Renew or upgrade a NSW driver licence

Introduction

If you meet certain eligibility criteria, you can renew or upgrade your NSW Driver Licence online.

The term that you renew or upgrade for depends on the licence class:

• P1 Car and Rider – 18 months
• P2 Car, Light Rigid, Medium Rigid, Heavy Rigid – 3 years
• P2 Rider – 30 months
• Full licence – 1, 3 or 5-year licences only.

Note: You'll need to visit a Service NSW Centre in person if you'd like a 10-year licence (available for drivers aged 21 to 44) or if any of the reasons you may not be able to renew or upgrade online apply to you.

Eligibility

You may be eligible to renew and/or upgrade your licence online, if:

• you meet the eyesight requirements
• you hold an eligible driver licence that will expire in 6 months or less, or expired no more than 6 months ago, including:
  • provisional (P1, P2) licence
  • single class full licence (C, R, LR, MR, HR, HC, MC)
  • dual class licence, both classes full (C, LR, MR, HR, HC, MC combined with R)
• you're aged 17 years or over (up to 70 if your licence class is MC)
• your up-to-date medical conditions are recorded with Transport for NSW (TfNSW) and your NSW Fitness to Drive medical assessment is not overdue. (You must notify TfNSW as soon as the medical condition occurs, not just when you renew your licence.)
• your licence is not subject to any restrictions related to enforcement (for example, cancelled, disqualified, suspended, refused, or pending an appeal or suspension decision)
• you’ve had your signature and photograph taken by TfNSW within 10.5 years before the new licence expires
• your licence has an interlock or Q (temporary overseas visitor) condition.

To upgrade your provisional licence from:

• P1 to P2, you must have held your P1 licence for at least 12 months (not including any suspension period).
• P2 to full, you must have held your P2 licence for at least 2 years (not including any suspension period).

Upgrading and renewing a dual class licence

• If you hold a dual class licence where one class is full C or R and the other class is P1 or P2, you may be able to renew the full class at the same time as upgrading the provisional class.
• If you’re aged 25 years or over, and hold a dual class licence where one class is full C, LR, MR, HR, HC or MC and the other class is R P1 (held for at least 12 months) or R P2, and you are renewing the full class, the R P1 or P2 will automatically upgrade to full.

Eyesight requirements

To renew and/or upgrade online, you must meet the eyesight requirements.

If you hold a C and/or R licence, and you’re aged:

• less than 45 years, you must have passed an eyesight test within 10.5 years of the renewed licence (not your current licence) expiring
• 45 years or more, you must have passed an eyesight test within 5.5 years of the renewed licence (not your current licence) expiring.

You’ll be notified by mail if you need an eyesight test. If you’re notified, you’ll have up to 8 weeks to visit a service centre, optometrist or ophthalmologist for your eye exam.

If your licence includes any of the following classes, you must have passed an eyesight test within the last 12 months:

• LR – light rigid
• MR – medium rigid
• HR – heavy rigid
• HC – heavy combination
• MC – multi-combination

If you hold a Passenger Transport licence code PT T011, you must have passed a commercial standard eyesight test on the same day as you renew your licence.

What you need

• a MyServiceNSW Account
• the licence fee, or your concession details.

If you're attending a service centre to renew or upgrade your licence, find out what you need when renewing in person.

How to renew or upgrade online

1. Check the eligibility requirements.
2. Select the 'Renew or upgrade licence' button.
3. Log in, or create your MyServiceNSW Account. Enter your NSW driver licence details if your account is new or you haven't previously entered them.
4. Follow the prompts to renew or upgrade your driver licence.
5. Download or update your Digital Driver Licence on the Service NSW app or print your interim paper licence.
6. Your new NSW driver licence card will be posted to you at the mailing address on record with TfNSW. You should receive it within 15 business days.

Reasons you may not be able to renew or upgrade online

You will need to visit a service centre, if:

• you hold a combined driver licence and boat licence
• you're between 21 and 44 years old and would like a 10-year licence
• you hold a Passenger Transport licence code PT T012 – holders are required to pass commercial standard eyesight tests
• you've changed your address within the last 14 days
• you'd like to apply for a NSW Photo Card at the same time
• your licence expired more than 6 months ago
• you're aged less than 25 years and hold a dual class licence where one class is full LR, MR, HR, HC, MC and the other class is Rider P1 or P2
• you hold a learner driver or rider licence
• you hold a dual class licence that includes a learner class (for example, you hold full C and learner R – you cannot renew your full C online)
• you don't meet the eyesight requirements
• you have a medical assessment that is overdue
• you have any restrictions on your licence (for example, restricted journey, outstanding fine payment or enforcement)
• your last renewal was done using a photo-kit
• you need to complete an older driver assessment.

If you need to visit a service centre, see what you need to take with you.

Renewing a learner licence (cars)

• A learner driver licence is valid for 5 years. If you do not progress to your P1 licence in that time you must re-apply for a learner licence.
  This means you'll need to pass the Driver Knowledge Test again, do another eyesight test, and pay the learner licence fee once more.
  Note: The driving hours recorded in your logbook or app will still be recognised.
• If you have passed the Hazard Perception Test but have not passed the driving test within 15 months of that day, you'll need to pass the HPT again before you can take the driving test.

Renewing a learner licence (motorcycles)

• A learner rider licence is valid for 12 months only. If you need to renew it you'll have to undertake rider training again (if you live in a declared area), sit the Rider Knowledge Test, and pay the learner licence fee once more.

More information

• If you renew online, your new licence card will be printed using the photo already stored by TfNSW.
• Carry your old licence card with you when you drive, if you still have it.
• If your temporary paper licence is lost, stolen or damaged before you receive your new licence card, you can get a copy of it online.
• If you have not received your card within 15 business days, please call us on 13 77 88.
• At a service centre, you're able to apply for a NSW Photo Card at the same time if you wish, and take advantage of paying a reduced application fee for it. 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 driving.
• Your new expiry date(s) will be displayed onscreen when you’re renewing online. Depending on the term you chose, your expiry date(s) will differ.
• If you got your P1 Car licence before 20 November 2017, you'll need to pass the Hazard Perception Test (HPT).
• If you upgrade from P1 to P2 online, you must make sure you have the correct P plates to display while you're driving.
• You can no longer register to be an organ donor through your NSW Driver Licence. Organ donation is handled nationally via the Australian Organ Donor Register. For more information, see:
  • Register to be an organ donor
  • Update organ donation details.

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