From 1 December 2024, red P-platers will only be allowed to travel with one passenger in their vehicle at all times. Read more about the new rules for red P platers.
Once you pass your Practical Driving Assessment (PDA), you will be issued with your provisional licence – also known as your ‘P plates.’
You will be on a provisional licence for 2 years or until you turn 19 years of age, whichever period is longer.
Once you have your provisional licence, you can drive without a supervising driver or rider.
Rules for P plate drivers
Driving or riding solo is a new skill and comes with responsibilities.
While driving or riding on your P plates, you must:
- follow the Western Australian road rules
- always display P plates
- not drive between midnight and 5AM for the first 6 months of holding your valid provisional licence (exemptions for driving to or from work or study may apply.)
- have only one passenger in your vehicle at all times while on your red P plates (exemptions apply.)
- have a blood alcohol content of 0.00%.
Red P plate passenger restrictions
Red P plate drivers in Western Australia will only be allowed to travel with one passenger in their vehicles at all times.
You can find out when your red P Plate restrictions finish by:
- confirming the licence status via your DoTDirect account;
- use our Driver's Licence Status Enquiry tool
- call us 13 11 56; or
- attend a DTMI service centre or regional agent with primary and secondary identification.
Exemptions to the new law
There are three exemptions to the passenger limit law which will only apply if:
- the additional passengers include a driver who has held a full C-class licence for at least four years; or
- other passengers are immediate family members (immediate family include a spouse, de facto partner, child, step-child, grandchild, step-grandchild, sibling, half-sibling, step-sibling, parent, step-parent, grandparent or step-grandparent of the person driving the vehicle); or
- if additional passengers are in the vehicle as a necessary requirement of the driver's employment (paid or unpaid). For this to apply, a letter from the driver's employer must be carried by the red P-Plate driver for presentation on request (see Employment exemption information below).
Please note: You do not need to apply for these exemptions however, you will be required to show proof that you and your passengers meet these requirements to WA police on request.
Employment exemption information
If it is a requirement of your employment to drive with more than one passenger in your vehicle, you are eligible for an exemption to the red P plate passenger limit. You do not need to apply for this exemption. However, you are required to have a letter from your employer to present to WA Police when requested.
The Passenger Restriction Exemption form (E190) can be used by your employer to support this exemption, or used as a guide for them to create their own letter confirming they require you to drive with more than one passenger for your employment.
If your employer creates their own letter, please ensure it includes the following:
- Your full name and driver's licence details
- Company or employer name
- Contact information of the employer
- ABN or ACN details (if applicable)
- Reasons for transporting more passengers
- Who the additional passengers are (if known).
If the additional passengers already meet the requirements of the other exemptions, they do not need to be listed in this letter.
Displaying your P plates
While driving or riding on your provisional licence you must also display:
- red P plates for the first 6 months your provisional licence
- green P plates for the remaining 18 months or until you turn 19 years of age, whichever period is longer.
Night time driving restrictions
While driving or riding on your P plates, you must not drive between midnight and 5.00am for the first 6 months of your provisional licence, unless you are travelling:
- to or from employment, or in the course of employment, and by the shortest route practicable
- to or from school, by the shortest route practicable.
If you need to travel from employment or school, your journey should start as soon as possible after your employment or school ends.
If you are stopped by a Police Officer, you must be able to provide evidence you meet these exceptions (for example, a letter from the employer or the school/education institution.)
If you cannot provide evidence, penalties may apply.
Demerit points
Under the demerit point system, a person is considered a novice driver until they have held a driver's licence for at least 2 years.
This may include:
- a first-time learner’s permit holder;
- the holder of a provisional driver’s licence;
- a driver from interstate and overseas who has not held a driver’s licence for at least two years; or
- the holder of an extraordinary driver’s licence.
A novice driver type 1 is someone who has held a driver's licence for a period of up to one year or periods adding up less than one year.
A novice driver type 2 is someone who has held a driver's licence for at least one year but less than 2 years or periods adding up to less than 2 years.
As a novice driver, your learner’s permit or provisional licence may be suspended or disqualified if you accrue:
- 4 or more demerit points before the end of the first year of your provisional licence, and/or
- 8 or more demerit points before the end of the second year of your provisional licence.
Check your demerit points
You can check how many demerit points you have using our online demerit point tool.
How to reduce your crash risk
Learner and P-plate drivers are at a higher risk of crashing due to their inexperience and potential risk-taking. Learn about some of the leading causes of fatal and serious injury crashes and ways to stay safe on the road.
Distractions
Being distracted behind the wheel – particularly by using a mobile phone – is dangerous. Stay 100% focused on driving and stay safe.
Transcript
Video title: How to reduce your crash risk for novice drivers - mobile phones
[Sound: A phone rings and background music.]
[Visual: Animated mobile phone with emoji faces that accompany the narrator’s story. Happy face followed by kissing face.]
Narrator: Hey, it’s me, your phone! I’m hard to resist I know, but you have to when driving, because distractions like me are a major cause of serious injury and death.
[Visual: Emoji faces progressing through surprise, sadness, sweating and then a skull.)
Narrator: It’s illegal to use social media, watch videos and create, send, or read messages or emails while driving, and you can only accept or end calls if your phone is in a cradle or voice activated.
[Sound: A phone rings. Background music continues.]
[Visual: Animated person driving. Mobile phone vibrates in cradle. Person picks up the mobile and talks. The traffic lights are showing red. Police on motorbike pulls up next to driver. Driver shows sad face.]
Narrator: If it’s not, and even if stationary, by law, you’re still driving so you will be fined.
[Visual: Animation cuts to another happy person driving. Their mobile is in the cradle however; the driver looks at the mobile phone. A blindfold appears and covers the driver’s eyes.]
Narrator: Taking your eyes off the road is like driving blindfolded . . .
[Sound: A vehicle skids and crashes. The background music continues.]
Narrator: . . . so please ignore me and other distractions and stay 100% focussed and safe.
[Visual: another smiling driver pressing the off switch when their mobile phone rings.]
[Visual: Department of Transport logo. Road Safety Commission logo. Emojis: happy face; hands clapping, vehicle and number plate reading ‘Licence 2 drv’.]
[Text on screen: It’s your responsibility to know the road rules.]
[Sound: Background music fades.]
Transcript ends
Seatbelts
Wearing a seatbelt is one of easiest ways to protect yourself. Remember: you can only carry the same number of passengers as available seatbelts. Belt up for every trip – your life depends on it.
Transcript
Video title: How to reduce your crash risk for novice drivers - seatbelts
[Sound: background music.]
[Visual: Animation of a person’s waist and belt. A seatbelt is fastened.]
Narrator: Belts are great. They keep our pants up, and they save our lives.
[Visual: Animation cuts to two happy people in a vehicle. Both are wearing seatbelts.]
Narrator: That's why seatbelts are compulsory for all drivers and passengers at all times.
[Visual: Animation of a white car crashing into a pole. Cuts to the two people with sad faces.]
[Sound: A car skids. The background music continues.]
Narrator: In a crash, your car stops suddenly, but you and your passengers keep travelling at the original speed . . .
[Visual: The seatbelt disappears. The two people get thrown around inside the car and bang their heads.]
[Sound: Crash and people falling noises.]
Narrator: . . .so if you're not wearing a seatbelt, there's nothing holding you back from serious injury or death due to hitting other occupants and parts of the car or being thrown from it.
[Visual: Car crashed into the pole with smoke rising from the engine. A person is lying on the ground, feet showing, the rest of the body out of frame.]
Narrator: Stats show that you're ten times more likely to be killed in a car crash if you're not wearing a seatbelt . . .
[Visual: A white cross on a black background. The cross animates into x 10.]
Narrator: so belt up and drive safe.
[Visual: Replicates the first scene of a seatbelt being fastened.]
[Visual: Department of Transport logo. Road Safety Commission logo. Emojis: happy face; hands clapping, vehicle and number plate reading ‘Licence 2 drv’.]
[Text on screen: It’s your responsibility to know the road rules.]
[Sound: Background music fades.]
Transcript ends
Speed
Speed affects both the risk of being involved in a crash and the outcomes if a crash occurs. Slow down and save lives.
Transcript
Video title: How to reduce your crash risk for novice drivers - speed
[Sound: A car revs as it accelerates. Background music.]
[Visual: An animation of a red demon driving a white car. Cuts to a speedometer over 110km/hr.]
Narrator: Meet the speed demon, he's a danger to himself and others.
[Visual: The demon drives the car and the passenger looks concerned. The colour palette is reds and oranges.]
Narrator: So that you're not, you have to be responsible and aware.
[Visual: The demon transitions to a happy person. The passenger is happy. The colour palette is greens and blues.
Narrator: While the number on the sign is the limit,
[Visual: A 60km/h speed sign appears. The speedometer shows 60km/h and slowing down as a number of parked cars appear on screen, followed by a 40km/h workers ahead signage.]
Narrator: you need to reduce your speed according to the conditions. Slow down when parked cars are blocking the view ahead, when road conditions are not great,
[Visual: The speedometer shows a reduction in speed as it starts raining, followed by fog, glare and pedestrians crossing in front of the car.]
Narrator: When visibility is poor due to rain, fog, smoke or sun glare, and when there are pedestrians and cyclists about.
[Visual: A sad person in a white lab coat holds a white board. Text on the board reads:
Fatal injuries more likely when:
• side impact at more than 50km/h
• front impact at more than 70km/h]
Narrator: Speed effects the risk of a crash and the outcome should a crash occur. If you're in a crash, your speed determines your risk of fatal or serious injury.
[Visual: Department of Transport logo. Road Safety Commission logo. Emojis: happy face; hands clapping, vehicle and number plate reading ‘Licence 2 drv’.]
[Text on screen: It’s your responsibility to know the road rules.]
[Sound: The background music fades.]
Transcript ends
More tips for safe driving
The first few years of driving solo as a new driver or rider is the time you are most at risk of having a crash. While you are still gaining experience as a solo driver it is important to limit the risks you take.
Always abide by the rules for novice drivers as well as the general road rules:
- Never drive after drinking or taking drugs or medication that may affect your driving.
- Avoid driving tired.
- Ask passengers to be quiet if you’re having difficulty concentrating while driving.
- Keep up your good habits, like scanning for potential hazards and leaving a safe distance when following another car.
Getting your full licence
When your provisional licence period is almost complete, you will be sent a renewal notice with the option to renew your licence.
After paying the renewal, you will be issued with your full licence which will come into effect once your provisional licence period is complete.
Safe driver reward (free licence renewal)
If you do not commit any traffic offences while on your provisional licence, you will be rewarded with a free licence renewal for one year.
When you receive your first full licence renewal notice it will offer a one-year free renewal option.
The $0 fee amount must be processed using one of the following payment methods:
- using our online payment system
- DoTDirect
- by post
- by phone
- in person, at a DTMI service centre or regional agent.
Drivers who do not commit any traffic offences for a further year (i.e., a total of three consecutive years of driving without committing a traffic offence), will be rewarded with up to a $100 discount off their next driver’s licence renewal either as:
- a one-off discount of up to $100 for licence renewals over one year; or
- a one-year free licence renewal.
Only licence holders with a provisional period expiry date on or after 1/12/2024 are eligible for second stage rewards. The first eligible participants will receive their rewards from 01/12/2025.
Note: If the customer chooses to renew their driver’s licence for the first time in a non-provisional period for longer than one year, they will not get the discount on the renewal and they will not be eligible for Stage 2 of the Safe Driver Reward Scheme.