Getting Your Motorcycle Licence

--- title: Check your eligibility to do your Q-Ride course --- flowchart TD A["What licence do\nyou currently\nhave?"] --> B["None"] B --> BA["Have you had\nyour car licence\nfor 12 months?"] --> C["No"] C --> D["Not eligible to\nupgrade until you\nhave held your car\nlicence for 12\nmonths"] BA --> E["Yes"] E --> F["You are eligible to\ncomplete the\nPre-Learner\nQ-Ride Course"] A --> G["Class - RE\nType - L"] G --> H["Where did you get\nyour learners\nfrom?"] H --> I["Department\nof Transport"] I --> J["Have you had it\nfor 12 months?"] J --> K["No"] K --> L["Not eligible to\nupgrade until you\nhave held your\nmotorbike learners\nfor 12 months\nOR\nComplete the\nPre-Learner\nCourse"] J --> M["Yes"] M --> N["You are eligible to\ncomplete the RE\nQ-Ride Course\nproviding you have\ncompleted the\nHazard Perception\nTest"] H --> O["Q-Ride service\nprovider"] O --> P["Have you had it\nfor 3 months?"] P --> Q["No"] Q --> R["Not eligible to\nupgrade until you\nhave held your\nmotorbike learners\nfor 3 months"] P --> M A --> U["Class - RE\nType - O, P1 or P2"] U --> V["Have you had\nyour RE motorbike\nlicence for 2\nyears?"] V --> W["No"] W --> X["Not eligible to\nupgrade until you\nhave held your RE\nmotorbike licence\nfor 2 years"] V --> Y["Yes"] Y --> Z["You are eligible to\ncomplete the R\nQ-Ride Course"]

Getting a learner motorcycle licence (RE)

If you want to learn to ride a motorcycle, you must apply for an RE learner licence.

To get your RE learner licence, you need to:

hold a provisional or open car licence and have held the licence for at least 1 year. This makes sure you have on-road driving experience before you learn to ride.
successfully complete the Q-Ride pre-learner course
pass a motorcycle knowledge test
and be medically fit to ride.

Q-Ride pre-learner course

The Q-Ride pre-learner course is designed to help new riders gain basic riding knowledge and motorcycle handling skills in a safe environment before learning to ride on the road. Designed for people with no riding experience the course covers the basics of riding including protective gear, riding curves, controlled braking and good roadcraft.

The course aims to:

ensure learner riders have the knowledge and skills to manage routine riding situations under supervision
to instil good riding attitudes

to minimise the likelihood of harm due to inadequate riding knowledge or skills.

Enrol in the Q-Ride pre-learner course

You can enrol in the Q-Ride pre-learner course if you hold a provisional, probationary or open car licence and have held the licence for at least 1 year.

Check your eligibility to do the Q-Ride pre-learner course.

Check to see if your bike is LAMS approved.

Practice the motorcycle knowledge test.

Complete the Q-Ride pre-learner course

During the course you will need to demonstrate your competency on a learner approved motorcycle. When you have been assessed as having acquired the required competencies, the Q-Ride training provider will issue you with a competency declaration (Q-Ride certificate). Your competency declaration is not a licence.

We will notify the Department of Transport and Main Roads that you have successfully completed the course you can take the motorcycle knowledge test online and automatically have the class RE learner added to your licence.

Your competency declaration is only valid for 1 year from the date of issue. If you do not take and pass the motorcycle knowledge test and have the RE learner added to your licence within 1 year, it will expire and you will need to do the Q-Ride course again to get a new competency declaration.

Getting an RE motorcycle licence

To upgrade from an RE learner licence to an RE provisional or open licence, you will need to:

have held an RE learner licence for at least 3 months (at least 1 year if you got an exemption from the pre-learner course)
and successfully complete the Q-Ride restricted (RE) course

Note: If you got your RE learner licence before 1 October 2016, there is no minimum time that you must hold your learner licence before you can upgrade if you complete the Q-Ride restricted (RE) course.

Q-Ride restricted RE course

The Q-Ride restricted (RE) course is designed to help learner riders further develop their riding knowledge and skills. Designed for riders who have completed the Q-Ride pre-learner course and have some riding experience, the course reviews and builds on the pre-learner course to further develop riding knowledge and skills.

The course aims to:

ensure riders have the knowledge and skills to manage riding situations unsupervised
to reinforce good riding attitudes
to minimise the likelihood of harm due to inadequate knowledge, skills, or risk management.

Enrol in the Q-Ride restricted (RE) course

You can enrol in the Q-Ride restricted (RE) course after you have held your RE learner licence for at least 3 months (at least 1 year if you got an exemption from the pre-learner course).

Check your eligibility to do the Q-Ride restricted (RE) course.

Check to see if your bike is LAMS approved

Note: If you got your RE learner licence before 1 October 2016, there is no minimum time that you must hold your learner licence before you are eligible to do the Q-Ride restricted course.

Complete the Q-Ride restricted (RE) course

We will notify the department that you successfully completed the course you can apply for your RE provisional or open licence online

Your competency declaration is only valid for 1 year from the date of issue. If you do not upgrade to an RE provisional or open licence within 1 year, it will expire and you will need to do the Q-Ride course again to get a new competency declaration.

There is no fee to upgrade your licence. However you will have to pay a fee if you are renewing your licence at the same time.

Getting an R motorcycle licence

A class R motorcycle is a 2 or 3 wheel motorcycle with unlimited engine size.

To learn to ride an R motorcycle or to upgrade from an RE provisional or open licence to an R licence you must:

have held an RE provisional or open licence for at least 2 years
and successfully complete the Q-Ride unrestricted (R) course

Note: If you got your RE provisional or open licence before 1 October 2016 you can learn to ride an R motorcycle or upgrade to an R licence after you have held your RE provisional or open licence for at least 1 year.

Q-Ride unrestricted (R) course

The Q-Ride unrestricted (R) course is designed to reinforce riders’ knowledge and skills, and further develop higher order cognitive skills and risk management strategies. Designed for riders who have completed the Q-Ride restricted (RE) course and have significant riding experience, the course is conducted mainly on-road with regular stops to provide coaching and discuss safe riding behaviours and strategies.

The course aims to:

enhance and reinforce riders’ knowledge and skills to effectively manage riding situations on a more powerful motorcycle
reinforce good riding attitudes
minimise the likelihood of harm due to inappropriate riding skills, behaviours or risk management.

Complete the Q-Ride unrestricted course

During the course you will need to demonstrate your competency on an R motorcycle. When you have been assessed as having acquired the required competencies, the Q-Ride training provider will issue you with a competency declaration (Q-Ride certificate). Your competency declaration is not a licence.

We will notify the department that you have successfully completed the course you can apply for your R licence online.

Your competency declaration is only valid for 1 year from the date of issue. If you do not upgrade to an R licence within 1 year, it will expire and you will need to do the Q-Ride course again to get a new competency declaration.

There is no fee to upgrade your licence. However you will have to pay a fee if you are renewing your licence at the same time.