Restrictions for Learner Drivers (L Plates) in Queensland

The first stage to becoming a fully qualified driver in Queensland is obtaining your learner's license, or L plates. To maintain road safety and adhere to Queensland's driving regulations, you must, however, abide by certain guidelines as a learner driver. You risk penalties, demerit points, or possibly having your learner's license suspended if you violate these rules.

A comprehensive guide to all the rules that Queensland L plate drivers must abide by can be found below.

1. Minimum Age Requirement

To apply for a learner licence in Queensland, you must:

• Be at least 16 years old.
• Pass the online PrepL course or the written road rules test at a Transport and Main Roads (TMR) customer service centre.
• Provide proof of identity and pay the application fee.

Once you pass, you’ll receive a learner licence, which is valid for 3 years.

2. L Plate Display Rules

When driving, you must:

• Clearly display an L plate on the front and rear of the vehicle.
• Use a yellow L plate with a black "L" (as required by law).
• Ensure the plates are fully visible from at least 20 metres away.
• Attach them outside the vehicle (not inside the window).

If you fail to display L plates correctly, you could receive a fine and demerit points.

3. Supervised Driving Requirements

Learner drivers must always be supervised by a fully licensed driver when behind the wheel. Your supervisor must:

• Hold a current open licence for the same type of vehicle.
• Have held their open licence for at least 1 year.
• Sit in the front passenger seat at all times.

Your supervisor cannot be on drugs or over the legal alcohol limit while supervising you.

4. Logbook and Driving Hour Requirements

If you are under 25 years old, you must complete:

• 100 hours of supervised driving, including
• 10 hours of night driving (between sunset and sunrise).

You can log your driving hours using:

• The Queensland Learner Logbook app (recommended for easier tracking), or
• A paper logbook, available from TMR.

Once you complete your hours, your logbook will need to be approved by TMR before you can take your practical driving test.

👉 Exemptions: If you are 25 or older, you do not need to log driving hours but must still hold your learner licence for at least 12 months before applying for a P1 licence.

5. Passenger Restrictions

There are no official restrictions on how many passengers a learner driver can carry. However, you must:

• Ensure that your supervisor is in the front passenger seat.
• Make sure all passengers wear seatbelts.

While there’s no legal limit on passengers, having too many people in the car can be distracting for new drivers.

6. Speed Limit Rules for L Plate Drivers

When driving with an L plate in Queensland, you must:

• Not exceed 100 km/h, even if the speed limit is higher.
• Follow all posted speed limits if they are below 100 km/h.

Breaking the speed limit can result in:

• Fines
• Demerit points
• Licence suspension if you accumulate 4 or more demerit points.

7. Zero Alcohol and Drug Policy

Queensland has a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol and drugs when it comes to learner drivers.

• Your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) must be 0.00% at all times.
• You cannot drive under the influence of drugs (including prescription drugs that impair driving).

If caught with alcohol or drugs in your system, you face:

• Heavy fines
• Immediate licence suspension
• Possible disqualification from driving

8. Mobile Phone Use Restrictions

As a learner driver, you must not use a mobile phone at all while driving, including:

• Hands-free or Bluetooth
• Speakerphone mode
• Texting or calling

Additionally, if you are under 25, your passengers cannot use a mobile phone on loudspeaker while you are driving.

Breaking this rule can lead to:

• $1,161 fine
• 4 demerit points

Since you only have 4 demerit points before your L plates are suspended, one mobile phone offence can result in losing your license.

Although learning to drive is a wonderful trip, in order to stay safe and avoid fines, it is imperative that you adhere to all Queensland L plate requirements. Following these guidelines will help you develop positive driving habits and obtain useful experience, which will let you to confidently pass your P plates exam.

🚗 Good luck with your Ls and drive carefully! 🚗