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Upgrading a licence

If you have a Queensland provisional or open up licence, y'all tin learn to drive the next highest vehicle course.

If your provisional or open up licence only authorises you to drive a class of motor vehicle fitted with an automatic manual, you are also authorised to larn to bulldoze or ride the same or college course of motor vehicle fitted with a manual transmission.

Different rules utilize when learning to ride motorcycles.

Learning to bulldoze a higher course

When learning to ride or drive in a higher licence class, you must:

  • exist accompanied past a supervisor who
    • holds an open licence in the licence class you are learning to drive in
    • has held that licence form for at least 1 year
  • clearly display L plates at the front and rear of the vehicle (back only for motorcycles)
  • evidence your provisional or open licence to a constabulary officer if required
  • obey a zero alcohol limit
  • not be under the influence of illegal or prescription drugs
  • obey whatsoever conditions stated on your licence.

Unaccompanied learner drivers will go 4 demerit points and a $220 fine.

The maximum court-imposed penalization for this offence is more than $two,700.

Moving to a higher course

To employ for the next college course, you must hold your current licence for a set menstruation.

This menses:

  • must have occurred in the final 5 years
  • tin be continuous or made up of different private lengths of time (excluding any time that your licence was suspended, surrendered, cancelled or expired).
Current licence form Minimum length of time Next higher licence class
C 1 year RE
RE 2 years R
C (A) automatic gearbox - upgrading to manual gearbox No minimum if P/O licence already held C (manual gearbox)
C 1 yr LR or MR
C 2 years HR
LR or MR 1 year HR
MR or Hour 1 year HC
60 minutes or HC 1 year MC

How to employ

Example of Queensland heavy vehicle driver licence, showing photo, personal details and the licence class and conditions

To use for the next higher class of licence y'all must:

  • have had your current licence class for the required period (see the table higher up)
  • bring your licence or other evidence of identity documents if your licence has been lost, stolen or destroyed
  • declare that yous are medically fit to drive the form of vehicle (You lot may demand to provide a medical certificate that states that you lot are medically fit to drive)
  • pay the road rules test fee and pass the examination, if required
  • pay the practical driving test fee, volume and laissez passer the test.

You no longer have to complete a driver licence awarding form when visiting a Department of Transport and Main Roads Client Service Centre.

Yous will still demand to complete driver licence application class (F3000) at police stations and nigh QGAP offices.

Once you meet these requirements yous can employ for your current licence to be re-issued with the new class. Your new licence will exist sent in the mail to your postal accost inside 14 days. If y'all have upgraded to a heavy vehicle licence yous will receive a magenta coloured licence that will prove the highest course of vehicle you authorised to drive. For example, if you are issued an Hr licence you are allowed to drive each type of vehicle listed for that class. Course RE and R motorbike licences will show separately on your licence.

Book a heavy vehicle practical examination

  • To volume a test you can volume online or call xiii 23 80 between 8am and 5pm.
  • To change or update a test y'all can reschedule online or call 13 23 eighty between 8am and 5pm.
  • To cancel a test please call 13 23 80 between 8am and 5pm.
  • Please annotation bookings can't be swapped.

Heavy combination (HC) licence—special need

If y'all are applying for a course HC licence based on special need, you will need to confirm that you alive in a remote area.

Apply the Australian Agency of Statistics maps to bank check if you lot reside in a remote or very remote area:

  1. From the Choose a boundary blazon dropdown, select '2016 Remoteness Area (RA)'
  2. Start typing your location in the Find address or place search and select your location from the list displayed
  3. The map volition now brandish your location, click/tap on the location to display its Identified Regions data
  4. Your location is a remote expanse if theName value is either:
    • 'Remote Australia'
    • 'Very Remote Australia'.

For further assistance delight contact the Australian Bureau of Statistics on 1300 135 070.

Concluding updated:
27 February 2022