New road rules came into place for Australia for those aged 70 and above in 2025. Driven by a desire for safety, independence, and community wellbeing, these new rules recognize the safety assessments, and the needs of older drivers. There have been initiatives from the Australian Governments side in regard to tailored older driver licensing, practical road safety tips, and health assessments of older drivers, which are aimed at older drivers. This, above all, helps secure the roads for everyone.
Understanding the Changes
Concerns around older drivers primarily come from the significant risk of road trauma associated with this age group. This is largely due to the natural declines in mobility, vision, and reaction time, which are critical for the task of driving. This is in addition to the road safety improvements which have been made to the licensing and renewal processes to ensure that those clinically unfit to drive do not remain on the road, while all drivers are subject to the same road rules. Road safety advocates have positively commented on these shifts, but older Australians counter with the negative administrative burdens, the loss of independence, and the increased scrutiny around older drivers.
What Changed in 2025?
As of September 15, 2025, the key regulations include:
- Medically required assessments focusing on vision, mobility, and cognition that stem primarily from the age of 70 and 75, depending on the state.
- More frequent assessments for license renewal, particularly for individuals over 75.
- There are no practical driving assessments for on-road drivers aged 85 and older unless they are switching to a conditional licence.
- To promote comfort and safety, conditional licences limit driving to local areas, within certain daytime hours, and exclude major highways.
- To ease older drivers on the road, some areas use Regional Senior Licence Badges.
| Rule/Requirement | Applicable Age | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Assessments | 70+ (varies) | Annually/biannual |
| Licence Renewal | 75+ | 1–3 years |
| Driving Tests | 85+ | Every 2 years |
Best Practice for Senior Drivers
To be safest, seniors should do more than simply pass a medical deficit.
- Driver fitness is important.
- Wear your seat belt.
- Be more cautious at intersections and rush hours. Driving should be as distraction-free as possible.
- Driving a newer model with higher safety features is wise.
- Avoid routes that are potentially problematic, unfamiliar, and psychologically taxing.
- Driving Regulations, while considering the assessment framework “Assessing Fitness to Drive,” differ from state to territory.
- In New South Wales, drivers 75 and older must also complete a medical exam every year and be conditional biannual practical tests from 85 on both.
- In Queenland, a medical certificate with a check is required, as well as the driving certificate for road use, and then renewed every 75 for licence and road use.
- In Western Australia, medical assessments are required beginning at age 80.
- After the age of 85, practical driving tests may be required if your doctor prescribes them. This is to incentivize safe driving.
- Victoria: There is no maximum age for mandatory checks. Self-reporting is sufficient, and licensing can be done seamlessly through digital health records.
Impact on Seniors and Families
Families’ confidence and road safety improves with the more proactive monitoring of older adults’ health concerns. On the flip side, however, older adults, especially those living in rural areas, may experience new restrictions on their driving privileges as a greater loss of independence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. At what age do drivers have to start getting medical checks?
Most states start annual checks between the ages of 70-75, depending on the regulation in the state.
Q2. Can older drivers keep their licence without any practical tests?
Yes—older drivers will not have to do on-road tests if they switch to a conditional licence which limits driving to safe situations. This is from age 85 and up.
Q3. Are these rules uniform across the country?
No—while there is a national framework supporting these rules, each state and territory has its own specific requirements and renewal periods.
