In Victoria, getting your L plates means passing the Learner Permit Knowledge Test. It's a multiple-choice test on Victorian road rules, and while a lot of it overlaps with other states, Victoria has a few rules nobody else has. Those are the ones that cost people marks.
The format
At the time of writing, the VIC Learner Permit Knowledge Test has 32 multiple-choice questions and you need 25 correct to pass. You must be at least 16. The questions are drawn from the Victorian road rules handbook, Road to Solo Driving. Check VicRoads for current booking options and requirements before you sit it.
That means you can afford seven mistakes. It sounds generous until you hit a run of tricky questions on trams.
The Victorian rules that catch people out
Hook turns
At some intersections in the Melbourne CBD, signs tell you to turn right from the left lane, using a hook turn. You move into the intersection on the left, wait, and complete the turn when the lights for the street you're turning into go green. It feels backwards if you've never done one, which is exactly why it shows up on the test.
Trams and safety zones
Trams have a lot of rules attached. You need to know when you must stop behind a tram, when you can pass, and how fast you can go past a tram stopped at a safety zone. Read these sections of the handbook twice, then practise them until you don't hesitate.
Learner permit conditions
Expect questions on what you can and can't do on your Ls: displaying L plates, having a fully licensed supervising driver, zero blood alcohol, and not using a mobile phone at all while driving.
How to study for the VIC learners test
The method is the same as for any knowledge test, with extra time on the Victoria-only topics:
- Read the handbook in short sessions. Mark every rule that surprises you.
- Switch to practice questions as soon as you've read it once. Recall beats re-reading. (Here's why.)
- Spend dedicated sessions on hook turns, trams and safety zones.
- Sit full-length practice tests in the 32-question format until you pass comfortably.
Practising with the Oz DKT app
Choose Victoria in the Oz Driver Knowledge Test app and everything follows: the handbook you read, the questions you practise, and the pass mark you're measured against. The Victorian question set includes the Melbourne-specific rules (hook turns, trams and safety zones) rather than a national average that skips them.
It works fully offline, so you can study on the tram itself. The handbook is free; a one-time purchase unlocks practice tests, the mock test, flashcards and Smart Review. Download it on iPhone or Android.
