Most NSW learners do the bulk of their driving practice with a parent beside them. That makes you one of the most important influences on the kind of driver your teenager becomes. This guide covers the rules for supervisors, the log book requirements and practical ways to make every practice drive count.
Who can supervise a learner in NSW
- You must hold a current full Australian driver licence. P1 and P2 drivers can't supervise.
- Your blood alcohol concentration must be under 0.05, and you must not have any illegal drugs in your system.
- You sit in the front passenger seat and mark off the learner's progress in their log book.
If the supervisor doesn't hold a full licence, both the supervisor and the learner can be fined.
The log book requirements
If your teen is under 25, they need to record at least 120 hours of supervised driving, including at least 20 hours at night, and hold their learner licence for at least 10 months before they can sit the Hazard Perception Test. Hours can be recorded in the paper log book or in Roundtrip, the only log book app Transport for NSW accepts.
If you're under 25, each hour with a licensed NSW driving instructor counts as 3 hours in your log book, for up to 10 hours of lessons. That's up to 20 bonus hours.
Learners under 25 can also earn 20 bonus hours by completing the Safer Drivers Course once they've logged at least 50 hours.
Before your first drive together
- Refresh your own knowledge. Road rules change over time, so read through the current Road User Handbook. It's easy to pass on old habits without realising.
- Choose the car carefully. If you can, practise in a car with modern safety features. If your teen will sit their test in an automatic, practise in an automatic.
- Agree on how you'll communicate. Give instructions early and clearly, such as "at the next street, turn left", rather than at the last second.
- Set up the car properly. Help your teen adjust the seat, steering wheel and mirrors before every drive. Our guide to driving posture explains how.
How to plan practice drives
Build skills in stages, and only move on when each stage feels comfortable:
- Start in a quiet street or an empty car park, in daylight, practising moving off, stopping, steering and turning.
- Move to quiet local roads with intersections, give way signs and parked cars.
- Add busier roads, roundabouts, lane changes and traffic lights.
- Practise parking, including reverse and parallel parking.
- Build up to night driving, wet weather, motorways and unfamiliar areas.
Short, regular drives work better than occasional long ones. Before trying something new, show your teen how to do it, then let them have a go.
Staying calm in the passenger seat
- Keep your tone calm and specific. Praise what they do well.
- When something goes wrong, discuss it calmly once you've stopped somewhere safe, then let them try again.
- Reschedule the drive if either of you is tired, upset or stressed.
- Keep distractions low: the radio off, your phone away and conversations with other passengers to a minimum.
Your habits are their habits
Teenagers pick up how you drive long before they get their Ls. Keeping a safe following distance, checking mirrors and blind spots, indicating early and never touching your phone behind the wheel all send a stronger message than any lecture.
Frequently asked questions
Who can supervise a learner driver in NSW?
Anyone who holds a current full Australian driver licence and has a blood alcohol concentration under 0.05. P1 and P2 licence holders can't supervise a learner.
How many supervised hours does a learner need in NSW?
Learners under 25 need at least 120 hours of supervised driving, including at least 20 hours at night, recorded in their log book.
Do driving lessons count for extra log book hours?
Yes, if you're under 25. Each hour with a licensed NSW driving instructor counts as 3 hours in your log book, for up to 10 hours of lessons. That's up to 20 bonus hours.
Where professional lessons fit in
Lessons with a professional instructor work best alongside your practice drives, not instead of them. An instructor can teach the correct technique from the start, pick up habits that are hard to spot from the passenger seat, and run mock tests on the routes near your test centre. Our instructors each hold a NSW driving instructor licence and a Working With Children Check, and they teach in dual-control cars, so your teen can tackle new skills safely. Many parents book a lesson early to set good foundations, then a few more before the test.
The NSW Government also runs free Helping Learner Drivers Become Safe Drivers workshops for parents and supervisors. Call 13 22 13 for details.
Start with an Introductory Session or see our driving lesson prices.