P1 vs P2 licence NSW
P1 and P2 are the two stages of the same NSW provisional licence, and the difference between them is narrower than most people expect. Three things change at the transition: the speed condition, the peer passenger condition and the demerit point threshold. Everything else — alcohol, devices, plates, prohibited vehicles, supervising a learner — carries across unchanged. This page sets the two stages out row by row, with each figure taken from the current Transport for NSW page for that stage, so the comparison can be checked rather than taken on trust.
What is the difference between P1 and P2 in NSW?
P1 is the first provisional stage and P2 the second. Moving from P1 to P2 raises the speed condition from 90 to 100 km/h, removes the peer passenger condition, and raises the demerit point threshold from 4 to 7.
Those are the only three substantive changes. It is worth saying plainly, because the green plates are widely treated as a general relaxation and they are not: a P2 driver is still prohibited from any alcohol, any phone use, any high-performance vehicle and supervising a learner.
P1 and P2 compared, condition by condition
| Condition | P1 — red Ps | P2 — green Ps |
|---|---|---|
| Plate colour | Red P plates | Green P plates |
| Licence stage | First provisional stage | Second provisional stage |
| Speed condition | Must not drive above 90 km/h | Must not drive over 100 km/h |
| Mobile phones | No use of any mobile phone while driving or stopped but not parked, including hands-free and loudspeaker | Identical — no use of any mobile phone, including hands-free or loudspeaker |
| Passengers | Under 25: no more than one passenger under 21 between 11pm and 5am | No standing passenger condition |
| Alcohol | No alcohol in the driver's system | Identical — no alcohol in the driver's system |
| Prohibited vehicles | No high-performance vehicle | Identical — no high-performance vehicle |
| Supervising a learner | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| Towing | Trailers up to 250 kg unloaded weight, red Ps on the trailer | No weight figure stated; a P plate must be on the back of the trailer |
| Transmission | Solo driving only in the kind of car the test was taken in | Not stated as a P2 condition |
| Demerit points | Suspended or refused at 4 points | Suspended or refused at 7 points |
| Licence valid for | 18 months | 36 months |
| Minimum period held | 12 months before applying for P2 | 24 months before applying for a full licence |
| Effect of suspension | Suspension time does not count toward the 12 months | Suspension time does not count, and each suspension adds a further 6 months |
| Next stage | Provisional P2 licence | Full (unrestricted) licence |
Two rows deserve a note rather than a cell. The towing row differs because the P1 page states a 250 kilogram unloaded weight limit and the P2 page does not state a weight figure at all — it states only that a P plate must be displayed on the back of the trailer. The transmission row differs for the same reason: the automatic and clutchless manual restriction is described as a P1 condition, and is not repeated as a P2 condition. Neither absence is the same as an explicit permission, and a driver relying on either should confirm the position with Transport for NSW.
What is identical on both stages?
Six conditions do not change at all. A driver who has just received green plates is subject to every one of them exactly as they were the day before.
- No alcohol in the driver's system when driving
- No mobile phone use while driving, including hands-free and loudspeaker
- No supervising a learner driver
- No driving a high-performance vehicle
- P plates displayed clearly, outside, on the front and back
- Every occupant in a seat with a seatbelt or approved restraint
Both stages also carry the conditions when driving outside NSW, and both remain subject to the NSW Road Rules that apply to every driver.
Which differences matter most day to day?
The passenger condition is the one that changes daily life most, because it is the only condition in the scheme that turns on the time of day. A P1 driver under 25 has to think about who is in the car after 11pm; the same driver the day after moving to P2 does not.
The speed condition matters most on a specific type of road. The 10 km/h difference between 90 and 100 is irrelevant in a 60 zone and significant on a motorway posted at 110, where a P1 driver travels 20 km/h below the posted limit and a P2 driver 10 km/h below it. This is covered on the speed page.
The demerit difference is the one that decides how long the provisional period actually lasts. At 4 points a single speeding offence is enough to trigger a suspension, because a provisional speeding offence carries at least 4 points. At 7 points it is not. See demerit points and suspensions.
Where each stage is covered in full
- P1 licence NSW — eligibility, the full condition set, and what a suspension or disqualification does to the 12 months.
- P2 licence NSW — what changes, what continues, the 24-and-36-month distinction, and the requirements for a full licence.
- Going from P1 to P2 — the application itself and what delays it.
Common questions
Is P2 better than P1 in NSW?
P2 is less restricted. The speed condition rises from 90 to 100 km/h, the peer passenger condition no longer applies, and the demerit threshold rises from 4 points to 7. The alcohol, mobile phone, prohibited vehicle and supervising conditions are unchanged.
Do P2 drivers still have to display P plates in NSW?
Yes. A P2 driver must display the correct P plates clearly on the outside of the front and back of the vehicle, and on the back of a trailer being towed. The plates are green rather than red.
Is the phone rule different for P1 and P2 drivers in NSW?
No. Both stages prohibit using any mobile phone while driving or while stopped but not parked, including hands-free devices and loudspeakers.
How much longer is P2 than P1 in NSW?
P1 must be held for at least 12 months and P2 for at least 24 months, so the second stage is twice as long as the first at minimum. P1 is valid for 18 months and P2 for 36 months.
Sources
- NSW Government, Provisional P1 licence
- NSW Government, Provisional P2 licence
- NSW Government, Prohibited vehicles for P plate drivers
- NSW Government, Learner and provisional driver demerit points