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How Many Driving Hours Do You Need in the Australian Capital Territory?
The ACT requires 100 supervised hours for learners under 25 — 10 at night, 90 during the day. But there are serious shortcuts. The instructor bonus and Safer Drivers Course can knock 50 hours off your total. And if you’re 25 or older, the requirement drops to just 50 hours.
ACT permit requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Total supervised hours | 100 (50 if 25+) |
| Daytime hours | 90 (45 if 25+) |
| Night hours | 10 (5 if 25+) |
| Minimum learner age | 15 years 9 months |
| Minimum hold period | 6 months |
| Supervisor requirement | Full licence holder |
| Driver education required | No |
| Blood alcohol limit | Zero |
Night driving rules in the ACT
Night driving counts from sunset to sunrise. Canberra’s inland position means noticeable seasonal shifts. Sunset ranges from about 5:00 PM in June to 8:15 PM in January. Winter is your ally — a 5:30 PM drive in July is already dark.
10 hours of night driving is straightforward. One evening session per week for a couple of months and you’re done. Start early rather than saving it for the end.
Supervisor requirements
Your supervisor must hold a full Australian licence. They sit in the front passenger seat, stay alert, and must be ready to take control. Provisional licence holders can’t supervise.
Zero blood alcohol for the learner. Supervisors should stay well within their own legal limit too.
Instructor bonus hours
The ACT offers a 3-for-1 bonus with licensed driving instructors. Each instructor hour counts as 3 in your logbook. The cap is 10 instructor hours, giving you 30 hours of credit.
That drops your actual required driving time from 100 to about 80 hours. Combine it with the Safer Drivers Course for an even bigger reduction.
Safer Drivers Course
The Safer Drivers Course is available to ACT learners who’ve logged at least 50 hours. It includes facilitated group discussions and on-road coaching. Completing it adds 20 bonus hours to your logbook.
With both the instructor bonus (30 credit hours) and the Safer Drivers Course (20 credit hours), you could reduce your actual driving time from 100 hours down to about 60. That’s a significant saving.
Reduced requirements for 25+
The ACT has a different approach to age exemptions. Instead of removing the logbook requirement entirely, the territory halves it. If you’re 25 or older when you get your learner licence, you need 50 supervised hours (5 at night) instead of 100.
You can still use the instructor bonus and Safer Drivers Course on top of the reduced requirement, which could bring your actual time down further.
Early learner age
The ACT lets you get your learner licence at 15 years and 9 months — earlier than every state in Australia. That extra few months means you can start building seat time sooner and potentially have your Ps earlier too.
How to plan your 100 hours
With a 6-month minimum hold period, the timeline is tight if you’re aiming to get your Ps as soon as possible:
| Timeline | Sessions per week | Session length | Total time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relaxed (34 weeks) | 3 | 1 hour | ~34 weeks |
| Moderate (20 weeks) | 5 | 1 hour | ~20 weeks |
| With all bonuses (12 weeks) | 5 | 1 hour | ~12 weeks |
The “with all bonuses” row assumes you max out the instructor 3-for-1 (30 credit hours) and complete the Safer Drivers Course (20 credit hours), dropping your actual driving time to about 60 hours.
Night hours are 10% of the total. One evening session every couple of weeks is all you need.
Tracking your driving hours
100 hours is a lot of entries to manage on paper. Moda logs every drive automatically, separates day and night hours, tracks instructor bonus credits, and shows exactly where you stand. When you’re ready, export your logbook in the format the ACT requires.
How many supervised driving hours does the ACT require?
The ACT requires 100 total supervised driving hours for learners under 25. 10 must be at night and 90 during the day.
What counts as night driving in the ACT?
Night driving in the ACT is defined as sunset to sunrise. In Canberra, sunset ranges from about 5:00 PM in winter to 8:15 PM in summer.
Can I get bonus hours with a driving instructor in the ACT?
Yes. Each hour with a licensed instructor counts as 3 hours in your logbook. The cap is 10 instructor hours, giving you 30 hours of credit.
What is the Safer Drivers Course in the ACT?
The Safer Drivers Course gives you 20 bonus hours in your logbook. It includes group discussions and on-road coaching with a professional instructor.
How old do you have to be to get a learner licence in the ACT?
You can apply for a learner licence in the ACT at age 15 and 9 months (15.75 years).
Do I need to complete all 100 hours if I’m over 25?
No. If you’re 25 or older, the ACT only requires 50 supervised hours (5 at night) instead of the full 100.
Who can supervise a learner driver in the ACT?
Your supervisor must hold a full Australian licence. They need to sit in the front passenger seat and be ready to take control.
Calculate your remaining hours
Enter the hours you've already completed to see what's left.