As of August 1, 2025, paper licenses will be a thing of the past. Motorists will be required to hold a government issued digital driver’s licence on their smartphones. This is aimed at improving efficiency during roadside checks as well as reducing fraud. Police officers have the authority to issue on-the-spot fines of up to $200 AUD to drivers who do not provide a valid digital license upon request. Older drivers or those without smartphones can obtain a free digital reader card which is issued at Service NSW, VicRoads, and other equivalent agencies across the country.
Speed Cameras & Fine Increases
Australia’s speed-camera thresholds and policies will now be enforced more strictly. Beginning August, the “grace buffer” above the speed limit is now set to 3 km/h instead of 5 km/h. In addition to this, speeding fines will increase by 10%, which is in line with inflation and road safety objectives. Novice drivers (P-plates) will be subject to strict penalties and be automatically license suspended for any speed, even 1 km/h over the limit with the new demerit point system.
| Offence | Current Penalty (AUD) | Penalty from Aug 2025 (AUD) | Demerit Points Applied |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–5 km/h over limit | 100 | 110 | 1 |
| 6–10 km/h over limit | 150 | 165 | 3 |
| Provisional driver > 1 km/h over limit | 0 (minor warning) | 110 | 3 |
| Hand-held phone use | 400 | 440 | 5 |
Provisional Licence Logbook & Graduated Penalties
In this case, learner drivers and provisional drivers have a stricter logbook regimen to follow. For learner drivers, they must now do a maximum of 120 hours of driving practice, of which 15 hours have to be done at night. For P-plate drivers, exceeding 12km/h over the speed limit two times in a rolling 12 month period will permanently revoke provisional status. Crash reductions from young drivers is the goal of enforcing stricter logbook hours, increased supervision hours, tougher demerit consequences, and tougher demerit consequences.
Alcohol Limits & Random Breath Testing
The zero-tolerance rule still applies to P-Plate drivers, however a newly issued rule will now limit the mid-level licence (held for 3 years) to 0.02 from 0.05. Random breath testing will now be done in double the locations in metropolitan areas which will also focus on speed. There is also a two mid-level repeat offender rule (two breaches in a 12 month period) which will now have a two day vehicle impound penalty.
Next Steps
Drivers need to download their state’s official digital license app before August and make sure their devices are compatible. Experienced drivers should require slightly higher speeding fines and watch their speedometer more closely. Learner drivers need to accumulate more supervision hours, while those on P-plates need to exercise more caution while driving. Knowing these changes early will help avoid penalties while aiding in making roads safer when the changes are officially implemented.
