Minimum age is 18 years old Unless you do a course

This page tells you the process to get your motorcycle full licence, and what you need to know about holding a full licence. 

Minimum age is 18, unless you do a course

If you have completed an competency-based training and assessment (CBTA) 6F course , you can get your full licence once you turn 17½.

If you haven't completed a CBTA course, then you must be 18 before you can get your full licence.

Find out more about competency-based training and assessment

You must hold your restricted licence for a minimum time

If you have completed a CBTA 6F course, then you must have held your restricted licence for at least 12 months before you can get your full licence. 

If you have not completed a course, then you must have held your restricted licence for at least 18 months. 

How to get your full licence

To get your full licence, you must apply at a driver licensing agent

You will need to:

You can then either:

The application fee is the same whether you present a CBTA certificate or sit the test. There’s no fee to book, change or rebook a test.

It’s easy to book the test online

You can book the test online before you go into the agent. If you book online, you’ll still need to go to the driver licensing agent before your test to make your application.

If you’ve completed a CBTA 6F course instead, you don’t have to book a test.

Book a driver licence test

Full licence practical test

The full licence practical test is a 30-minute test with a testing officer, who will assess whether your riding is good enough to progress to the next level of driver licence. 

More information about the full licence practical test

No more restricted conditions

Once you have passed the full licence practical test, you can ride any time you like, ride any motorcycle you like and you can carry passengers.

Carrying a passenger

You should wait until you're an experienced rider before carrying passengers. The extra weight changes the way the motorcycle handles, the way it balances, the way it turns, the way it speeds up and the way it slows down.

Equipment for carrying passengers

To carry passengers, you'll need the following equipment on your motorcycle:

  • a seat that's large enough to hold both you and your passenger without crowding – you shouldn't have to move any closer to the front of the motorcycle than you usually do, and your passenger shouldn't hang over the end of the seat
  • footrests for your passenger – these are required by law and, without a firm footing, your passenger can fall off and pull you off too.

Your passenger is also required by law to wear an approved helmet. They should also wear protective clothing.

Adjusting your motorcycle when carrying passengers

Because your motorcycle will change angle with the extra weight of a passenger, you should adjust the mirror and headlight. Have the passenger sit on the seat while you do this.

It’s also a good idea to add some air to the tyres (check your owner’s manual for correct air pressure).

If the shock absorbers are adjustable, they should also be adjusted to carry the added weight.

Instructing passengers

Don’t assume your passenger will know what to do, even if he or she is a motorcycle rider. Before you move off, you should tell them to:

  • get on the motorcycle after the engine has started
  • sit as far forward as possible without crowding you
  • hold on to your waist, hips or belt, or to the passenger’s handgrip
  • keep both feet on the footrests at all times, even when the motorcycle is stopped
  • stay directly behind you, relax and lean as you lean
  • avoid any unnecessary movement or talk.

Ride with caution until you're sure your passenger can follow all these instructions.

Riding with passengers

When you're carrying a passenger, the motorcycle responds more slowly because of the extra weight. It takes longer to speed up or slow down and makes your motorcycle react differently when making a turn.

To adjust for the added weight of the passenger, you should:

  • ride at a slower speed, particularly on corners, curves or bumps
  • begin to slow down earlier than usual when you approach a stop
  • allow a greater following distance and keep more distance between yourself and vehicles on either side
  • look for larger gaps whenever you cross, enter or merge with traffic
  • adjust the tyre pressure and suspension to make them firmer.

Warn your passenger when you intend to start moving, stop quickly, turn sharply or ride over a bump. Otherwise, talk as little as possible.

To make yourself understood, you may have to turn you head. Do it carefully, because your eyes will be off the road.

More information

Download Factsheet 28: Learning to ride – getting your motorcycle licence [PDF, 301 KB]

The official road code for motorcycling