Coronavirus (COVID-19) information

Licence testing in metropolitan Melbourne

The Victorian Government announced licence testing has re-opened for new customer bookings across Melbourne from Monday 16 November.  

The easiest way to make an appointment is online, or alternatively you can call us on 13 11 71  (pay by VISA or Mastercard only*)

*A card payment fee applies.  

Customers with suspended appointments who have been given priority to rebook their tests are being reminded to contact VicRoads on a dedicated number as soon as possible to book an appointment.

Customers who had their appointments suspended due to coronavirus (COVID-19) will also have their booking fees refunded and all new appointment fees will be waived until bookings return to normal levels. We will contact all customers who are eligible for an appointment fee refund. Please do not call us for your refund.

Heavy vehicle and motorcycle training and testing re-commenced on Wednesday 28 October. Medical review assessments re-commenced on Monday 2 November.

Additional licence testing centres with new staff have been setup to offer more bookings and ensure these key services can resume safely as part of the roadmap to recovery. COVIDSafe measures remain in place to allow the safe delivery of licensing services. 

Licence testing in regional Victoria

All licence testing has resumed in regional Victoria.  

The easiest way to make an appointment is online, or alternatively you can call us on 13 11 71  (pay by VISA or Mastercard only*)

*A card payment fee applies.  

Additional licence testing centres with new staff have been setup to offer more bookings and ensure these key services can resume safely as part of the roadmap to recovery. COVIDSafe measures remain in place to allow the safe delivery of licensing services. 

Heavy vehicle and motorcycle training and testing re-commenced on Wednesday 28 October. 

Medical review assessments re-commenced on Monday 2 November. 

Hardship and special circumstances appointments

The Chief Health Officer has outlined a range of measures to allow hardship and compassionate drive testing to take place safely where undue hardship would be experienced in absence of the test taking place.Pre-drive health-screening checks for all occupants in the vehicle, appropriate cleaning or coverage of vehicles used in tests, increased hand hygiene protocols for all occupants in the vehicle and the use of appropriate personal protection equipment as stipulated by VicRoads for all vehicle occupants as requested.  

For more information go to Safe Operating Procedure (SOP) for licence testing.

Learner drivers and practice drives 

• Light vehicle learner drivers can undertake supervised driving practice. Supervising drivers must be full licence holders and  may include family members, volunteer mentors and also qualified driving instructors. 
• Professional driver training is allowed. The instructor and driver must wear a face mask.
• For heavy vehicle and motorcycle training and assessment, professional driver training can continue. The instructor and driver must wear a face mask.

Interstate drivers and overseas licence conversions

• You have not previously been unsuccessful on a drive test (Overseas licence holders only).
• You do not hold a current Victoria learner permit or licence.
• You are not cancelled, suspended or disqualified from driving anywhere in Australia or overseas.

If you were in Victoria prior to 29 October 2019:

• you now have until 29 April 2021 to convert your licence to a Victorian one.
• if you had an appointment relating to your licence conversion booked that was suspended due to coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions, we'll contact you to make a new appointment. 
• if you had not yet made an appointment, once new appointments become available, you must make sure you convert your licence before 29 April 2021.

Overseas licence holders who arrived in Victoria after 29 October 2019:

• enter your details in the online form on the Overseas drivers page to check how long you have to convert to a Victorian licence.
• once new appointments for overseas licence conversions become available, you must make sure you convert your licence before that date. 

Has licence testing resumed in metropolitan Melbourne?

Yes, Victorian Government announced licence testing has re-opened for new customer bookings across Melbourne from Monday 16 November.  

The easiest way to make an appointment is online, or alternatively you can call us on 13 11 71  (pay by VISA or Mastercard only*)

*A card payment fee applies.  

Customers with suspended appointments who have been given priority to rebook their tests are being reminded to contact VicRoads on a dedicated number as soon as possible to book an appointment.

Hardship and special circumstances appointments will continue to be offered for eligible customers who would experience undue hardship as a result of not sitting a licence test.

Additional Licence Testing Centres with new staff have been setup to offer more bookings and ensure these key services can resume safely as part of the roadmap to recovery. COVIDSafe measures remain in place to allow the safe delivery of licensing services. 

How do I book an appointment if I'm in regional Victoria?

All licence testing has resumed in regional Victoria.

The easiest way to make an appointment is online, or alternatively you can call us on 13 11 71  (pay by VISA or Mastercard only*)

*A card payment fee applies.  

What if I had a postponed appointment but didn’t get the SMS? Will I lose my place in the queue?

If you had a postponed appointment but didn’t receive the SMS to rebook, you will still be considered for a priority appointment when you get in touch to rebook.

The easiest way to make an appointment is online, or alternatively you can call us on 13 11 71.

What is the fee waiver?

What if I urgently need to sit my test for work or other reasons?

If you would experience undue hardship as a result of not sitting a licence test, you may be eligible to apply to VicRoads to undertake a light vehicle drive or computer-based test. Find out if you’re eligible for a hardship and special circumstances appointment.

I have an upcoming priority test on ‘undue hardship’ grounds. Will it go ahead?

Yes. Your upcoming appointment will go ahead at the scheduled date and time. Appointments will be scheduled at the customer’s closest VicRoads Customer Service Centre where possible. No one should attend an appointment if they are unwell. If you feel unwell, get tested (External link) and stay at home until you get your results.

Can I use my own car for a hardship or compassionate drive test?

Yes. This is part of the new Safe Operating Procedure (SOP) for drive tests and compassionate drive tests. 

Can I leave my house to take a driving lesson?

Yes, driving lessons and driving practice are both allowed across Victoria. The instructor and the driver must wear face masks.

When will all the new testing sites be open and where are they located?

VicRoads has increased testing sites and staff numbers to tackle the backlog and help as many customers get their licences as quickly, safely and efficiently as possible. 

New sites in Richmond, Mulgrave, South Morang, Ringwood, Coolaroo, Cranbourne, Essendon Fields and Box Hill are now open exclusively for computer and drive tests. Four more Licence Testing Centres will open in February and March which include Kew, Greensborough, Narre Warren and Pakenham.

An additional 190 licence testing officers have been hired to support the delivery of licence testing across all sites, and a further 180 licence testing officers will be employed to support the expansion, taking the total number of new staff to more than 380. 

Paper-based tests

To assist with the backlog of suspended appointments please be aware your learner permit test may be a paper-based test.

This will enable us to complete a greater number of learner permit and hazard perception tests whilst adhering to capacity limits, and protecting the health and wellbeing of our customers and staff. 

Paper-based tests are only available in English, computer-based tests will still be available in the following languages Albanian, Arabic, Cambodian, Chinese (Mandarin), Macedonian, Persian, Russian, Serbian, Sinhalese, Somali, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese.

Will you consider changing the 120 hour practice requirement for Learner drivers?

No. We know many learners have been unable to gain driving experience during the COVID-19 restrictions and understand that’s frustrating but we also know that 120 hours experience (100 hours in the day, 20 hours at night) significantly reduces the risks for our young drivers – in fact 42.5% fewer drivers between 18-23 years of age have been involved in fatal or serious injury crashes since we introduced the system. It works, its saving lives.

Are medical review tests also resuming in Melbourne?

Medical review assessments resumed on Monday 2 November.

If you have previously been issued with a conditional licence with restrictions, these conditions will remain until you undertake and pass your test or assessment, following the easing of restrictions.

There is a specific undue hardship process for Medical Review customers. 

What safety measures will be in place for those getting tested and VicRoads staff?

The safety of our staff, customers and the greater community is our priority.

We have numerous measures in place to keep everyone safe, including:

• Health screening for all applicants, driving instructors and (where applicable) interpreters
• Testing officers and customers must wear a face mask at all times. 
• Practicing good hand hygiene before and after testing by everyone involved.
• No one should enter a licence testing centre when sick. Stay home and get tested.
• Records will be kept of everyone involved in testing, to aid in contact tracing if required. 
• The driving instructor’s vehicle will be thoroughly cleaned between drivers. 
• The applicant or driving instructor’s vehicle can be used if the area used by the testing officer can be appropriately cleaned or covered. 

How will you conduct health screening for all applicants? 

All customers will be required to make a declaration saying that they are not sick before conducting a drive test. 

VicRoads reserves the right to refuse a test if we believe an applicant is unwell, and in this case the test will be rescheduled for a later date. 

Can a customer reschedule their appointment if they are unwell on the day?

Customers must reschedule their appointment if they are unwell. No one should be conducting a test if they are unwell. 

Will Licence Testing Officers be required to wear full PPE during tests?

Licence Testing Officers will be required to wear a face mask while conducting tests.

We will be ensuring through cleaning of vehicles used in tests, proper hand hygiene for applicants, instructors and testing officers, and the use of disposable seat covers.  

Will translators be able to be in the car?

Translators will be able to participate in drive testing, as long as they follow the strict health and safety protocols required for all people participating in drive testing.

Can I use my own car for a drive test?

All tests will take place in the applicant or instructor’s own vehicles, and these must be cleaned in line with the Chief Health Officer’s advice, including the use of seat covers where appropriate. 

During the booking process, customers will be advised on how to prepare their vehicle for a drive test including information on the standards of cleanliness required. 

VicRoads reserves the right to refuse tests if vehicles are in an unfit state for testing.

I am the holder of an overseas licence how will this affect my licence?

If you are an overseas licence holder, you can continue to drive on your overseas licence. The period for compliance to convert to a Victorian licence has been extended. Visit Overseas drivers and use the online tool to work out by when you’ll need to convert your overseas licence to a Victorian licence.

Is it possible to get all international licences converted to Victorian licences by the new deadline of 29 April 2021 considering the significant backlog?

Due to the suspension of computer and drive testing to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the deadline for international or interstate license holders to convert to a Victorian licence has been extended to 29 April 2021 for drivers who were in Victoria on 29 October 2019.  

VicRoads has contacted all customers who had an appointment prior to the suspension of drive tests and computer-based tests, to advise them of the new deadline.

You’re asking customers to give their personal details when they enter a Customer Service Centre. What are you going to do with this information?

Personal details will be collected on your arrival at all our Customer Service Centres. Personal details collected for contact tracing will be limited to your name, a contact phone number, and the time you attended a Customer Service Centre or Licence Test Centre. 

This information will only be used by DHHS for contact tracing if required.

Will VicRoads provide me with a face mask if I don’t have one?

No. All customers are expected to bring their own face mask when visiting a Customer Service Centre.

Are Customer Service Centres open? Can I visit?

Our Our Customer Service Centres remain open, as they provide an essential service to the community. 

Seventy-five per cent of transactions can be completed online - so we’re encouraging anyone who can complete their transaction to take advantage of these services.    

All staff at our Customer Service Centres are being provided with a face mask to wear – all customers entering a centre are required to wear a face mask

Please do not attend one of our Customer Service Centres if you are unwell. Stay home and get tested.

How will my test be re-booked, if suspended again?

You will remain in the system and retain your place in the queue for rebooking when restrictions ease.  We will contact you again to rebook when it is safe to do so in line with the advice of the Victorian Chief Health Officer.

What if my learner permit and/or hazard perception test results expire during this time? 

If your results expire during the suspension period, we will extend the eligibility period by 12 months from that date. No one should be attending an appointment if they are unwell.

What if my LPT and/or HPT results expires during this time? 

If your results expire during the suspension period, we will extend the eligibility period by 12 months from that date.

Our Customer Service Centres are open, as they provide an essential service to the community. Seventy-five per cent of transactions can be completed online - so we're encouraging anyone who can complete their transaction to take advantage of these services.  You can also call 13 11 71 to speak with someone about your transaction. 

We’re confident we can help you to complete your transaction online or over the phone. 

Due to COVID-19 distancing rules we are restricted to the number of people in our centres at one time. If you are attending for an appointment we ask you to attend the office no more than 5 minutes prior to your appointment time, enter the office with your driving instructor only and respectfully request all other family members remain outside if possible to assist with customer flow. If you are attending for an over the counter transaction we urge you to go online. There may be a delay at some sites as we are working through high demands. We thank you for your patience.

All staff at our Customer Service Centres are being provided with a face mask to wear – all customers entering a centre are required to wear a face mask. 

We have implemented additional safety measures, including obtaining customer details for contact tracing at all our metropolitan Customer Service Centres. For more information go to Safety operating procedures for licence testing.

Please do not attend one of our Customer Service Centres if you are unwell. Stay home and get tested.

Pay for your registration or licence renewal online or over the phone.

• You can pay for your registration online or by calling 1300 086 314. Go to Renew your registration to learn more.
• You don’t need a new photo, you can pay for your licence with BPAY (if shown on your renewal notice) or by calling 1300 554 853. Go to How to renew your licence to learn more. 

Requests for medical reports

To help slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) we deferred most requests for medical reports for a minimum period of two months (maximum six months) for customers who live within metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.  

We have now resumed sending requests for medical reports.

All medical review customers that receive a request for a report need to contact their health professional to arrange an appointment.  Contact VicRoads if you have any questions or concerns.

Medical Review driving tests

VicRoads re-commenced medical review driving tests on Monday 2 November 2020. VicRoads will directly contact all medical review customers to re-book appointments.

If you have previously been issued with a conditional licence with restrictions, these conditions are only temporary and will remain until you undertake and pass your driving test. 

What is a conditional driver licence?

This is when specific conditions or restrictions are added to your driver licence. This means, for your safety and the safety of other road users, you will need to make sure you follow these licence conditions. You can only legally drive if you comply with the conditions. 

Examples of conditional licence restrictions include: 

• a driving radius from home (e.g. can only drive 10km radius from home).
• no freeway driving.
• no night driving. 

What is undue hardship?

Does holding a conditional driver licence cause you or your immediate family to endure undue hardship? If so, you may be eligible to apply to VicRoads Medical Review to undertake a driving test, or submit a request to make minor changes to your conditional driver licence (e.g. from ‘can only drive 10km radius from home’ to ‘can only drive 15km radius from home’), until such time as a driving test can be completed and passed. 

You may be considered to experience undue hardship if any of the following apply: 

1. You are the main or sole provider for the family and having an unconditional driver licence or a change to your current conditional driver licence (e.g. make a change from ‘can only drive 10km radius from home’ to ‘can only drive 15km radius from home’) would support your ability to maintain employment and/or financial requirements and commitments; or you’re a new job-seeker, and this would assist in your ability to enter employment.
2. You require an unconditional driver licence or a change to your current conditional driver licence to take your spouse or children or sibling/s to and from work, education or to access essential services (e.g. medical appointments or shopping for food) - if necessary.
3. You require an unconditional driver licence or a change to your current conditional driver licence because taking public transport or a taxi would pose a significant risk to you due to a medical condition which makes you more vulnerable to contracting coronavirus (COVID-19) (e.g. respiratory conditions, asthma, cardiovascular).
4. You, or your dependant(s), are affected family member(s) in a family violence situation and having an unconditional driver licence or a change to your current conditional driver licence would assist you to seek appropriate refuge and support.
5. Priority licence testing may be available for persons working in essential services that support the coronavirus (COVID-19) response (e.g. working in health or food supply chains). These requests will also be considered on a case by case basis.

How do I apply?

To submit a request for approval: 

• Download and complete the Coronavirus (COVID-19) application to undertake VicRoads Medical Review drive test [PDF 78 Kb]
• Send your completed form and any additional supporting documentation to VicRoads Medical Review by:

Email: 

Fax:

Mail: 

Occupational Therapy Driving Assessments

In line with advice from the Victorian Chief Health Officer, VicRoads resumed Occupational Therapy driving assessment requests across the state from Monday 2 November 2020. 

If you have previously been issued with a “conditional licence” with restrictions, these conditions are only temporary and will remain until you undertake and pass your occupational therapy driving assessment.

What is a conditional driver licence?

Examples of conditional licence restrictions include: 

• a driving radius from home (e.g. can only drive 10km radius from home).
• no freeway driving.
• no night driving.

Short-term registration

Right now, short-term registration gives everyone the option to pay their vehicle registration at three or six month registration periods, providing more flexibility while helping to relieve financial pressure.

Login to your myVicRoads account to update your registration.

Seasonal registration for heavy vehicles

Seasonal registration means you can nominate parts of the year your heavy vehicle is in use and only pay for the months it's being used. All heavy vehicles (vehicles with a GVM over 4.5 tonnes) can use seasonal registration.

Seasonal periods

The registration cycle is a 12-month period which begins on the date of the application to register a vehicle and ends at midnight on the same date the following year.

The minimum duration you can nominate is three months and the maximum is nine months. 

You can only register your vehicle for one or two seasonal periods within a single registration cycle, as long as the combined total doesn’t exceed nine months. For example, you might nominate the first seasonal period for four months and the second seasonal period for five months. 

Who can apply?

Vehicles with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of greater than 4.5 tonnes are eligible to apply. This may include tour bus operators, heavy trailers, tow trucks etc.

Learn more about heavy vehicles and heavy vehicle licence categories

How do I apply? 

To apply for seasonal registration, you’ll need to: 

• Complete the Seasonal registration form [PDF 339 Kb]
• Make an appointment at a VicRoads Customer Service Centre or
• Call 13 11 71

Visit Seasonal registration for heavy vehicles for more information.

To get back up and running, businesses impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will now be able to re-register their business vehicles through a simplified re-registration process. Find out more below.

If you're the owner or operator of a business-use vehicle and had to cancel, surrender or you did not renew your registration due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, you may be eligible to apply for a simplified re-registration process. 

Between 1 July and 31 December 2020, you can re-register your vehicle and we’ll waive the following: 

• re-registration appointment fees
• number plate assignment fees (where plates have been returned to VicRoads) and/or 
• requirement for the vehicle to undergo a roadworthy inspection or present a Certificate of Roadworthiness (for eligible vehicles under five years old)

The only fee you’ll still need to pay is the standard cost to re-register your vehicle. 

To be eligible: 

• Your registration must have been cancelled, surrendered or not renewed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on or after 16 March and before 1 July 2020.
• You must have a myVicRoads account and re-register the vehicle online.
• You must be able to prove your vehicle is used for business purposes or is a private vehicle on the Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria (CPVV) (External link) register as a taxi or ride share vehicle. 
• Your vehicle must be less than five years old. 
• The personal and vehicle details must not have changed and must match the information in our system.
• If you do not meet the eligibility criteria, normal re-registration requirements (including provision of a current Certificate of Roadworthiness) will apply.

How do I apply? 

Complete the following steps before 31 December 2020:

1. Submit an application to re-register your vehicle online through your myVicRoads account. 
2. Make a payment online (your registration will be cancelled if you don’t pay by the required due date).
3. Affix your retained or new number plates (if applicable) to your approved vehicle.

Please note that your vehicle will remain unregistered until the above steps are complete. It is an offence to drive an unregistered vehicle and penalties apply.

Apply now

FAQs

Who is this available for? 

Simplified re-registration is available for business vehicle registrations that were cancelled, surrendered or not renewed due to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on or after 16 March 2020 and before 1 July 2020.

Can I use my old number plates?

Yes, the retained number plates can be re-used when an application to re-register the vehicle/vehicles is made prior to 31 December 2020.

What if I surrendered or destroyed my number plates – what happens now? Can I order a duplicate of my old number plate?

You will be issued with new standard plates with a new number at no extra cost. If you have retained your old plates and wish to use them again, VicRoads will re-assign them to your vehicle and we will waive the usual assignment fee. 

If you wish to purchase number plates displaying your previous registration number, you may do so at the normal cost. 

How long will simplified business vehicle re-registration be available for?

Simplified business vehicle re-registration will be available until 31 December 2020.

Why is this change happening?

We understand that due to the impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19), many businesses have been unable to re-register business vehicles over the past few months.

We’re supporting Victorian businesses by providing some financial relief on re-registration fees and simplifying the process.

Short-term registration is also available to Victorians – instead of having to pay a registration for 12 months, registration payment periods of three or six months are available, meaning you pay less upfront.