Check These Before You Book
Don't book until you've ticked all four:
- Held your learner licence for the minimum period (6–12 months, depends on your state)
- Completed your required supervised hours and logbook (if your state requires one)
- Passed the Hazard Perception Test (VIC and TAS only)
- Have access to a roadworthy, registered, insured vehicle for the day
If any of these aren't done, your booking can be cancelled on the spot and you'll likely lose your fee.
How to Book in Each State
New South Wales
Book online: service.nsw.gov.au | Phone: 13 77 88
- Fee: ~$70
- Typical wait: 2–6 weeks (metro areas fill up faster)
- Cancellation: Free with at least 1 business day's notice
Service NSW publishes available slots about 4 weeks ahead. Popular centres like Bankstown and Blacktown fill up quickly — check the booking system regularly for cancellation openings.
Victoria
Book online: vicroads.vic.gov.au | Phone: 13 11 71
- Fee: ~$73 (drive test + appointment fee)
- Typical wait: 1–4 weeks
- Cancellation: Free with 2+ business days' notice
- Prerequisite: Must pass HPT before you can book
VIC's "Free Ls and Free Ps" scheme (from August 2025) waives learner permit and probationary licence fees, but the drive test booking fee still applies.
Queensland
Book through a Q-SAFE provider or online: qld.gov.au/transport | Phone: 13 23 80
- Fee: ~$67
- Typical wait: 1–4 weeks
- Cancellation: Free with 1+ business day's notice
QLD tests are conducted by accredited Q-SAFE assessors, not government examiners. You can book through Transport and Main Roads or directly through a driving school that offers Q-SAFE assessment.
Western Australia
Book online: transport.wa.gov.au | Phone: 13 11 56
- Fee: Free (1st PDA, included in $143 learner permit) / ~$121 (re-test)
- Typical wait: 2–8 weeks
- Cancellation: Free with 2+ business days' notice
WA often has the longest wait times, especially at metro centres. Book as soon as you're eligible.
South Australia
Book through an authorised assessor or: my.sa.gov.au | Phone: 13 10 84
- Fee: ~$350 (VORT, paid to assessor)
- Typical wait: 2–6 weeks (depends on assessor availability)
- Cancellation: Check with your assessor (policies vary)
SA's VORT is conducted by private accredited assessors — similar to QLD. You book and pay the assessor directly. This makes SA the most expensive state for testing, but you have more flexibility in scheduling.
Tasmania
Book online: service.tas.gov.au | Phone: 1300 135 513
- Fee: ~$106
- Typical wait: 1–3 weeks
- Cancellation: Free with 2+ business days' notice
- Prerequisite: Must pass HPT before booking
TAS generally has shorter wait times than mainland states.
Australian Capital Territory
Book online: accesscanberra.act.gov.au | Phone: 13 22 81
- Fee: ~$129
- Typical wait: 2–6 weeks
- Cancellation: Free with 2+ business days' notice
The ACT has a ~28% pass rate — the lowest in Australia. If you're not confident, rescheduling is cheaper than failing and rebooking.
Northern Territory
Book online: nt.gov.au/driving | Phone: 1300 654 628
- Fee: ~$180
- Typical wait: 1–4 weeks
- Cancellation: Free with 2+ business days' notice
Total Cost: Test + Licence
The test fee is only part of the cost. You'll also pay for your provisional licence when you pass.
| State | Test Fee | Licence Fee | Approx. Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | ~$70 | ~$208 (5-year P) | ~$278 |
| VIC | ~$73 | Free (Free Ps scheme) | ~$73 |
| QLD | ~$67 | ~$187 (5-year P) | ~$254 |
| WA | Free (1st)* | ~$53 (P licence) | ~$196** |
| SA | ~$350 | Included in VORT | ~$350 |
| TAS | ~$106 | ~$86 (3-year P) | ~$192 |
| ACT | ~$129 | ~$300 (5-year P) | ~$429 |
| NT | ~$180 | ~$125 (5-year P) | ~$305 |
*WA: First PDA included in $143 learner permit. Re-tests ~$121 each. *Total includes learner permit + P licence. VIC: Free Ps scheme launched August 2025 — check VicRoads for current eligibility. Fees are approximate and change periodically.
Smart Booking Tips
Book 4–6 weeks ahead. Popular metro centres fill up fast. Don't wait until you feel "100% ready" — book early and use the weeks leading up to the test for focused practice.
Pick your centre carefully. Pass rates vary a lot between centres in the same city. But more important than the pass rate is whether you've practised on the roads around that centre. Choose a centre where you know the routes.
Check for cancellation slots. If your preferred centre is booked out, check the system every day or two. People cancel all the time, and earlier slots open up regularly.
Avoid school zone hours. If you can, book a time when school zones aren't active (outside 8–9:30am and 2:30–4pm on school days). Missing a school zone speed change is a common fail — fewer active zones means fewer opportunities to make that mistake.
Book mid-week. Tuesday to Thursday mornings typically have lighter traffic than Monday or Friday. Less traffic means fewer complex situations to manage.
If You Need to Reschedule
Most states let you reschedule for free with at least 1–2 business days' notice. Late cancellations usually forfeit your fee.
If you're not feeling prepared: reschedule. It costs nothing (with enough notice) and saves you the full fee and waiting period of a failed attempt. There's no shame in pushing it back a week — it's the smart call.
Between Now and Test Day
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Drive the test routes. AUDrive has GPS practice routes for test centres across Australia. Practise the actual roads until they're familiar — speed zones, roundabouts, stop signs, tricky intersections.
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Book at least one professional lesson near your test centre. An instructor who knows the local routes can point out the specific spots where candidates lose marks.
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Review common fail items. Head checks, mirror scanning, speed management, and stop-sign compliance fail more people than anything else. Make sure your habits are solid.
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Do a dry run to the centre. Drive there before test day so you know where to park, how long it takes, and where to check in. One less thing to stress about.
AUDrive provides GPS-guided practice routes for driving test centres across every Australian state and territory. Visit audrive.net to find your test centre and start preparing today.
Information in this guide is current as of February 2026. Booking procedures, fees, and wait times change regularly — always verify with your state or territory's transport authority before booking.