Driver licence progression
Queensland's Graduated Licensing Scheme helps new drivers build their skills and confidence on the road. It's a step-by-step process starting with a learner licence, followed by provisional licences (P1 and P2), and finally an open licence. Each stage has specific rules and requirements to ensure safe driving.
Minimum eligibility requirements
Eligible for learner licence
- Be at least 16 years of age
- Successfully complete PrepL or a written road rules test
Eligible for P1 provisional licence
- Hold your learner licence for at least 1 year
- Be at least 17 years of age
- Complete 100 hours of supervised driving experience in a learner logbook (if under 25)
- Complete the car hazard perception test
- Book and pass your practical driving test.
If you are 25 years or older or older and hold a learner licence, you are not required to complete a learner logbook prior to taking the practical driving test. Upon successfully passing the test you will progress directly to a P2 provisional licence.
Eligible for P2 provisional licence
- Hold your P1 licence for 1 year
- Be at least 18 years of age
Eligible for open licence
- Hold your P2 licence for 2 years
- Be at least 20 years of age
Upgrading a licence
This table outlines when you may be eligible for a P2 or open licence.
| Age when issued P1 licence | Minimum length P1 licence held before being eligible for P2 licence | Age when issued P2 licence | Minimum length P2 licence held before being eligible for open licence |
| Under 23 years | 1 year | Under 25 years | 2 years |
| 23 years | 1 year | 25 years and over | 1 year |
| 24 years | 1 year | n/a – open licence issued | |
| 25 years and over | 1 year |
These timeframes may be impacted by any time period that your driver licence is expired, suspended or cancelled.
For example, you were issued a P1 licence on 14 October 2024. When applying for your provisional licence, you selected a 2-year licence term, which is set to expire on 13 October 2026. After holding your P1 licence for 12 months, it was automatically upgraded to a P2 licence on 14 October 2025.
Your P2 licence was valid until 13 October 2026, but you didn't renew it until 5 December 2026. Because of this gap, the time between 14 October 2026 and 4 December 2026 does not count towards your time spent on a P2 licence.
As a result, your P2 licence will only be eligible for upgrade to an open licence on 5 December 2027, after completing the final 12 months of valid tenure from the renewal date.