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Official resources by stateHelpful links.
Official government links for becoming a driving instructor in every state and territory: who licenses you, how to apply, the checks you’ll need, and the handbooks and log book rules you’ll teach.
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Where do you apply to become a driving instructor?
Quick answer: Every state and territory licenses its own driving instructors. You complete the national TLI41225 Certificate IV in Motor Vehicle Driver Training, then apply to your local regulator: Transport for NSW, Safe Transport Victoria, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) in Queensland, Transport WA, the Department for Infrastructure and Transport in South Australia, the Department of State Growth in Tasmania, Access Canberra or the NT Motor Vehicle Registry.
Reviewed by Sina Bakhshalian, CEO of 121 Driver Training, training driving instructors since 2019. Last updated October 2026.
The links below go straight to each regulator’s official pages, so you’re always reading the current rules. We checked every link on 27 October 2026.
Requirements such as age, licence history, background checks and medical standards differ between states. In NSW, you need a Letter of Eligibility from Transport for NSW before you enrol in the course.
Moving or working across a border? Read our guide to driving instructor licences when you move interstate.
Choose your stateLinks for where you’ll teach.
New South Wales
Driving instructor licence from Transport for NSW.
Licence and application
- Become a driving instructor in NSW
- Eligibility and how to apply
- Letter of Eligibility and approved training providers
- Apply for a driving instructor licence (Service NSW)
- Driving instructor licence application form (PDF)
Checks you’ll need
Teaching learners
Our guide: Becoming a driving instructor in Sydney
Victoria
Driving Instructor Authority (DIA) from Safe Transport Victoria.
Licence and application
Checks you’ll need
Teaching learners
Our guide: Becoming a driving instructor in Melbourne
Queensland
Driver trainer accreditation from the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR).
Licence and application
Checks you’ll need
Teaching learners
Our guide: Becoming a driving instructor in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast
Western Australia
Driving instructor’s licence from Transport WA (Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure).
Licence and application
- Driving instructor’s licence
- Application for instructor’s licence (form E175, PDF)
- Submit your application in person
- Theory assessment
- Practical driving assessment
Checks you’ll need
Teaching learners
Our guide: Becoming a driving instructor in Perth
South Australia
Motor Driving Instructor’s (MDI) licence from the Department for Infrastructure and Transport.
Licence and application
- Driving instructors in South Australia
- Apply for a motor driving instructor’s licence
- MDI theory test
- Regulator assessment (practical)
Checks you’ll need
- Working with Children Check for driving instructors
- Apply for a police record check
- Certificate of Fitness, light vehicle (MR712, PDF)
Teaching learners
Our guide: Becoming a driving instructor in Adelaide
Tasmania
Ancillary Certificate in Driving Instruction from the Department of State Growth (Transport Services).
Licence and application
- Becoming a driving instructor
- Apply for a driving instruction ancillary certificate
- Application form (MR111, PDF)
Checks you’ll need
- Registration to Work with Vulnerable People
- Apply for a National Police Certificate
- Medical fitness to drive form (MR68, PDF)
Teaching learners
Our guide: Becoming a driving instructor in Hobart
Australian Capital Territory
Accredited Driving Instructor (ADI) from Access Canberra.
Licence and application
Checks you’ll need
- Working with Vulnerable People registration
- Apply for WWVP registration
- Medical conditions and fitness to drive
Teaching learners
Our guide: Becoming a driving instructor in Canberra
Northern Territory
Driving instructor endorsement from the NT Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR).
Licence and application
Checks you’ll need
- Apply for a criminal history check
- Traffic offence history check
- Medical assessment for fitness to drive
- Working with Children Clearance (Ochre Card)
Teaching learners
Our guide: Becoming a driving instructor in Darwin
All states and territories
National links for the qualification, your USI and the medical standards every state uses.
On our site
Plain-English guides to each step, written for people becoming driving instructors.
Helpful links FAQsCommon questions
Who issues driving instructor licences in Australia?
Each state and territory does. For example, Transport for NSW issues NSW driving instructor licences, Safe Transport Victoria issues the Driving Instructor Authority, and TMR accredits driver trainers in Queensland.
Is the TLI41225 Certificate IV accepted in every state?
Yes. The TLI41225 Certificate IV in Motor Vehicle Driver Training is the national qualification for car driving instructors. Each regulator then sets its own checks, such as background, medical and licence history requirements.
Do I need a Working with Children Check to be a driving instructor?
In most states you do if you’ll teach learners under 18, and some regulators require it for every instructor. Check your state’s links above for the exact rule.
Do I need anything before I enrol in the course?
In NSW, you need a Letter of Eligibility from Transport for NSW before you enrol. In other states you can usually enrol first and apply for your licence after you qualify.
