If you breach a condition or gain 4 or more demerit points while on a learner's permit, you will be issued a disqualification notice by Service SA and be disqualified from driving.
If you receive a learner's permit disqualification notice (first notice)
Learner's permit disqualification notices and sent by post to your address.
The disqualification period
You will be disqualified for 6 months.
There is no right of appeal against a learner's disqualification, even if you have progressed to a provisional or full licence since the offence was committed.
What you must do
Acknowledge your notice
You must personally acknowledge the notice and pay the fee within 28 days of the issue date.
You can do this at:
- a Service SA centre
- an Australia Post outlet — only for the first notice we sent you.
If you don't acknowledge the first notice by the date printed on your notice:
- a second notice will be issued.
- a South Australian Police or Sheriff's officer will attempt to serve the notice on you personally by attending the residential address recorded on your licence.
- a higher fee will apply. This can be paid at Service SA. You may not be able to make any other transactions until it's paid.
If the second notice can't be served to you personally, you'll be unable to undertake any other transactions with Service SA (eg renewing your vehicle registrations). You'll need to attend a Service SA centre to acknowledge the second notice in person. It can't be served over the phone or online.
What happens next
Any licence or learner’s permit you hold will be cancelled when the period of disqualification commences.
Once your disqualification has finished you can apply for a learner's permit again. A fee applies. You won't need to re-sit the learner's theory test if it's less than 12 months since you had a learner's permit.
To get your Ps:
- You'll need to hold your learner's permit for a minimum period of 3 months before being able to apply for your P's.
- Time spent on a learner's permit prior to a disqualification counts towards the minimum 12 month requirement to get your provisional licence, however, the mandatory 3 month period still applies.
- If you passed the hazard perception test and a practical driving test but did not upgrade to your provisional or full licence before being disqualified, you are not required to undertake these tests again.
- If you did upgrade, you will need to re-sit both these tests.
