Provisional P2 Licence (Green Ps) – All You Must Know

Getting your Green Ps in New South Wales is a great accomplishment that finally gives you the freedom to drive and carry passengers, among many other things we’ll explain below. The Provisional P2 Licence can be obtained after you have held the Provisional P1 Licence for a minimum of 12 months.

How Long is the Provisional P2 Licence Issued For?

Your Green Ps are issued for a period of 30 months once you pass the Hazard Perception Test.

When Can I Get A Full Licence?

You must hold the provisional P2 licence for a minimum of 24 months before you can apply for a full licence. However, you may upgrade the class of your vehicle to a maximum of Heavy Rigid (subject to specific requirements) during your P2-term.

What Are the Provisional P2 Licence Restrictions?

The P2 licence has restrictions, just like the P1 licence. It’s only when you progress to a full licence that you can drive unrestricted.

Below are the restrictions for P2 licence holders in New South Wales:

• Your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) must be zero.
• You must have clearly visible green ‘P’-plates on the front and rear of the vehicle
• You are not allowed to drive faster than 100 km/h
• You are not allowed to use a mobile phone including hands-free
• All passengers must wear a seatbelt/restraint
• You are not allowed to supervise a learner
• You must not drive a vehicle with:
  • 8 or more cylinders (diesels are exempt)
  • a turbocharged/supercharged engine (diesels are exempt)
  • performance-increasing modifications
  • any vehicle identified by RMS (check website)

P2 Licence Suspension

Your P2 licence will be suspended or cancelled if you commit serious driving offences.

• If you accumulate 7 or more demerit points – Your P2 licence will be suspended for a minimum of 3 months. The suspension period is not counted towards the minimum 24-month holding period.
• If you commit a serious driving offence – Your licence may be cancelled. If cancelled, the 24 month holding period will be reset. You may also incur a future one-passenger restriction on your licence.
• If you receive a suspension for unsafe driving behaviour – You will need to stay on your P2 licence for an additional 6 months for every suspension.

When Do I Get a Full licence?

You can apply for a full and unrestricted licence once you have held the P2 licence for at least 24 months. The full licence will be suspended if you incur 13 or more demerit points in any 3-year period.

Note: You must have a correct and current licence to drive, and the licence must always be worn when driving. Driving without a licence, or letting an unlicensed driver drive your vehicle, may incur heavy penalties including fines.