P Plate Rules NSW 2026: Red and Green P Restrictions, Passengers and Penalties

Last updated: October 2026

Getting your Ps is a big step, but the P plate rules NSW drivers must follow are much stricter than the rules for full licence holders. One speeding ticket, one mobile phone offence or one night out with too many friends in the car can cost a red P plater their licence for at least 3 months.

This guide sets out every rule for P1 (red P) and P2 (green P) drivers in 2026, the fines and demerit points for breaking them, how suspensions work, and what to do if you have been caught. All fines are the amounts in force from 1 July 2026, checked against the Judicial Commission of NSW Lawcodes database.

P1 and P2 Rules at a Glance

The table below compares the red P plate rules NSW drivers follow with the green P plate rules NSW drivers follow. It is based on the official Transport for NSW pages for the P1 licence and the P2 licence.

The same rules apply when you drive interstate or overseas on a NSW P licence.

Red P Plate Rules NSW: The P1 Licence

Speed limit of 90 km/h

A P1 driver must never drive faster than 90 km/h, even on a motorway signed at 110 km/h. Transport for NSW says a P1 driver caught speeding exceeds the demerit limit and loses the licence for at least 3 months. That applies to any speeding offence, including 1 or 2 km/h over a 50 km/h limit.

Zero alcohol

All provisional drivers must have a zero blood alcohol concentration. That means no drinks at all before driving, and care the morning after a night out, because alcohol can stay in your system for many hours. Our drink driving lawyers page explains the penalties if you are caught.

No mobile phone use at all

P1 and P2 drivers cannot use any function of a phone while driving or while stopped but not parked, such as at traffic lights. That includes Bluetooth calls, loudspeaker, music and GPS navigation. The only exceptions are showing your digital driver licence when police ask for it, and using a digital wallet when stopped off the road, for example at a drive-through. A phone offence is 5 demerit points, which is enough on its own to suspend a P1 licence.

Display red P plates correctly

Plates must be clearly displayed on the outside of the vehicle, on the front and the back. A plate inside the windscreen, or one that has fallen off, can lead to a fine.

Towing and vehicle type

A P1 driver can only tow a trailer that weighs 250 kg or less unloaded, and must display a red P plate on the back of the trailer. If you passed your driving test in an automatic car, you can only drive automatics until you hold a P2 licence or pass a manual test.

Red P Plate Passenger Rules NSW: The 11pm to 5am Rule

The red P plate passenger rules NSW drivers often get wrong are set out in the Road Transport (Driver Licensing) Regulation 2017. If you hold a P1 licence and you are under 25, you must not drive between 11pm and 5am with more than one passenger under 21.

• During the day there is no peer passenger limit. You can carry as many passengers as the car has seatbelts.
• After 11pm you can carry one passenger under 21, plus any number of passengers aged 21 or older.
• Family members and work may qualify for an exemption, which you apply for at a service centre using the P1/P2 exemption form.
• If you are 25 or older on a P1 licence, the night passenger rule does not apply to you.

This is not a curfew. Many searches for red P plate rules in NSW after 11pm assume P platers cannot drive at night. They can. The rule only limits who is in the car.

Breaking the night passenger rule carries a $722 fine and 3 demerit points, according to Lawcodes (law part code 90147).

The one passenger condition after a disqualification

If a court disqualifies you, your new P licence comes with a stricter condition for 12 months: you can carry only one passenger at any time of day. Breaching that condition carries a $722 fine and 7 demerit points, which suspends a P1 or P2 licence on its own.

Green P Plate Rules NSW: The P2 Licence

The green P plate rules NSW drivers follow are similar to P1, with three main differences: a 100 km/h speed limit, a 7 point demerit limit and no night passenger limit.

• Speed: maximum 100 km/h, and any speeding offence carries at least 4 demerit points. Two speeding offences take you past 7 points.
• Phone: a phone offence is 5 points, leaving only 2 points before suspension.
• Time on P2: at least 24 months. Each demerit point suspension or high risk suspension adds 6 months to the P2 period, and the suspension time itself does not count.
• Moving to a full licence: you can upgrade after 24 months, but only if you have not been suspended for unsafe driving.

P Plate Restrictions NSW: Banned Vehicles

P1 and P2 drivers cannot drive a high performance vehicle. Under clause 36 of the Road Transport (Driver Licensing) Regulation 2017 and the Transport for NSW prohibited vehicle definitions, a vehicle is banned if:

1. Its power to weight ratio is more than 130 kW per tonne. The figure is not rounded, so 130.01 kW per tonne is banned.
2. Its engine has a significant modification that needs engineer certification.
3. It is on the Transport for NSW list of high performance vehicles, even if it is under 130 kW per tonne.

EVs and hybrids

The NSW P plate EV restrictions work the same way. For an electric car, Transport for NSW uses the manufacturer's specified power. For a hybrid, it uses the combined maximum output of the engine and electric motors. Many electric cars accelerate quickly, so some models are banned for P platers even though they look like ordinary family cars. Always check the exact model and variant in the P1/P2 vehicle search before you drive it.

Modifications do not help. Fitting a bull bar to increase the weight, or detuning the engine, does not change a banned vehicle's status. Driving a banned vehicle carries a $722 fine and 7 demerit points, which is enough to suspend both P1 and P2 licences.

P Plate Fines and Demerit Points in 2026

The table below shows the main P plate rules NSW penalties from 1 July 2026, taken from the Lawcodes database.

"Points left" assumes you had no points before the offence. Speeding points for P drivers are set by the Road Transport (Driver Licensing) Regulation 2017, so even 1 km/h over is 4 points. For the speeding rules that apply to everyone, see our guide to speeding fines in NSW.

Double demerits

Double demerit points apply to P platers during holiday periods. A speeding offence becomes 8 points and a phone offence 10 points, which suspends a P2 licence in one go. The passenger, plate and vehicle offences above are not doubled. Our guide to demerit points in NSW explains how points are counted over 3 years.

How P Plate Suspensions Work

When a P1 driver reaches 4 points, or a P2 driver reaches 7, Transport for NSW sends a notice of suspension. For provisional licences, the suspension is 3 months. There are also more serious consequences:

• More than 30 km/h over the limit: police can suspend your licence immediately and take it on the spot.
• More than 45 km/h over the limit: an automatic 6 month suspension applies.
• Drink or drug driving: police can suspend your licence immediately for 3 months, and a court can disqualify you. See our drink driving lawyers and drug driving lawyers pages.
• Court disqualification: cancels your P licence completely. When it ends, you must reapply and start your P1 or P2 time again, and the one passenger condition applies for 12 months.

Suspension time does not count towards your 12 months on P1 or 24 months on P2. Unlike full licence holders, P platers cannot choose a 12 month good behaviour period instead of a suspension.

Never drive while suspended. It is a criminal offence that leads to a further disqualification. See our page on driving while suspended or disqualified.

Can a P Plater Appeal a Suspension?

Yes. Unlike full licence holders, learner and provisional drivers can appeal a demerit point suspension to the Local Court. Legal Aid NSW says the appeal must be lodged within 28 days of receiving the suspension notice. The court can confirm the suspension, change it or set it aside.

On appeal, the court looks at:

• your need for a licence, for example for work, study or caring for family
• your traffic record and how long you have held your licence
• the circumstances of the offence
• character references and any steps you have taken, such as completing a traffic offender program

Pay the fine first, then appeal the suspension

Many P platers think the way to save their licence is to take the speeding fine to court. Often it is not. In August 2026, a P1 driver caught at 108 km/h, well above his 90 km/h P1 limit, took his fine to Bega Local Court. The Local Court Judge explained that the court had no power over the demerit points, and that the right step was to pay the fine and then appeal the suspension once Transport for NSW issued it. The driver pleaded guilty and was convicted, and the court reduced his fine so that the added court costs did not leave him worse off.

The lesson is that a court election and a suspension appeal are different things. Electing to go to court only helps if you have a real defence, or a realistic chance of a section 10 non conviction order. If you accept you were speeding, a licence appeal is usually the better path. Our licence appeal lawyers can advise which option suits your case.

Myths About P Plate Rules

In 2025, social media posts claimed new national P plate rules, including an 11pm driving curfew for all P platers, a longer P1 period and tighter passenger limits. Driving school L Trent reported that these claims were false and had spread through AI generated content. As at October 2026:

• There are no national P plate laws. Each state sets its own rules.
• NSW has no curfew for P platers. The 11pm to 5am rule only limits passengers under 21 for P1 drivers under 25.
• The P1 period is still 12 months and P2 is still 24 months.

Always check rules on the Transport for NSW website rather than social media.

What to Do If You Have Been Caught

1. Do not drive if police have suspended your licence on the spot.
2. Check your points on the Service NSW app so you know how close you are to the limit.
3. Get advice before you pay or elect court, because the right choice depends on whether you have a defence and how much you need your licence.
4. Watch for the suspension notice from Transport for NSW and note the date. The 28 day appeal time starts when you receive it.
5. Gather evidence early, such as a letter from your employer, study timetable or character references. See our guide to character references for court.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the P plate rules in NSW?

P1 drivers have a 90 km/h limit and a 4 point limit, and P2 drivers have a 100 km/h limit and a 7 point limit. Both must have zero alcohol, cannot use a mobile phone at all, cannot drive high performance vehicles and must display P plates front and back.

How many passengers can you have on red Ps in NSW?

During the day, as many as the car has seatbelts for. Between 11pm and 5am, a P1 driver under 25 can carry only one passenger under 21. Passengers aged 21 or older do not count.

Can red P platers drive after 11pm in NSW?

Yes. There is no curfew in NSW. The only night rule is the limit of one passenger under 21 for P1 drivers under 25.

What is the speed limit for P platers in NSW?

90 km/h for P1 drivers and 100 km/h for P2 drivers, even on roads with a higher signed limit.

How many demerit points do P platers have in NSW?

P1 drivers are suspended at 4 points and P2 drivers at 7 points, counted over any 3 year period.

Do P platers lose their licence for speeding in NSW?

A P1 driver loses their licence for at least 3 months for any speeding offence, because it carries at least 4 points. A P2 driver is suspended after two speeding offences, or after one offence during double demerits.

Can P platers drive electric cars in NSW?

Yes, as long as the car is not a high performance vehicle. Electric cars with a power to weight ratio over 130 kW per tonne, or on the Transport for NSW banned list, are not allowed.

Can a P plater appeal a licence suspension in NSW?

Yes. Learner and provisional drivers can appeal a demerit point suspension to the Local Court, usually within 28 days of receiving the suspension notice.

Talk to a Traffic Lawyer About Your P Plate Licence

Losing your licence on your Ps can affect your job, your studies and your independence. A lawyer can tell you whether to pay, seek a review, elect court or appeal the suspension, and help you prepare the evidence the court will want to see.

Matters are led by Muhammad Siddique, Senior Associate Criminal Lawyer (LLM), who is admitted to the Supreme Court of NSW and the High Court of Australia. We offer fixed fees for traffic matters where possible.