Queensland's licensing system moves you through three stages before an open licence: learner, P1 and P2. Each stage carries its own restrictions, and the confusion usually comes from mixing them up, or from assuming a rule you heard about another state applies here. This guide sets out exactly what applies at each stage, checked against Queensland Government sources in July 2026.
Which restrictions apply at each licence stage?
Pick your stage below. The restrictions change as you move from your Ls to red P1 plates and then green P2 plates, but a few, like the zero alcohol limit, stay the whole way through.
Learner licence L plates, from 16
What applies while you're on your Ls in Queensland.
AlcoholZero. A 0.00 blood alcohol reading every single time you drive.
L platesDisplayed so the L is clear at the front and rear, readable from 20 metres.
SupervisorAn open licence holder for that class of vehicle, licensed at least a year, beside you at all times.
Mobile phoneIf you're under 25, no phone use at all. That includes hands-free, Bluetooth and loudspeaker.
Logbook100 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours at night, if you're under 25.
High-powered vehiclesOff limits while you're under 25.
Before your practical testYou can apply for your Ls at 16. To sit the practical driving test you need to be at least 17, have held your Ls for a year, logged your 100 hours, and passed the hazard perception test.
P1 provisional Red P plates
The first provisional stage, held for at least a year.
AlcoholStill zero. The same 0.00 limit as your Ls.
Red P platesDisplayed clearly at the front and rear.
PassengersIf you're under 25, between 11pm and 5am you can carry only one passenger under 21 who isn't immediate family.
Mobile phoneUnder 25s still can't use a phone at all, hands-free included.
High-powered vehiclesStill off limits through your provisional years.
DurationHeld for at least 1 year before you can move to P2.
The passenger rule in plain termsOutside 11pm to 5am there's no passenger limit at all. The restriction is about late-night peer passengers, not a ban on driving at night. Other states word this differently, so if you drive interstate see our passenger rules across Australia.
P2 provisional Green P plates
The second provisional stage, usually held for two years.
AlcoholStill zero. The 0.00 limit stays right up to your open licence.
Green P platesDisplayed clearly at the front and rear.
PassengersNo peer-passenger restriction on P2, at any hour.
Mobile phoneYou can use a hands-free or mounted phone now. Holding a phone stays illegal for every driver.
High-powered vehiclesStill restricted for the rest of your provisional period, even once you turn 25.
DurationUsually held for 2 years before an open licence, or shorter if you were 23 or older when you got your P1.
Almost thereP2 feels close to a full licence, and for day-to-day driving it mostly is. The two habits worth keeping until the end are the 0.00 reading and steering clear of high-powered vehicles.
How the logbook works in Queensland
Learners under 25 need 100 hours of supervised driving recorded, including 10 hours at night, before the practical test. One hundred hours sounds like a lot, and it is, so it helps to know that professional lessons count for more than their clock time.
100
100 hours, 10 at night
The supervised total for under-25 learners before you can sit the practical test.
3×
Lessons count triple
Each daytime hour with an accredited instructor counts as 3 logbook hours, up to 10 actual hours, so 30 hours toward your total.
📱
Paper or app
Record trips in the paper logbook, the Queensland Learner Logbook app, or a mix of both.
One thing to watch with the triple-time bonus: a night trip with an instructor can count as triple time or as night hours, not both. Most learners use their instructor hours for daytime practice and keep the required night hours for supervised drives with a parent or supervisor. The hazard perception test, which you sit before the practical driving test, has been part of the Queensland process since 2021, so it isn't new, but it does catch some families by surprise.
L, P1 and P2 restrictions side by side
If you only remember one thing, make it this: the zero alcohol limit and the high-powered vehicle restriction run all the way through, while the phone and passenger rules ease as you progress.
| Restriction |
Learner (L) |
P1 (red) |
P2 (green) |
| Blood alcohol |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| Plates |
L, front and rear |
Red P, front and rear |
Green P, front and rear |
| Mobile phone (under 25) |
No use at all |
No use at all |
Hands-free allowed |
| Peer passengers |
Supervisor required; no passenger cap |
1 under-21 non-family, 11pm to 5am (under 25) |
No restriction |
| High-powered vehicles |
Not allowed (under 25) |
Not allowed |
Not allowed |
| Supervision |
Supervised at all times |
Drive unsupervised |
Drive unsupervised |
Two things people often get wrong
A couple of Queensland rules get repeated so often that they've become myths. Both are worth clearing up, because getting them wrong can make learning more stressful than it needs to be.
There's no special speed limit for L or P plate drivers in Queensland. Unlike some states, Queensland doesn't set a lower maximum for learners or provisional drivers. You follow the same posted limit as everyone else and drive to the conditions.
P1 drivers aren't banned from driving between 11pm and 5am. That time window is the late-night passenger limit for under-25s, not a curfew. You can still drive in those hours; you're just limited to one young non-family passenger. A separate late-night driving ban only applies if it's imposed after demerit points or a suspension.
Common questions from Queensland families
These rules were checked against Queensland Government transport and licensing sources (qld.gov.au) in July 2026. Road rules can change, so confirm the current requirements with the Department of Transport and Main Roads before relying on them. This article is general information, not legal advice.
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