A letter arrives a couple of months before Margaret’s 75th birthday. She lives in Newcastle, has driven for 57 years without a scratch, and now Transport for NSW wants her to see a doctor before she can keep her licence. Her sister in Melbourne, two years older, has never had a letter like it.
Both are right. Australia has no national age for older driver checks. Whether you need a medical, a driving test or nothing at all depends on the state you live in. NSW and Queensland start yearly medicals at 75, Western Australia at 80, and Victoria has no age-based checks at all. Here’s what applies where, what the GP actually checks, and how to handle the day you decide to hand in the keys.
The rules by state at a glance
This table covers a standard car (class C) licence, based on state government information and the federal Office of Road Safety’s summary of older driver rules. Heavy vehicle, motorbike and public passenger licences often have earlier or stricter requirements. Rules can change, so confirm with your licensing authority before your birthday.
| State/territory | Medical checks | Driving test |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Yearly medical assessment from 75 | Practical test every two years from 85, unless you switch to a modified licence |
| QLD | Medical certificate from 75, valid for up to 13 months, carried whenever you drive | Only if your doctor requires one |
| WA | Yearly medical assessment from 80 before renewal | Only if your doctor requests one (car licence) |
| SA | Yearly self-assessment form from 75 for car-only licence holders with no recorded medical condition | No age-based test for a car licence |
| ACT | Yearly medical from 75 | No age-based test |
| VIC | No age-based medical | No age-based test |
| TAS | No age-based medical for a car licence (licences renew for up to five years at a time from 65) | No age-based test |
| NT | No age-based medical | No age-based test |
In every state, at any age, you must report a medical condition that’s likely to affect your driving. Age-based checks sit on top of that duty. They don’t replace it. If you have diabetes, our guide to driving with diabetes in Australia explains the extra rules.
New South Wales: 75, 80 and 85
NSW has the most detailed system. There’s no upper age limit on a licence, but for an unrestricted car licence:
- 70 to 74: no medical or driving test unless a doctor recommends one.
- 75 and over: a medical assessment for fitness to drive every year. You can see your doctor in the months before your birthday, and the doctor submits the report online.
- 85 and over: a yearly medical, plus a practical older driver test every two years.
The test takes about 15 to 20 minutes. You can sit it free at a service centre (call 13 22 13), with a limit of three attempts, or from your home with an accredited older driver assessor for a fee. It checks your road rules knowledge, your decision-making and your control of the car. Take someone with you to a service centre test so you have a lift home if it doesn’t go your way.
The alternative at 85 is a modified licence. It restricts you to driving certain distances within your local area, and you don’t need the older driver test unless your doctor recommends it. For plenty of people, that’s a sensible middle ground: you keep driving to the shops, the doctor and the club, and skip the motorway.
Queensland: carry the certificate
From 75, Queensland drivers need a Medical Certificate for Drivers from their doctor. It’s valid for a maximum of 13 months, even if the doctor writes a later date. The catch most people miss is that you must carry the current certificate every time you drive, whether or not you have any medical condition. A photocopy or a clear digital photo is fine. The Queensland Government says driving without one can mean a fine of more than $170, as at its July 2026 update.
You only need to send the certificate to TMR if you have a long-term condition likely to affect your driving, if your doctor recommends a licence condition, or if you’re renewing your licence at a service centre. If you do send it in, TMR will send you a courtesy reminder about six weeks before it expires. Don’t rely on that alone. The certificate’s expiry doesn’t change your licence’s expiry, and you can still choose a licence period of up to five years.
Western Australia: 80 and over
From 80, WA drivers need a yearly medical assessment before they can renew. About 12 weeks before your licence expires you’ll be posted a Medical Assessment Certificate (Form M108A). You fill in the driving history and medical questions, see your doctor, and the doctor sends the forms to the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure. Your doctor may ask you to pass a practical driving assessment.
Aged pensioners pay no licence fee in WA, and other pensioners and seniors pay a reduced fee, according to the department’s fee table as at October 2026.
South Australia: a self-assessment first
From 75, South Australians who hold only a car licence and have no recorded medical condition are posted a self-assessment form each year. If you answer yes, or aren’t sure, on any question, you’ll need to see a doctor to finish the assessment. Drivers with a recorded medical condition, or aged 70 and over with a licence class other than a car licence, get a Certificate of Fitness for a doctor to complete.
Victoria, Tasmania and the NT
These have no routine age-based medicals for car drivers. Victoria’s approach is fitness to drive regardless of age: a medical review starts when a driver reports a condition, or when a doctor, police officer or family member raises concerns. There has been public debate in Victoria about whether to change that, so check VicRoads for the latest.
What happens at the GP assessment
The fitness-to-drive check is longer than a normal consult, so tell the clinic what it’s for when you book. In Queensland, for example, you fill in part 1 of the form before you go and bring your licence and your driving glasses. Doctors assess you against the national Assessing Fitness to Drive standards. In practice, expect questions and checks on:
- your eyesight, including side vision
- your medical conditions and any changes, such as heart problems, diabetes, sleep apnoea, seizures or dementia
- the medicines you take, and whether any cause drowsiness
- your movement and strength, such as turning your neck to check blind spots and working the pedals
- your memory and thinking
- any recent near misses, crashes or changes to how you drive.
Be honest. The doctor’s job is to keep you driving safely, and an honest answer often leads to a fix (new glasses, a medication change) rather than a refusal. If the doctor isn’t sure, they may refer you to a specialist or to an occupational therapist driving assessment, which is a practical drive with a specially trained OT. In Queensland, ask about an interim certificate if there’s a wait for a specialist.
Conditional and modified licences
If you’re safe in some conditions but not others, a doctor can recommend conditions rather than cancellation. Common ones are daylight driving only, a set radius from home, no freeways, or an automatic car only. You must follow them. NSW’s modified licence is a formal version of the same idea.
We think these are under-used. Many older drivers do almost all their driving locally and in daylight anyway, and a condition that matches how you already drive costs you very little.
Giving up driving well
Most of us will stop driving before we stop needing to get around. People who plan for that tend to do better than people who have the decision made for them after a scare. A few things help:
- Do a trial run. Spend a fortnight getting around without the car: bus, train, community transport, taxis, lifts. You’ll find the gaps before they matter.
- Do the sums. Rego, insurance, fuel and servicing on a car you drive a few times a week can pay for a lot of taxi trips.
- Use your concessions. Most states offer discounted or free public transport to seniors. In WA, for example, seniors ride free on Transperth outside peak times with a Seniors, Pensioner or Veterans SmartRider. Our guide to Seniors Cards in each state covers the rest.
- Keep photo ID. Your licence is probably your main ID. Before you surrender it, get a state photo card or proof of age card.
- Protect your social life. Losing the car is a common way older Australians become isolated. Line up regular lifts, and consider activities you can reach on foot. Volunteering is a great one, as we wrote in when seniors volunteer with kids, everybody wins.
If where you live only works with a car, that’s worth thinking about before it becomes urgent. Our article on retirement villages versus ageing in place looks at that trade-off.
Worried about a parent’s driving?
Start with a conversation, not a confrontation, and ideally go with them to their GP. Most licensing authorities accept reports from family members if you believe someone is unsafe. The authority then decides whether a medical review is needed.
Official sources: NSW Government: Your licence from age 70; NSW Government: Older driver and rider assessments; Queensland Government: Driving when you’re 75 and over; Transport WA: Seniors 80 years or more; Office of Road Safety: Rules for older drivers by state and territory (PDF).
FAQ
At what age do you need a medical to drive in Australia?
It depends on the state. For a car licence, it’s 75 in NSW, Queensland and the ACT, and 80 in WA. South Australia sends a self-assessment form from 75. Victoria, Tasmania and the NT have no age-based medical, although anyone of any age must report a medical condition that affects driving.
Do I have to sit a driving test when I’m older?
Only NSW has a routine age-based test for car drivers: every two years from 85, unless you take a modified licence. In other states you’d only be tested if a doctor or the licensing authority asks for it.
What is a modified licence in NSW?
It’s a licence that limits you to driving within your local area. If you choose it, you don’t need the older driver test unless your doctor recommends one.
What happens if I drive in Queensland without my medical certificate?
If you’re 75 or over, you can be fined. The Queensland Government says the fine is more than $170. A photocopy or a clear photo on your phone counts, as long as it’s current and readable.
Can my doctor stop me driving?
Your doctor assesses your fitness and makes a recommendation. The licensing authority makes the decision, and you’ll be told of any appeal rights. Always follow your doctor’s advice in the meantime.
This article is general information only and isn’t legal or medical advice. Rules were checked against official sources in October 2026 and can change, so check with your state or territory licensing authority before your licence or medical falls due.
