What Happens On the Day of the Driving Test

What you should bring:

1. Registration number of the vehicle you're using for the test.

2. Permission of the registered operator to use the vehicle for the test (if you're not using your own vehicle).

3. Any current Queensland or foreign licence (along with a recognised English translation, if your foreign licence is not in English).

4. Currently registered and roadworthy vehicle with correctly displayed L-plates. (If you have a full overseas licence, you don’t have to worry about this)

Remember to arrive at least 20 minutes before your driving test and have all requirements ready. You won't proceed with your driving test if these requirements are not complete. And you will have to book and pay for a new test.

What to do when you arrive at the driving test centre?

Find out where the designated parking areas for the driving tests are and park your car there. For example, if your driving test is at Greenslopes test centre, you can see where these parking spots are by watching our video about Greenslopes test centre carpark.

You then have to register your attendance with a customer service officer. If your test is at 8am or on a Saturday, the office is still closed. In those cases, you can just wait outside the customer service centre for the driving examiner to meet you. There are usually signs to guide you on where to wait.

If you are accompanied to the test centre by your driving instructor, you don’t need to worry about any of these. Your driving instructor will take care of everything.

Before your test starts, make sure to turn off your phone or put it on silent. By doing so, you won’t have any distractions during your test. These days, it’s better to put your phone just on silent, as some centres ask you to check in via a QR code for Covid19 safety measures.

Your driving examiner will come out of the office and meets you. You can have a short introduction once you meet with your driving examiner. Having a short conversation can help you feel at ease and relax for the test. They will introduce themselves and ask you ‘if you have read the message from your driving examiner?’  They refer to the message below. If you want to know what exactly this message means, watch our video about the message from your driving examiner.

“Q–SAFE is designed to evaluate your ability to drive safely and correctly in different driving situations which may include a variety of speed zones.

I will be asking you to undertake a series of driving tasks throughout the assessment. You will be given clear directions in ample time.

If I don’t give you any specific directions, please just follow the road and be directed by road signs, signals, and markings.

If the vehicle is fitted with driver-assist devices (for example GPS, speed alarms, park assist or easy start) please turn these devices off for the duration of the test.

If you are recording this assessment the recording device must not have audio capability turned on and must be outward-facing and in a safe location. You will not be able to access the device during the assessment.

If using a device other than your mobile phone to record, please ensure your mobile phone is switched off for the duration of this assessment.

At the end of the test, I will ask you to accompany me to the debrief area to discuss the outcome of your test.

Do you have any questions?”

If you haven’t read this message before, they will give you a paper with this message on it and ask you to read it. Then, they will ask you if you have any questions. If you don’t have any questions, they will ask you to take them to your car.

Then, they will ask you to sit in the car, wind down your windows, and put your car in the ‘pre-ignition mode’; that’s when you turn the car keys two times to only get the lights of the dashboard on. Make sure that you don’t turn on the engine YET.

They go around the car and check if your car is suitable for the drive. They will then sit in the car and ask you about two car controls. There are 9 car controls you need to know for your driving test. Once you are done with this, they will ask you to start driving. They will tell you which direction to take.

What happens during your driving test?

Don’t be scared of the driving examiners. Treat them as someone who's there to help you earn your licence. At the time of your driving test, you will receive instructions from the examiner. So listen closely and don't be afraid to ask questions if you have any concerns.

If English is your second language, you can let the examiner know about this before your test starts. The examiner's instructions are VERY clear. But if they are aware of the fact that English is your second language, they will be even more careful with the instructions and will use simple words. They will also use hand gestures to emphasize where to turn, in case it gets confusing for you.

We have a video demonstrating how the driving examiners give you instructions in a driving test. Watch this video for plenty of tips for your test as well.

The test will run for 30 minutes but will differ depending on traffic and road conditions.

For your test, you will drive in residential areas, main roads with traffic lights, and likely highways. You will also be asked to perform two of the 6 driving manoeuvres. Driving examiners will NEVER trick you and will never give you any illegal instructions. All you have to think about is focusing on your driving. You need to exhibit that you know all the road rules and that you are a safe driver on the road.

Here there are some frequently asked questions:

What happens if I miss a turn during the driving test?

In the first place, try not to miss any turns by listening carefully to the examiner. But if you do miss a turn, don’t panic. Just tell the examiner ‘Sorry, I missed the turn’. They might tell you ‘That’s okay’ and proceed with the rest of the test.

Do the examiners tell me straight away if I fail the test?

No. They won’t tell you anything during the test. They will take you back to the test centre and they will brief you at the test centre. At the test centre, they will tell you if you failed the test.

What happens after the driving test?

The examiners brief you on how you went during the test. If you failed or if you passed the test. They will also tell you about any areas for improvement.

What happens when I pass the driving test?

When you pass the test, you need to wait at the test centre for one of the staff to call you and issue your driving licence.

What happens if I fail the driving test?

If you fail the driving test, you just leave the test centre and register for another test.

Failing the driving test is not even an option for you to think about. If you go for your test fully prepared and focus on your driving during the test, you surely are going to pass the test.

If your driving test is at Greenslopes test centre, read our ultimate guide for passing your test first time at Greenslopes.

To get support from the experts as well as your peers, feel free to join our private Facebook group, Driving (Test) Support Australia, where you can ask all your questions in a judgment-free zone. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for driving tips, tricks and techniques in Australia.