How Much Does It Cost to Get a Driver's Licence in Australia in 2026?

What you pay for: the stages of an Australian licence

Every state follows a graduated licensing model, so you pay in stages rather than all at once. The typical sequence for a car (class C) licence is:

• Knowledge test — a computer-based road rules test (called the Driver Knowledge Test, or DKT, in NSW).
• Learner permit/licence — the card that lets you drive supervised.
• Supervised logbook hours — 120 hours in NSW and Victoria, 100 hours in Queensland for drivers under 25, recorded in a logbook or app.
• Hazard Perception Test (HPT) — a screen-based test of your ability to spot developing dangers.
• Practical driving test — the on-road test.
• Provisional (P1) licence — your first solo licence.

New South Wales: around $287 in government fees

According to the NSW Government's official fee schedule (effective from 1 July 2025), the path from zero to P1 in NSW costs:

That's about $287 if you pass everything first time. NSW learners under 25 must also log 120 supervised hours, including 20 at night. The DKT can now be taken online, and the $57 fee covers unlimited online attempts — a genuinely learner-friendly change. Later, moving to P2 costs a further $112.

Victoria: the cheapest state — as little as $73

Victoria is currently the outlier, because under the Victorian Government's motorist fee relief, VicRoads waives several new-driver fees. As listed by VicRoads in 2026:

• Learner permit test: first online attempt free.
• Learner permit issue: currently free for first-time learners.
• Hazard Perception Test: first online attempt free; retakes $20.70.
• Drive test: $51.80 plus a $21.50 appointment fee — $73.30 total.
• First probationary (P1) licence: currently issued at no cost.

A Victorian learner who passes everything first time can therefore reach their Ps for around $73 in government fees — a saving VicRoads values at roughly $77 versus the old fee schedule. Victoria still requires 120 logged hours (including 20 at night) for under-21s, and you'll hold a learner permit for at least 12 months if you're under 21.

Queensland: around $370 in government fees

The Queensland Government's licensing fee schedule (effective 1 July 2025) lists:

Total: about $372 first time through. Queensland learners under 25 must log 100 supervised hours, including 10 at night. A shorter 1-year provisional licence ($91.55) trims the upfront cost if cash is tight.

Driving lessons: the real cost driver

Professional lessons dwarf the government fees for most learners. Industry surveys from EzLicence and Yellow Pages put 2026 lesson prices at $50–$105 per hour nationally, with most learners paying $60–$95. Typical state averages:

• Sydney/NSW: $70–$95 per hour
• Melbourne/VIC: $60–$80 per hour (about $65–$70 is common)
• Brisbane/QLD: $60–$75 per hour

Automatic lessons often run $5–$10 cheaper per hour than manual. How many you need varies hugely: learners with a parent or friend supervising most of their hours might buy 5–10 professional lessons ($350–$950), while learners relying entirely on an instructor can spend $1,500–$2,500 or more.

So what's the realistic total?

• Mostly supervised by family, a handful of lessons: $500–$1,000 (less in Victoria thanks to the fee waivers).
• Typical mix of family supervision plus 10–15 lessons: $1,000–$1,800.
• Instructor-led from start to finish: $1,800–$2,500+, in line with EzLicence's 2026 estimate of $1,200–$2,500 for NSW.

How to keep costs down

• Use the logbook bonus. In NSW and Queensland, one hour with a professional instructor counts as three hours in your logbook (capped — e.g. 10 lesson hours recording as 30 in NSW). Used well, this slashes how long you spend reaching 120/100 hours.
• Claim your free Keys2Drive lesson. This federally funded program gives every Australian learner one free lesson with an accredited instructor, attended with your supervising driver.
• Practise between lessons. Supervised practice with a parent or friend costs only fuel, and learners who drill the road rules and hazard perception in an app like SteerClear between sessions typically need fewer paid lessons and fewer test retakes — each failed driving test costs another $67–$70 plus the wait for a new slot.
• Book lesson packages. Five- and ten-lesson bundles commonly bring the hourly rate down to $60–$80.
• Pass the knowledge tests first time. Outside NSW's unlimited-attempt online DKT, every retake is a fresh fee — $28.70 per written test in Queensland, $57 per HPT sitting in NSW.
• Download handbooks free. Every state publishes its road users' handbook as a free PDF; printed copies cost up to $16.

Other states at a glance

The same pattern holds elsewhere: South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory each charge their own knowledge test, learner permit, practical test and provisional licence fees, generally landing in the $200–$450 band overall. WA is notable for charging per 50-minute practical assessment, while the ACT offers a competency-based logbook route through accredited instructors that replaces the one-off test with assessed lessons — different cash flow, similar total. Wherever you live, the official fee schedule on your state licensing authority's website is the figure to trust, since most are indexed every July.

What's new for 2026

The headline change is Victoria's continued fee relief: free first-attempt online learner and hazard perception tests and free first-issue learner permits and probationary licences, making Victoria by far the cheapest state in which to get licensed. NSW's move of the DKT online with unlimited attempts for one $57 fee also removes the old retake penalty. Most other state fees rose modestly with the usual 1 July indexation, so always check your state authority — Service NSW, VicRoads, or the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads — for the current figure before you book.