Provisional P1 Licence Details (Red Ps)

red p plate provisional p1

Prerequisites:

To get your provisional P1 car licence (red Ps) you must pass a Q-SAFE Practical Driving Test. The resources on this site should help you achieve this. To attempt the test you must:

  • Be 17 or older
  • Have held your learner licence for at least 12 months
  • Have completed your log book (unless 25 or older)
  • Prove your identity
  • Pay the licence and test fees

Log book details (for learners under 25):

On your learner licence, you must complete 100 hours of supervised driving (including 10 hours of night driving between sunset and sunrise). These hours must be recorded in the Learner Log Book issued to you.

Interstate and foreign learner licences

Driving experience in Australia or New Zealand on an Australian or New Zealand learner licence can count towards your 100-hour requirement if you fill in a Prior Driving Experience Declaration (Form F4450).

Driving experience gained in a recognised country on a foreign learner licence can also count towards your 100-hour requirement if you fill in a Prior Driving Experience Declaration (form F4450). This experience can count as no more than 50 hours as it is a requirement to progress that at least 50 hours (including the required 10 hours of night driving) must have been gained on Australian roads and recorded in your logbook.

Reducing the required hours

To reduce the hours required to progress to your Red Ps, you can complete professional driving lessons with accredited instructors. For each hour of professional driving lessons (up to a maximum of 10 hours) you receive an additional 2 hours of credit towards the required 100 hours.

These hours with an accredited instructor will make you a safer driver, increase your chances of passing the practical driving test and significantly reduce the required hours. By completing 10 hours of professional driving lessons, you will already have 30 hours towards your 100 hour requirement (10 supervised by instructor + 20 bonus hours for professional lessons). This means you will only need a further 70 hours (including 10 hours of night driving).

Licence features:

When you pass the Q-SAFE Practical Driving Test, your red Ps (provisional P1 licence) is valid for up to 5 years or until you get your green Ps (provisional P2) or open licence (if you were 24 when you got your P1 licence). Your provisional P1 licence can be renewed if you haven’t progressed. 

In addition to following the road rules like all road users should, there are specific rules associated with a provisional P1 licence. Disobeying these additional rules could result in heavy fines or loss of licence.

Blood Alcohol Concentration Zero (no alcohol in your system)
Demerit points 4 points in a 1-year period
Plate display Plates must be displayed clearly on the exterior of the front and back of the vehicle
Maximum speed limit The limit as signed (no provisional limit)
Supervision Not allowed to supervise a learner
Mobile phone Not allowed unless vehicle is parked
Passengers of a provisional P1 driver under 25 are not allowed to use loudspeaker function
Passenger limits Drivers under 25 are restricted to 1 passenger under 21 from 11pm-5am (unless they are members of your direct family)
Licence class Only applies to C class (car)
Transmission If tested in automatic, can only drive automatic
Vehicles Drivers under 25 must not drive:

  • Vehicles manufactured after 1 January 2010 with:
    • a power to weight ratio of more than 130kW/tonne
  • Vehicles manufactured before 1 January 2010 with:
    • 8 or more cylinders
    • Turbo or supercharged engine (diesel exempt)
    • An engine that has a power output of more than 210kW
    • a rotary engine that has a capacity of more than 1146cc
    • Modifications to the engine performance that must be approved under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management—Vehicle Standards and Safety) Regulation 2010, section 13

Requirements to progress:

To progress from your red Ps you must have held your red Ps (provisional P1) for at least 12 months. Then:

  • If you were under 23 when you got your provisional P1 licence (red Ps) you must pass the Hazard Perception Test (HPT) and then hold your provisional P2 licence (green Ps) for at least 2 years to progress to an open licence.
  • If you were 23 when you got your provisional P1 licence (red Ps) you must pass the HPT and then hold your provisional P2 licence (green Ps) for at least 1 year to progress to an open licence.
  • If you were 24 when you got your provisional P1 licence (red Ps) you must hold your P1 licence for at least 1 year and pass the HPT to progress to an open licence (you get to skip the green Ps).
  • If you were over 25 when you pass the Q-SAFE Practical Driving Test, you will skip the red Ps and be issued a provisional P2 licence (green Ps). You must hold this licence for 12 months before you are able to progress to an open licence and you won't have to take the HPT.

Periods in which your licence has been expired, suspended or you are disqualified do not count towards the stated time requirements.

Check out the other QLD Driving Test resources available to help you pass the Q-SAFE Practical Driving Test and get your provisional P1 licence (Red Ps) or, if 25 or over, P2 provisional licence (Green Ps):

For comprehensive information on the provisional P1 licence and Q-SAFE Practical Driving Test, please refer to the Department of Transport and Main Roads website. The above information is a summary of this content and although current when published may now be outdated. To ensure you are accessing the most current and accurate information, use the Department of Transport and Main Roads website or visit your nearest Transport and Motoring Service Centre.