Licence classes and conditions

When you get an ACT driver licence it will:

authorise you to drive certain types of vehicles
be endorsed with certain conditions you need to follow while driving.

You can hold a licence for more than one class, for example a car licence and a motorcycle licence.

Whichever class of licence you hold, you must follow the ACT road rules.

C and R licence classes

The most commonly held licence classes are C and R.

Class C is a Car licence. It licences the holder to drive a car, and includes:

vehicles (other than a motorbike) with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) 4.5 tonnes or less that seat a maximum of 12 adults including the driver
tractors and agricultural implements
Any of the above towing a single trailer with a GVM of 9 tonnes or less.

Class R is a Motorcycle licence. It licences the holder to ride a motorcycle, and to tow a single trailer designed for towing by a motorbike.

There are different stages for these licences. Each comes with different plates.

It’s an offence to drive a vehicle displaying the wrong letter or colour plates.

Learner licence

Both sides of the Learner licence. The positive side is in green with a profile photo of the licence holder. The information on the card includes name, address, date of birth, licence number, licence class, condition and card holders' signature.

display ‘L’ plates at the front and back of the vehicle (or back if a motorcycle)
only drive if you have a person with a valid full Australian driver licence in the passenger seat
have a blood or breath alcohol concentration of zero
not tow a trailer with a Gross Vehicle Mass more than 750kg
not exceed posted speed limits.

Read about getting a learner driver licence.

Read about getting a motorcycle licence.

Provisional licence

Both sides of the provisional licence. The positive side is in red with a profile photo of the licence holder. The information on the card includes name, address, date of birth, licence number, licence class, condition and card holders' signature.

When driving with your provisional driver or motorcycle licence:

If you accumulate 4 or more demerit points, Access Canberra will suspend your licence for 3 months. Suspension periods don’t count towards the provisional period.
your blood or breath alcohol concentration must be zero.

Read about getting your provisional driver licence.

Provisional licences are valid for 3 years and have 2 licence stages:

P1 stage - red plates

Drivers need to display red 'P' plates for the first 12 months and late-night peer passenger restrictions apply.

Read about passenger restrictions on the City Services website.

Holders of provisional motorcycle licences display red plates for the entirety of their provisional licence period.

Read about motorcycle licences.

After completing 12 months on your P1 licence you'll transition to a P2 licence automatically. We'll send you a letter to let you know you've transitioned.

If your licence was issued when you were 25 or older, you’ll go straight to P2 stage conditions for the entire 3-year provisional licence period.

P2 stage - green plates

Drivers must display a green 'P' plate for the last 2 years of the provisional licence period.

Once the P1 stage is over, you’ll get a letter from Access Canberra telling you to start displaying green plates.

You will get a full licence when you renew your licence at the end of your provisional period.

Full licence

Both sides of the full licence. The positive side is in yellow with a profile photo of the licence holder. The information on the card includes name, address, date of birth, licence number, licence class, condition and card holders' signature.

You can renew full licences for up to 5 years online, or up to 10 years in person.

Read about renewing your licence.

Public vehicle licences

A public vehicle driver licence is for people who will be using a vehicle to transport members of the public. This can include drivers for buses, hire cars, rideshare vehicles and taxis.

The card issued to drivers with a public vehicle licence (with the exception of rideshare drivers) is a Public Vehicle Driver Authority Card (PVDAC). The driver must display it in the vehicle at all times.

While operating a public vehicle, you must have a blood or breath alcohol concentration of zero.

Read about public vehicle licences.

Heavy vehicle classes

Both sides of the heavy vehicle licence. The positive side is in orange with a profile photo of the licence holder. The information on the card includes name, address, date of birth, licence number, licence class, condition and card holders' signature.

The heavy vehicle licencing system is hierarchical.

The order from lowest to highest is:

LR - light rigid vehicle licence
MR - medium rigid vehicle licence
HR - heavy rigid vehicle licence
HC - heavy combination vehicle licence
MC - multi‑combination vehicle licence.

The highest class, MC, allows you to operate vehicles in all other classes, other than a motorcycle.

A successful application for a heavy vehicle class upgrades your C class licence to the higher class.

Read about getting a heavy vehicle licence.

LR - Light rigid vehicle licence

This licence entitles the holder to operate a vehicle:

with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) over 4.5 tonnes, but not over 8 tonnes
constructed or equipped to seat more than 12 adults (including the driver)
towing a single trailer with a GVM not over 9 tonnes.

MR - Medium rigid vehicle licence

This licence entitles the holder to operate a vehicle:

with 2 axles and a GVM over 8 tonnes.
towing a single trailer with a GVM not over 9 tonnes.

HR - Heavy rigid vehicle licence

This licence entitles the holder to operate:

a rigid motor vehicle with 3 or more axles and a GVM over 8 tonnes
an articulated bus with 3 or more axles and a GVM over 8 tonnes
a vehicle towing a single trailer with a GVM not over 9 tonnes.

HC - Heavy combination vehicle licence

This licence entitles the holder to operate:

a prime mover attached to a single semitrailer plus any unladen converter dolly
a rigid motor vehicle attached to a trailer with a GVM over 9 tonnes plus any unladen converter dolly.

MC - Multi-combination vehicle licence

This is the highest vehicle licence class. It entitles the holder to operate any vehicle or combination of vehicles other than a motorbike.

Probationary and restricted licences

If you want to return to driving after a court-imposed licence disqualification, you will need to apply for a probationary driver licence.

If you have been convicted of a drug or alcohol offence, you may need to complete an approved alcohol and drug awareness course.

Depending on the charge, you may also be required to participate in the alcohol ignition interlock program.

After a period of disqualification, you can apply for a probationary or restricted licence.

Probationary licence

Both sides of the probationary licence. The positive side is in blue with a profile photo of the licence holder. The information on the card includes name, address, date of birth, licence number, licence class, condition and card holders' signature.

Probationary licence holders must drive or ride with a blood or breath alcohol concentration of zero.

Read about probationary licences.

Restricted licence

Both sides of the restricted licence. The positive side is in blue with a profile photo of the licence holder. The information on the card includes name, address, date of birth, licence number, licence class, condition and card holders' signature.

Restricted licences are only issued in very limited circumstances. An application for restricted licence must be submitted to the court prior to the charges being heard.

They allow you to drive during specific hours or for specific purposes.

Restricted licence holders must drive or ride with a blood or breath alcohol concentration of zero.

Read about restricted licences.

People whose licences have been suspended under the demerit point scheme are not eligible to apply for a restricted licence.

Read about demerit points.

Licence conditions

Under section 10 of the Road Transport (Driver Licensing) Regulation 2000, Access Canberra (the Road Transport Authority) may endorse a driver licence with conditions. The conditions are represented by a letter:

A: The licence holder must drive a vehicle fitted with automatic transmission. This includes tiptronic transmission vehicles.
B: The licence holder can only drive heavy vehicles fitted with a synchromesh transmission or automatic transmission.
D: The licence holder is an accredited rideshare driver.
E: The licence holder can only ride motorbikes of a restricted engine capacity as notified in writing by the Access Canberra (the Road Transport Authority).
H: The licence holder is an accredited hire car operator.
I: The licence holder must drive only a vehicle fitted with a breath alcohol interlock device.
M: The licence holder is an accredited hire motorcycle operator.
O: The licence holder is an accredited bus driver.
S: The licence holder must wear corrective lenses at all times while driving.
T: The licence holder is an accredited taxi operator.
V: The licence holder can only drive vehicles fitted with driver aids, or modified, as notified in writing by Access Canberra (the Road Transport Authority).
W: The licence holder is an accredited restricted hire car operator.
X: The licence holder must comply with any condition notified in writing by Access Canberra (the Road Transport Authority).
Z: The licence holder must not drive a vehicle if they have a concentration of alcohol of more than 0g in 100mL of blood or 210L of breath.

'Q' condition

A 'Q' condition code is issued to temporary overseas visitors who apply for an Australian driver licence.
The purpose of the 'Q' condition is to indicate the licence holder has not provided proof of permanent Australian residency.

In the ACT, a 'Q' condition is only applied to Public Vehicle Drivers Licences and can be removed once evidence or residency is provided to Access Canberra.

To apply for the removal of the Q:

Use the Public Vehicle Driver Licence Application form
Upload a copy of your passport or Australian Citizenship Certificate