
At a glance
There is no blanket first-year P1 night-driving ban. The under-25 peer-passenger rule is different from an individually imposed late-night restriction.
In this article
Learner licence requirements
You can apply for a car learner licence from age 16 after meeting the knowledge-test requirements. Before progressing to a provisional licence, you normally need to be at least 17 and have held your learner licence for at least 12 months. When learning, display L plates, carry your licence, keep to zero alcohol and drive with an appropriately licensed supervisor. See the learner driving rules.
If you are under 25, the usual logbook requirement is 100 hours, including 10 night hours. Learners aged 25 or over do not need a logbook. Approved exemptions can change the requirements, so use the official logbook guidance for your circumstances. If you are starting out, learn to drive with easyas and build your experience with support.
P1: red plates
P1 drivers can drive without a supervisor once licensed. Display red P plates, observe zero alcohol and comply with your licence conditions. For drivers under 25, extra phone, passenger and high-powered vehicle restrictions apply.
Between 11pm and 5am, a P1 driver under 25 may carry no more than one passenger under 21 who is not an immediate family member. This is a passenger restriction, not a blanket ban on night driving. A separate late-night driving restriction can be imposed following specified offences or sanctions. Check the provisional restrictions.
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Phones: check your licence and age
Car learners and P1 drivers under 25 cannot use a mobile phone while driving, including hands-free use. Their passengers must not use a phone on loudspeaker either.
P2 drivers and older learner/P1 drivers still have to follow the general mobile-phone rules. Hands-free permission does not mean unrestricted use: do not hold a phone or rest it on your body while driving. See the learner rules and provisional phone restrictions.
P2 and progression to an open licence
Green P plates and zero alcohol still apply on P2. The time required before an open licence depends on your age and licence history; it is not always two years. Learners who pass their practical test at 25 or older generally move directly to P2.
Use Queensland’s licence progression table to check your path, including the effect of expired, suspended or cancelled periods.
High-powered vehicles
High-powered vehicle restrictions generally apply to P1 and P2 drivers under 25, not all learners. The definition depends on when the vehicle was manufactured; the 130kW-per-tonne threshold for newer cars is not the whole test. Check the official vehicle definitions and exemption rules before choosing a car.
Common questions
How do driving lessons count in a logbook?
The first 10 actual hours of daytime driving with an accredited trainer can count as 30 logbook hours. Further trainer hours count in real time. Night hours have separate recording rules. See trainer logbook credit and our driving lessons.
What happens if I breach a restriction?
Depending on the offence and your history, fines, demerit points or licence sanctions may apply. Do not assume every breach means restarting the entire licensing process. Our guide to speeding consequences explains one common example.
What if I drive interstate?
Check the destination state’s rules and your Queensland licence conditions before travelling. Requirements can differ.
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Sources and further reading