P1 & P2 probationary licence restrictions

Learn about the restrictions when you’re on your P1 or P2 licence.

You must:

  • carry a driver licence when driving.
  • show red P plates that can be seen from at least 20 metres away, on the front and back of your vehicle unless you’re:
    • a member of the police force driving a vehicle for work
    • a member of the Country Fire Authority (CFA) driving a vehicle for fire fighting operations
    • driving an ambulance service or a Victorian State Emergency Service (SES) vehicle for work.
  • have a zero Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)
  • drive an automatic vehicle and have an A condition on your licence if you were tested in one:
    • If you want to remove this restriction, visit licence conditions and refer to the A - Automatic transmission section for more information.

You can’t:

  • tow another vehicle or trailer unless:
    • in the course of your employment as requested by your employer
    • it’s solely used for agriculture, horticulture, dairy, pastoral, commercial fishing or similar
    • there’s a full licence driver sitting beside you
  • drive a probationary prohibited vehicle unless you’re:
    • a member of the police force driving a vehicle for work
    • driving the vehicle for work as requested by your employer
    • driving for your business or to and from the work place of that business, and there’s an active Australian Business Number (ABN) 
    • learning to drive a heavy vehicle with a person who holds a full licence sitting beside you 
    • granted an exemption from this restriction by VicRoads.

From 31 March 2023, there are new Road Rules, regulating the use of a range of portable, wearable, mounted and inbuilt devices while driving a vehicle or riding a motorbike.  You can download a summary of the changes here Distracted Driver Road Rules 2023 [PDF 409 Kb] or see Rules for using portable, wearable, mounted and inbuilt devices to learn more.

Peer passenger restriction

A 'peer passenger' is someone who’s at least 16 but less than 22 years old, but doesn’t include:

  • your spouse or domestic partner
  • your sibling or step-sibling. 

You won’t need to get an exemption if you’re a P1 driver carrying the above listed people.

You can’t:

  • carry more than one peer passenger aged between 16 and less than 22 years old unless you’re:
    • a member of the police force driving a vehicle for work
    • driving an emergency vehicle for work
    • driving an emergency vehicle in line with any contract terms
    • driving with a full licence driver sitting beside you
    • granted an exemption from this restriction by VicRoads.

You must:

  • carry your P2 licence when driving
  • show green P plates that can be seen from at least 20 metres away, on the front and back of your vehicle unless you’re:
    • a member of the police force driving a vehicle for work
    • a member of the Country Fire Authority (CFA) driving a vehicle for fire fighting operations
    • driving an ambulance service or a Victorian State Emergency Service (SES) vehicle for work
  • have a zero Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)
  • drive an automatic vehicle and have an A condition on your licence if you were tested in one
    • If you want to remove this restriction, visit licence conditions and refer to the A - Automatic transmission section for more information. 

You can’t:

  • drive a probationary prohibited vehicle unless you’re:
    • a member of the police force driving a vehicle for work
    • driving the vehicle for work as requested by your employer
    • driving for your business or to and from the work place of that business, and there’s an active Australian Business Number (ABN) 
    • learning to drive a heavy vehicle with a person who holds a full licence sitting beside you
    • granted an exemption from this restriction by VicRoads.

From 31 March 2023, there are new Road Rules, regulating the use of a range of portable, wearable, mounted and inbuilt devices while driving a vehicle or riding a motorbike. You can download a summary of the changes here Distracted Driver Road Rules 2023 [PDF 409 Kb] or  see Rules for using portable, wearable, mounted and inbuilt devices to learn more.

New distracted driver road rules

From 31 March 2023, there are new Road Rules, regulating the use of a range of portable, wearable, mounted and inbuilt devices while driving a vehicle or riding a motorbike. Download a summary of the Distracted Driver Road Rules 2023 [PDF 409 Kb] or see below for more information.

Rules using portable devices (mobile phones, tablets, laptops, media players and game-consoles)

As a P plater, you are not allowed to operate a non-mounted portable device in any way when driving, even when stationary but not parked.

When driving, you must not:

  • Touch a portable device (regardless of whether the device is on or off)
  • Look at the display of a portable device being operated by another person
  • Allow a portable device to be in your lap or resting on any part of your body or clothes (unless it is in a pocket or a holding pouch attached to your clothes e.g. to your belt)
  • Operate a portable device at all - not even by using voice controls
  • Have any ongoing activity on a portable device while driving (such as audio or navigation setup prior to driving).

If you want to operate a portable device in a motor vehicle, you will need to be parked.

From 31 March 2023, there are new Road Rules, regulating the use of a range of portable, wearable, mounted and inbuilt devices while driving a vehicle or riding a motorbike.

Rules for using mounted devices (mobile phones and tablets and inbuilt navigation and entertainment systems)

For mobile phones and tablets to be considered a “mounted device”, the mounting must be commercially designed and manufactured for that purpose, and the device must be secured in the mounting.

As a P plater if you use a mounted device or an inbuilt device while driving, you must not:

  • Scroll or enter information, text, numbers or symbols on mounted or inbuilt devices.
  • Use voice controls to operate any mounted or inbuilt devices.
  • Use the device for:
    • Reading or writing text messages, emails, message threads or viewing websites;
    • Watching movies, TV, video games or other moving images;
    • Viewing social media and photos;
    • Video or audio calls.

However, as an P plater you can:

  • Use mounted devices for navigation and playing audio (such as music or podcasts) providing it is set up before a journey commences. You must pull over and park to change a song or enter a different address. You are not permitted to touch a mounted device for any purpose during a drive.
  • Briefly touch your inbuilt device to adjust navigation settings, climate controls and audio functions (such as the radio).
  • For navigation, a safer option is to only use the GPS audio directions and avoid looking at the images on the screen.
     

Rules for using wearables (smart watches, smart glasses, wearable heads up displays)

You cant:

  • Touch a wearable device (other than by incidental contact with the device caused by the driver wearing the device)
  • Operate the device using voice controls
  • Look at the display of a wearable device being operated by another person in the motor vehicle

What can I do with a wearable device?

  • You are allowed to play or stream audio material on a wearable device, provided it is set up before you begin driving, or by pulling over and parking first.
  • You can only operate the wearable device by permitting ongoing activity on the device. This means you will need to park before you can touch the device or use voice controls to adjust the volume or change what audio is playing.

Rules for motorbike helmet devices (heads up display, communicators, cameras and inbuilt or secured mobile phones)

Other than using the device for images or information associated with the safety or operation of the bike, P platers can only use motorbike helmet device for:

  • Playing or streaming audio material (music, podcasts, audio books)
  • Navigation

However, you must not:

  • touch the device or use voice controls when doing the above.

The functions need to be set up before you start driving, and you must pull over to change the settings.

What if I ride a motorcycle or have a probationary restricted motorcycle licence?

If you ride a motorcycle or have a probationary restricted motorcycle licence, visit motorcycle licence and learner permit restrictions for more information.

What if I'm a probationary driver interstate?

The same probationary restrictions from your state will apply if you’re driving in Victoria. 

A P1 driver or corresponding novice driver must not drive a motor vehicle with more than one peer passenger. 

A peer passenger is a person who is at least 16 but less than 22 years of age, but does not include a person who is:

  • the spouse or domestic partner or
  • the sibling or step-sibling of the probationary P1 driver or corresponding novice driver. 

A corresponding novice driver is a person who holds a probationary or provisional licence issued by another jurisdiction or country and has held the licence for less than 12 months. 

It’s a good idea to visit information for tourists and check out the the road rules before you drive here.

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