Learn to drive/ride

Supervising drivers will help you safely gain extensive on-road driving practice.

A supervising driver(s) must either:

• Hold an instructor licence issued under the Motor Vehicle Drivers Instructors Act 1963;
• Be an instructor in a youth driver education course conducted or supervised by a body authorised by the Department of Transport for that purpose; or
• Be authorised to perform any driving of a kind for which the driving instruction is to be given* and has had that authorisation for a period of, or periods adding up to: 
  • At least two years, in the case of driving of a moped; or
  • At least four years in any other case.

* This means a person who is authorised to drive a 'C class’ vehicle with an 'A' condition (automatic vehicle) cannot supervise a learner driver in a manual vehicle.

Supervising drivers are subject to blood alcohol content levels and a prohibition on illicit drugs in their system – the same requirements that would apply if they were driving the vehicle.

Professional driving instructor

Starting off with a professional driving instructor can help you learn basic car control skills and develop the right driving habits.
When choosing an instructor, it’s important:

• to verify the professional driving Instructor has been issued with a current driving instructor’s licence by the Department of Transport.
• if you are using the professional driving instructor's vehicle it must be appropriately licensed and have dual controls.

Someone you know

Your supervising driver can be a parent, relative or friend, as long as they meet the requirements.

If you ask someone you know to teach you to drive, refer them to the teaching someone to drive resources.

Government program Keys2drive provides parents or supervisors of learner drivers with a free driving lesson with an accredited instructor as a refresher on the road rules, with supporting online information and interactive games to assist them.

Safe driving is more difficult than it seems – it takes years of practice, and recording 50 hours is just the start.

It is strongly recommended you get as much supervised driving experience in as many different road, weather and traffic conditions as you can. This will better prepare you for driving solo and reduce the chance of being involved in a serious road crash.

All learner drivers under the age of 25 must complete a minimum 50 supervised driving hours to be eligible for a WA driver's licence. Five of those hours must be completed at night (between sunset and sunrise).

Those over 25, or applying for a Moped (R-N class) only, are exempt from the 50 hours but must complete all other steps to get a WA driver’s licence. You can accrue these hours before or after you have passed the Hazard Perception Test (HPT), but you must have recorded a minimum 50 hours of supervised driving in an approved Log Book before you attend your practical driving assessment (PDA).

The Driving Techniques for Safer Drivers: A Guide for Learner Drivers (booklet) will help guide you through the four stages of learning to drive and assist you in preparing for the PDA.

Logging your hours

You will need to record the minimum 50 hours of supervised driving using any of the following:

• the Learner Log Book;
• the Learn&Log app;
• an approved interstate learner log book*; or
• a combination of the above methods.

* see below for more information.

Supervised driving hours completed interstate or from New Zealand

Supervised driving hours completed interstate or from New Zealand and recorded in an approved Log Book, can be used towards the minimum 50 hours of supervised driving required. Only the hours recorded in an approved Log Book up until the date of making an application for a WA driver's licence will be recognised.

Hours recorded or recognised may include those recorded in an approved electronic Log Book.

To have Log Book hours recognised you will need to present the approved Log Book along with a completed 'Recognition of Learner Driver Competencies Australia/New Zealand/IOT' (Form E60).

The table below lists those jurisdictions within Australia that have supervised driving that can be recognised. It also provides the number of supervised driving hours required by each Australian jurisdiction.

Number of supervised driving hours required by other jurisdictions

Note: Currently, learner drivers from Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia also have the option of recording supervised driving hours in an electronic Log Book. Those hours may now be recognised.

The Northern Territory does not require learner drivers to record supervised driving hours; applicants from the Northern Territory, who are applying for a WA driver’s licence, must undertake and record a minimum of 50 hours supervised driving (including five hours of night time driving).

Multiple classes

Where you hold multiple classes of learner's permits:

If you are aged under 25 years, you will need to record a minimum of 50 hours supervised driving in the class of vehicle in which your first PDA will be undertaken.

If you are aged 25 years or older you are exempt from the Log Book requirements for a car (C class) driver's licence, however where a motorcycle (R-E class) will be the first class of PDA undertaken, you will need to record a minimum of 50 hours supervised driving on a LAMS approved motorcycle.

A 'Learner Log Book - Supervised driving record for secondary learner's permit class held (DL59A)' can be issued to applicants free of charge, to enable you to record your supervised driving hours for the second class of learner's permit held.

If you are using the Learn&Log app, you can record hours for multiple licence classes. You must be issued with a learner’s permit for class C and R-E before logging in to the app for the first time. If you obtain an additional class after you have logged in to the app, you will need to get a copy of the DL59A to record hours for the secondary class.