If your licence is expiring – or it has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed – you can renew or replace it online or in person at a service centre.

Renewing your licence

Renew online

If you're eligible, you can renew your licence online up to 6 months before it expires. You may renew your licence online for 1, 3 or 5 years. You cannot renew your licence online for 10 years.

Renew your licence online

You must renew your licence in person at a service centre if:

you're a learner licence holder

your licence conditions require you to have an eyesight test, undergo a medical examination or take a test before you can renew

you have a combined driver and boat licence

Renewing in person

To renew your licence in person at a service centre, you'll need to bring:

a completed licence renewal form

your current licence or other proof of identity

the required licence fee, unless you're eligible for a concession

Depending on your licence conditions, you may also need to:

pass an eyesight test

provide a satisfactory medical report

Once you pay the fee, your photo will be taken and your licence card will be posted to you. You'll receive a temporary paper licence, which you can use until your new card arrives.

If you provide your old licence card, it will be invalidated and returned to you. Keep this card in a safe place - you can use it as proof of your identity when dealing with us.

Full (unrestricted) licence options

You can choose to renew your for 1, 3, 5 or 10 years. If you're eligible for a concession your licence can be renewed for 5 or 10 years.

The 10-year licence renewal option is only available to you if you are 21 to 44 years old at the time your licence expires and you hold a full licence class C (car) and/or R (rider).

If you also hold a NSW boat licence, you may be eligible to combine it with your 1, 3 or 5 year full driver/rider licence, when your licence is due for renewal. Find out about combined licences.

Learner licences

If you're a learner licence holder, you need to attend a service centre to renew your licence in person. To renew your licence, you'll have to pass the knowledge test and eyesight test again, and pay the learner licence fee.

Learner driver licences can be renewed for 5 years.

We may refuse to renew your learner licence if your driving record is unsatisfactory.

Provisional P1 and P2 licences

Most P1 or P2 licence holders can renew their licences online.

P1 licences are valid for 18 months and P2 licences for 36 months. There's no maximum time limit for moving through the provisional P1 and P2 licence stages. You can renew a P1 or P2 licence as many times as you need to.

You don't need to take any knowledge or driving tests to renew a P1 or P2 licence, however, you need to pay the provisional licence fee and may need to pass an eyesight test and/or provide a satisfactory medical report.

How early or late can you renew your licence?

You can renew your licence up to 6 months before it expires and up to 6 months after expiry - but your cannot drive on an expired licence.

If you renew your licence 1-6 months before the expiry date, your new licence will have the same expiry date as if you renew on time.

If you renew within 6 months after the expiry date, your new licence will be backdated and have the same expiry date, as long as you haven't been disqualified or had your licence cancelled in that time.

It's your responsibility to renew your licence before it expires. We'll send you a renewal notice about 6 weeks before expiry. Not receiving the renewal is not an acceptable excuse for failing to renew your licence.

There are heavy penalties for driving with an expired licence.

Licence expired up to 5 years

If you renew more than 6 months, but less than 5 years after the expiry date, your licence will be reissued. The new expiry date will be calculated from the date the licence is reissued.

Licence expired more than 5 years

If your licence has expired by more than 5 years, you'll need to pass eyesight, knowledge and driving tests for the class of licence you previously held.

If you've passed the knowledge test but failed your first driving test on an expired licence, you'll need to apply for a learner licence, and meet all the requirements.

If you can prove you held a licence in another Australian state or territory for the same class within the last 5 years, you may be exempt from the tests. If you've held an overseas licence within the last 5 years, you may also be exempt from some tests, depending on the country. See Moving to NSW for more information.

Replacing your licence

If your licence card has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, you can apply for a replacement card online or in person at a service centre.

Replacing online

You can only order 1 replacement licence online in a 12-month period.

Replace your licence online

Replacing in person

If you apply to replace your licence in person, you'll need to provide:

Once you pay the fee, we'll take your photo. Your licence card will be posted to you. You'll receive a temporary paper licence, which you can use until your new card arrives.

Cancelled licences and disqualified drivers

If your licence has been cancelled or suspended, or you've been disqualified from driving, call 13 22 13, or visit a service centre for guidance on your next steps.

Discounted licence renewal for safe drivers

Got a good driving record? You may be eligible for a 50% discount on your licence renewal fee under the Fair Go for Safe Drivers Scheme. If you are eligible, the discount applies whether you renew your unrestricted licence for 1, 3, 5 or 10 years.

To qualify, at the time of renewal you must:

Renew your licence within 6 months of the expiry date. (If you renew more than 6 months after expiry, you must pay the full renewal fee.)

Hold an unrestricted NSW licence of any class. (Interstate and overseas licences, NSW learner and provisional P1 and P2 licences are not counted.)

Have held the NSW licence continuously for 5 years. (You must have less than 6 months total break. eg, if your licence was expired, suspended, cancelled or refused for any reason, except on medical grounds.)

Have no relevant offences recorded on your NSW licence in the 5 years leading up to the date you renew your licence. (Interstate and overseas driving records are not counted.) Relevant offences include:

any that attract demerit points



a conviction for a major offence, such as drink or drug driving



any unlicensed driving offence

Some offences recorded on your traffic record won't be counted when determining eligibility for the discount. These include offences dealt with by a caution issued by Revenue NSW, or any offence which was dismissed without conviction under Section 10 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999.

If you're appealing an offence when you renew your licence, you will not receive a discount. However, if your appeal is successful you may be eligible for a refund of 50% of the renewal fee you paid.

Renewing or replacing your licence while interstate or overseas

If you're temporarily out of NSW and need to renew or replace your licence, you can use a photo-kit form, provided your licence has expired less than 5 years ago, is not a temporary paper licence and is not suspended or cancelled:

If you're overseas, you can also get a photo-kit by calling 132213.

If you're living interstate continuously for 3 months or longer, you should convert your NSW licence to the equivalent interstate licence. Under the National Driver Licensing Scheme, the licence is converted free of charge.

If you've permanently moved overseas you should obtain a driver licence in that country.

You can only use a photo-kit once for renewal. This means the next time you need to renew, you'll need to do it in person at a service centre in NSW.

If your proof of identity shows an old name

If your proof of identity document(s) show an old name that is different to the one currently on your licence, then you must also provide a certified copy of 1 of the following documents, certified by the witness in Section C of the photo-kit:

Marriage Certificate

Divorce Decree

Deed Poll registered with the relevant authority

Change of Name Certificate issued by the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

Birth Certificate showing your name at birth and your new name

document showing evidence of change of name registered in the Land Titles Office

Your documents should show a clear link between your old name and your current name.

Note: You cannot change your name on licence records using a photo-kit. Change of name must be done in person at a service centre once you return to NSW. See Changing your personal details for more information.

Licence payments

Payment can be made by:

Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit cards

an Australian cheque or money order payable to Roads and Maritime Services

an overseas bank draft payable to Roads and Maritime Services in Australian dollars. (The overseas bank must endorse the draft as being payable at a nominated Australian bank, otherwise it will not be acceptable for presentation.)

Please do not send cash.

Submitting your application

Send the kit and your payment to:

Photo-Licence Unit

Roads and Maritime Services

PO Box 21

PARKES NSW 2870

Australia

You cannot submit your application at a registry or service centre outside of NSW.