Your ability to control the vehicle is assessed by the way you handle the tasks involved.
OPERATING THE CONTROLS
Some of the driving tasks that the testing officer will observe and record are
listed here:
Adjust driver’s seat posture and steering column (if adjustable) to ensure you have good control of the vehicle.
Operate accelerator smoothly when accelerating and decelerating.
Operate brakes smoothly and effectively.
Coordinate clutch and gear lever to make smooth gear changes.
Select appropriate gear for the situation including when coming to a stop and parking the car.
Avoid over-revving on take off and gear changes.
Driver’s seat belt is correctly fastened, fitted and adjusted (low, flat and firm).
Apply a brake when starting the vehicle.
Prevent rolling back when starting on hills.
Use park brake correctly when preparing to secure the vehicle and ensure it is fully released when driving.
Steer with both hands on the steering wheel (except when using another control), using either ‘hand-over-hand’ or ‘pull-push’ method with hands on the outside of the steering wheel.
Use other controls such as indicators, windscreen wipers and demisters.
You must be confident in your use of all controls and be able to operate them without being distracted.
You must be aged 17 years or over to get a NSW driver licence.
If you hold an overseas licence to drive or ride (including a learner licence) and want to get a NSW licence, you must go to a registry or service centre and:
• If your licence is in English, present your overseas licence.
• If your overseas licence is not written in English, provide:
– Your overseas licence and an official translation from the NSW Community
Relations Commission or the Commonwealth Department of Immigration
and Citizenship (DIAC).
– Where extra licence information is required (for example, about the first issue
date or the validity period of the licence or where the type of vehicle authorised
to be driven or ridden is not shown) a letter from a relevant consulate or diplomatic office.
• If you cannot produce your overseas licence, provide:
– A letter from the overseas licence issuing authority confirming your licence
details and status, or,
– A letter from a relevant consulate or diplomatic office, based on information
received from the overseas licence issuing authority, confirming your licence
details and status.
Any letter provided to confirm licence details or status should be in English or
have an official English translation as described above.
Before you first attend the registry or service centre, you may wish to obtain a
letter from the driver licence issuing authority (on its letterhead), or from your
relevant consulate or diplomatic office, confirming your licence details, including
the first issue date.
You must also:
• Prove your NSW address.
• Prove your identity.
• Pass an eyesight test.
• Pass a knowledge test for each class of licence required.
• Pass a driving test for each class of licence required.
• Provide documents proving the first issue date of your licence, if it is not displayed on the licence. If you fail the driving test, your visiting driver privileges will be withdrawn.
To continue driving in NSW you must then get a learner licence that will allow you to
drive (while supervised by a person who has an Australian full licence) and then go
for another driving test.
RECORDING OVERSEAS LICENCES
Under Australian licensing laws only one licence can be used for driving in
Australia. Before a NSW licence will be issued, you must present your overseas
licence so that the details can be verified and recorded. Your overseas licence will
be returned to you unmarked.
EXEMPTIONS FROM TESTS
You may be exempt from some tests if:
• You have, within the last five years, held an Australian driver licence which can
be verified by the issuing authority, or,
• You hold a current New Zealand driver licence, or,
• You are applying for a Class C (car), or,
• Class R (rider) licence and you hold a current overseas rider licence, or one that
expired within the past five years, from a country recognised as having comparable
licensing standards to Australia.
Note: Roads & Maritime reserves the right to require a driving or riding test. A licence may not be issued unless Roads & Maritime is satisfied that the overseas licence is valid.
WHAT NSW LICENCE YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR
The length of time you have held an overseas car or rider licence will determine
the type of licence that you are eligible to hold.
• If you have held your overseas car or rider licence for less than
one year, you will only be eligible for a P1 licence.
• If you have held a car or rider licence for more than one year but less than
three years, you will only be eligible for a P2 licence.
• If you have held a driver or rider licence for more than three years,
you will be eligible for a full licence.
To apply for a class of licence other than one you already hold, you must pass the
appropriate knowledge test and driving test (taken in a vehicle of that class).
TEMPORARY OVERSEAS VISITING DRIVERS
From 18 April 2008, new licensing rules apply to visiting drivers who want to obtain a NSW licence for the first time.
Information for visiting drivers can be found on our website or in the brochure
Guide for international drivers.
DISABLED DRIVERS
When you apply for a licence, you must state whether your disability could affect
your driving. Roads & Maritime will assess your disability as having either a minor
or serious effect on your driving ability. If a disability is considered serious, a
disability driving test has to be taken. Conditions can be placed on your licence, for
example ‘may only drive vehicle with automatic transmission’.
DRIVERS WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS
You must advise Roads & Maritime if you have a medical condition that could
affect your driving, such as epilepsy.
You are required to give details when you complete an application form, or contact Roads & Maritime should you develop a condition while already holding a licence.
For some medical conditions you will need regular medical examinations to make
sure you are fit to drive. Your doctor should have received a copy of the national
medical guidelines for assessing fitness to drive a motor vehicle. Roads & Maritime
will send a medical report form to be completed by a doctor whenever you are due
for an examination. The completed report must be returned to Roads & Maritime.
Roads & Maritime may suspend or cancel your licence if information is available that proves you should not be driving. For example, a doctor may report that a patient does not meet the medical standards and is no longer fit to drive.
DRIVERS HOLDING AN OVERSEAS LICENCE
If you have a current overseas licence and a permanent resident visa, you are
allowed to drive or ride in NSW on your current licence for a maximum
of three months after arriving in Australia.
To drive with your current licence during the three-month period, you must
not be disqualified from driving or riding and your licence must not be suspended or
cancelled.
You must obtain (not just apply for) a NSW licence within this three-month
period if you wish to continue to drive or ride.
Please note that if your overseas licence is not in English, you must also carry your
International Driving Permit or an English translation with your licence when
driving.
We have a driving school test package that includes a one hour driving lesson then the driving test.
We can prepare you for a Blacktown Driving Test, Castle Hill Driving Test, Penrith Driving Test, Richmond Driving Test and Mount Druitt Driving Test.
Our driving school is located in the Western Suburbs of Sydney and we prepare students for their driving test at Blacktown, Castle Hill, Mount Druitt, Penrith and Richmond.
Special offers:
One hour driving school lesson auto
Blacktown Driving School Lessons $50
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Castle Hill Driving School Lessons $50
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Blacktown Driving School Test Package $150
Castle Hill Driving School Test Package $150
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Penrith Driving School Test Package $150
NSW DRIVING LICENCE RESTRICTIONS FOR P1 LICENCES
Automatic You are restricted to driving an automatic vehicles transmission vehicle if tested in one.
Blood Alcohol Your BAC must be zero.
This means your Concentration (BAC) cannot have any alcohol in your system when you
drive a vehicle.
Demerit points Your licence will be suspended if you incur 4 or more points.
Display of P signs P signs (red P on a white background) must be clearly displayed on the front and back of the exterior of the vehicle.
Licence class You cannot learn to drive for a higher class licence.
Mobile phone You must not use any function of a mobile phone, including loudspeaker devices when driving.
Passengers P1 drivers under 25 years of age are restricted to carrying one passenger under 21 years of age between 11pm and 5am.
Seatbelts You must ensure all occupants are properly seated and restrained by seatbelts or approved restraints.
Speed limit You must not drive faster than 90 km/h and must observe the speed limit where it is below 90 km/h.
Your licence will be suspended for at least three months for any speeding offence.
Supervising a learner You must not supervise a learner driver.
Towing You are allowed to tow light trailers up to 250 kilograms unloaded weight.
Vehicles You must not drive any vehicle with:
• Eight or more cylinders, (diesel powered engines exempt)
• A turbocharged or supercharged engine (diesel powered engines exempt).
• Modifications that increase engine performance.
• Any other vehicle identified by Roads and Maritime
– details available on Roads and Maritime website.
Please note exemptions may apply.
The crash rate of learner drivers is actually very low, partly due
to the guidance provided by the supervising driver. However, as a
newly licensed provisional driver driving without this supervision,
the risk of crashing is significantly greater.
By imposing your own constraints and gaining support when needed you
can reduce some of the risks involved. NIGHT DRIVING
Crash data shows that the risk of provisional drivers crashing is greater at
night, particularly on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
Avoid driving at these times if at all possible.
PASSENGER INFLUENCES
A relative or trusted friend can be very helpful in new and challenging
driving situations. However, some passengers can distract you and make it
harder to focus on driving.
For the first 12 months of provisional driving limit yourself to a maximum of one passenger.
From July 2007, all provisional P1 drivers under 25 have a passenger limit between 11pm and 5am.
DRIVING DISTRACTIONS
Distractions like adjusting a CD player or radio can divide your concentration
and result in a crash. If you have a passenger, get them to do the task. If you
are by yourself, wait until you are stopped before you divert your attention to
these activities. If you wish to use a mobile phone you must pull over to the
side of the road and turn the engine off.
As a provisional driver you are still limited to zero alcohol.
If you have had any drink or food containing alcohol you cannot drive.
15. UNREASONABLY OBSTRUCTING OTHER VEHICLES OR PEDESTRIANS
You will fail if you unreasonably obstruct other vehicles or pedestrians
during the test. This includes if you:
Enter an intersection without enough space on the other side
due to traffic, blocking the intersection as a result.
Drive significantly below the speed limit when prevailing
conditions do not require it.
16. RECEIVING EXTERNAL ADVICE OR INSTRUCTION DURING THE TEST
You will fail if you receive any external advice from a third party at any time
during the test. This includes the time from when you sign the score sheet,
to getting into your vehicle.
FINAL POSITION AT A STOP LINE
If initially you stop more than one metre from the line you
must move up and stop within one metre of the stop line,
with no part of the vehicle over the line.
17. NOT PARKING TO THE REQUIRED STANDARD
During the manoeuvres you will fail if:
The final position of your car is more than one metre
from the kerb or obstructing traffic.
Your wheels are on or over marked parking lines.
You reverse more than seven metres from the vehicle in front during
the reverse park section of the test.
18. FAILING TO MAINTAIN A SAFE FOLLOWING DISTANCE
You will fail if you follow too closely to the vehicle in front.
19. FREQUENTLY NOT PERFORMING OBSERVATION CHECKS
You will incur this fail item if you repeatedly miss observation checks when
required. Specifically this fail item applies to checking your blind spots when
you:
Leave or return to the kerb.
Merge, diverge or change lanes.
Are about to reverse, such as in a reverse parallel park and 3 point turn.
Turn at intersections, leave or join the road.
Cross lanes within a roundabout on exiting.
You must turn your head and check it is safe to proceed when moving off
after being stopped at traffic lights and railway level crossings.
9. FAILING TO EXERCISE DUE CARE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT
You must be ready at all times to respond to hazards. If a situation occurs
requiring your response and you are not prepared, you will fail.
10. FAILING TO GIVE WAY TO AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE
You will fail if you do not move out of the way of an emergency vehicle.
11. DISOBEYING DIRECTIONS FROM A PERSON CONTROLLING TRAFFIC
This item includes failure to obey police, emergency services or armed
forces personnel, traffic controllers (eg flag persons at road works) and pilot
vehicles etc.
12. FREQUENTLY NOT SIGNALLING INTENTION
You will fail if you repeatedly do not signal when legally required to do so.
You must signal:
To give sufficient warning to other road users
of your intentions when turning left or right. For at least five seconds before leaving the kerb.
For at least five seconds before leaving a parking space.
When changing lanes, diverging or pulling over to the kerb.
When exiting a roundabout.
13. REFUSING TO ATTEMPT ANY PART OF THE TEST
You are required to complete the whole test to get a pass. You can be failed
for refusing to do any part of the test.
14. REPEATED OR DELIBERATE FAILURE TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS
You must follow all reasonable directions given to you by the testing officer
during the test.
5. EXCEEDING THE SPEED LIMIT
The speed limit is the maximum allowable speed for that section of road
under normal conditions. Exceeding the speed limit is dangerous and illegal.
You will fail if you exceed the speed limit at any time including:
The 40 kilometre per hour limit at school zones during the hours of operation.
The 40 kilometre per hour limit when passing a bus with flashing lights.
The learner driver speed limit.
Speed limits at road works. 6. ACTION REQUIRING TESTING OFFICER INTERVENTION
At this stage of your driving experience you should be able to drive without
any help. If the testing officer has to give you verbal or physical assistance,
including using the dual controls in an instructor’s vehicle, you will fail. 7. CAUSING A DANGEROUS SITUATION
This fail item covers any unsafe act or behaviour that puts you or others at
risk, such as overtaking in an unsafe manner, or giving way unnecessarily. 8. FAILING TO MAINTAIN PROPER CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE
This fail item applies to anything that could, or does, result in you losing
control of the vehicle such as:
Allowing the vehicle to roll back more than 500mm when moving off.
Skidding or spinning the drive wheels.
Clutch coasting (allowing the vehicle to roll along
with your foot on the clutch) or coasting in neutral.
Not maintaining effective control of the steering wheel.
NSW Driving Test. 2. Why You Might Fail Your Driving Test.
2. FAILING TO GIVE WAY WHEN NECESSARY
Examples of this fail item include:
Not giving way to any vehicle that has priority over you
at an intersection.
Not giving way to pedestrians at marked crossings
and intersections.
Not giving way if required when entering a traffic stream,
merging or lane changing.
3. COLLIDING WITH A VEHICLE, PEDESTRIAN OR OBjECT
This includes mounting or straddling (one wheel either side of) a traffic
dome and mounting the kerb or roundabout.
You will not fail if you touch the kerb face with your wheels. 4. PERFORMING AN ILLEGAL ACT OR MANOEUVRE
An illegal act or manoeuvre is anything contrary to the Road Rules where a
regulatory traffic sign, signal or road marking is not present. Examples of
this fail item include:
Unnecessarily driving on the wrong side of the road
on unmarked roads.
Turning from the incorrect position. For example,
starting a left turn from the right lane, or
When turning left or right in an arrowed lane,
you do not exit to a permissible lane.
Stopping on a pedestrian crossing or stop line
when giving way to pedestrians.
Not driving in the left lane when required to do so.
Making an unlawful U-Turn.
Not using the correct lane to turn at a roundabout.
Overtaking or passing a stationary vehicle at
a pedestrian crossing.
Entering a level crossing when unsafe to do so. Not wearing a seatbelt.
Answering or using a mobile phone.
