Apply for a provisional rider licence (declared area)

Declared and undeclared areas

Before applying for a learner or provisional rider licence, you must complete the relevant training course, if an approved course provider is in your area.

To this purpose:

a declared area refers to an area where motorcycle rider training is available
an undeclared area refers to an area where there are no training providers within a reasonable distance of you.

Most NSW city and regional postcodes are considered to be in declared areas.

Check the list of motorcycle rider training providers and if you cannot find one within a practicable distance of where you live, call TfNSW on 13 22 13,

Introduction

To upgrade to a provisional rider licence in a declared area, you must first undertake the pre-provisional rider training course.

The course is a full-day course and includes a one-hour motorcycle operator skills test (MOST). When you successfully complete the course you'll be issued with a pre-provisional certificate of competence to take to your local Service NSW Centre.

The certificate is valid for 3 months.

When you visit the service centre, you can apply for a NSW Photo Card at the same time if you wish, and take advantage of paying a reduced application fee for it.

Eligibility

To upgrade to a provisional rider licence, you must:

be aged 17 or over
have held a learner rider licence for at least 3 months
have successfully completed the pre-provisional rider training course with an approved motorcycle training provider.

What you need

the PDF form – 'Licence Application'
your pre-provisional certificate of competence
your learner rider licence
your contact lenses or glasses (if you wear them)
a current concession card (if applicable)
your payment

How to apply

Download and complete the Licence Application – PDF.
Check the tick box to apply for a NSW Photo Card (if applicable).
Make sure that you have all the necessary documentation.
Visit a service centre and lodge your application.

More information

For rider licence applications, a receipt is provided which allows you to ride until the card arrives in the mail. The receipt is valid for 30 days.
When you apply for a licence card or NSW Photo Card at a service centre, it will be posted to you at no extra cost. Cards usually arrive within 10 working days.
If you haven’t received your card through the mail within 10 working days, please call us on 13 77 88.
The NSW Photo Card is voluntary – you don't have to have one, but you may find it useful to prove your identity in situations not related to riding/driving.

Payment methods

You can review transaction payment options on our payment methods page.