Motorcycle GLS
Changes to South Australia’s Motorcycle Graduated Licensing Scheme will come into effect on 22 November 2021.
The enhancements to the Motorcycle Graduated Licensing Scheme aim to improve the safety of novice motorcyclists and other road users by ensuring riders have more experience before they can ride a motorbike under full licence conditions.
NEW RULES FROM 22 NOVEMBER 2021
Changes for motorcycle learner’s permit holders
- The minimum age for a learner’s permit will be 18 years of age unless you are:
- 17 years of age and hold a provisional licence for another class of vehicle; or
- 16 or 17 years of age and live in a “prescribed locality”. You will be eligible for a restricted learner’s permit and will only be able to ride for the following purposes:
- To attend tertiary education, vocational education or training, or within the course of tertiary education, vocational education or training.
- For work purposes, or
- To participate in a sporting activity.
- You will be required to hold a motorcycle learner’s permit for a minimum period of 12 months, regardless of your age or if you hold a full driver’s licence for another class, before you will be eligible to apply for an R-DATE licence classification.
- No pillion passengers or a passenger in a sidecar. This includes a person acting as a Qualified Supervising Driver.
- No towing of any vehicle (i.e. a trailer).
- If you are under the age of 25 years, no riding between the hours of midnight and 5am regardless of whether you hold a driver’s licence for another class unless you meet the exemption criteria.
- Restricted to an automatic motorcycle if you complete the Basic or Advanced Rider Safe Course or Practical Driving Assessment on a motorcycle with an automatic transmission.
Changes for R-DATE licence classification holders
- Minimum age 19 years.
- Must have zero Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) when you ride regardless of whether you hold a full driver’s licence or provisional licence.
- Must hold an R-DATE licence classification for a period 2 years before you will be permitted to ride motorcycles other than those on the Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme.
FAQs
When do the new laws come into effect?
22 November 2021
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I already hold a learner’s permit for a motorcycle, do these new laws apply to me?
The following will apply to existing learner’s permit holders from 22 November 2021:
- No pillion passengers or passenger in a side car. This includes a person acting as a Qualified Supervising Driver.
- No towing of any vehicle (i.e. a trailer).
- If you are under the age of 25 years, no riding between the hours of midnight and 5am regardless of whether you hold a driver’s licence for another class unless you meet the exemption criteria which can be found here: www.mylicence.sa.gov.au/gls/exemptions.
- You will be required to hold a motorcycle learner’s permit for a minimum period of 12 months, regardless of your age or if you hold a full driver’s licence for another class, before you will be eligible to apply for an R-DATE licence classification.
- Restricted to automatic motorcycle if you complete the Advanced Rider Safe Course or Practical Driving Assessment for your R-DATE licence classification on a motorcycle with an automatic transmission.
- The minimum age for an R-DATE licence classification will be 19 years.
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I already hold a learner’s permit for a motorcycle but I am under 18 years of age, can I still ride a motorcycle?
If you are currently under the age of 18 and already hold a motorcycle learner’s permit when the new laws come into effect, your learner’s permit will remain valid and you will continue to be able to ride a motorcycle subject to the passenger, towing and night time riding restrictions.
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How do I know if I live in a prescribed locality?
The prescribed locality broadly covers areas considered regional South Australia. If you live in the following areas you are eligible to be issued with a restricted learner’s permit for a motorcycle from 16 years:
- postcodes between 5201 and 5495 (inclusive) except for following postcodes:
- 5231
- 5232
- 5240
- 5242
- 5245
- 5250
- 5251
- postcodes between 5502 and 5734 (inclusive)
- An area that falls within the following postcodes:
- 5153
- 5154
- 5157
- The following suburbs within postcode 5118
- Concordia
- Kangaroo Flat
- Kingsford
- Ward Belt
- The following suburbs within postcode 5120
- The following suburbs within postcode 5172
- Hope Forest
- Kuitpo Colony
- Kyeema
- Pages Flat
- Willunga Hill
- Willunga South
- Yundi
- The Range
- Dingabledinga
- Montarra
- The following suburb within postcode 5174
- The following suburbs within postcode 5501
- Long Plains
- Calomba
- Avon
- Middle Beach
- Port Gawler
- Lower Light
- Dublin
- Thompson Beach
- Webb Beach
- Parham
- Windsor
- Wild Horse Plains
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What are the night-time riding restrictions?
The holder of a learner’s permit for a motorcycle who is under the age of 25 is not permitted to ride between the hours of midnight and 5am irrespective of whether they hold a P2 or full driver’s licence for another classification of vehicle, unless they meet exemption criteria.
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How will the night-time riding restrictions apply to a person issued with a restricted learner’s permit?
A person issued with a restricted learner’s permit to ride a motorcycle (because they are 16 or 17 years of age and reside in a prescribed locality) is restricted to riding only for tertiary education, vocational education and training, work purposes or to participate in a sporting activity at all times. Broader exemptions from the night-time riding restrictions do not apply to the holder of a restricted learner’s permit.
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How will 16 or 17 year olds who live in a prescribed locality apply for a restricted learner’s permit?
There is no special application process for the issue of a restricted learner’s permit. Applicants will need to attend Service SA as they usually would to apply for a learner’s permit, and if they are eligible, they will be issued with a restricted learner’s permit.
If a restricted learner’s permit holder is stopped by Police at the roadside, it is the rider’s responsibility to provide evidence they are riding in accordance with the exemption criteria. This is in line with the current process for exemptions from the passenger and night-time driving restrictions for P1 licence holders under 25 years of age, where it is the driver’s responsibility to prove they are driving in accordance with the exemption criteria, and they are encouraged to carry evidence such as a letter from their employer or training institution.
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Is there an exemption from the minimum learner permit age for those who live in metropolitan South Australia?
No. It is recognised that there are more limited transport services in regional areas for young people to participate in training and employment opportunities.
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I already hold an R-DATE licence classification, do these new laws apply to me?
Yes. From 22 November 2021 you must not ride a motorcycle unless you have zero Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). This restriction applies to all holders of an R-DATE licence classification, irrespective of whether you hold a full driver’s licence or provisional licence. The penalty for riding with a BAC greater than zero is a fine of $771 and 4 demerit points.
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I already hold an R-DATE licence classification, do I have to hold this for an extra year?
No. Your eligibility to gain an R licence classification will remain as the date listed on your current driver’s licence unless you are subject to a licence suspension or disqualification. Please be aware that you may commence riding on an R classification licence from your eligibility date without the need to amend the existing R-DATE classification.
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I need further information on how these new laws will affect me
For further information on how these new laws may affect you, please contact Service SA on 13 10 84.
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