Hazard Perception Test
The Hazard Perception Test in NSW
Quick answer
What is the Hazard Perception Test in NSW and when can I sit it?
The Hazard Perception Test is a touch screen test of how well you spot danger. You watch 15 short driving videos and tap when you would slow down, overtake or turn. It is the first test on the way to your red Ps. Under 25s can sit it after 10 months on their Ls, and drivers 25 and over can sit it any time. It costs $58 each attempt.
- Videos15After 2 practice clips
- Earliest (under 25)10 monthsOn your learner licence
- Fee$58Each attempt, paid when booking
- Valid for15 monthsTo pass the driving test
How the test runs
- 1
Two practice clips
You get a feel for the screen before anything counts.
- 2
Fifteen scored videos
Each one is built around the kinds of situations where new P plate drivers often crash.
- 3
Touch to respond
Tap the screen at the moment you would slow down, overtake or turn at an intersection. Timing is what matters.
When you can sit it
| Under 25 | 25 and over | |
|---|---|---|
| Earliest time | After 10 months on your Ls | As soon as you have your Ls |
| Best time | Close to being ready for the driving test | Close to being ready for the driving test |
| After you pass | Pass the driving test within 15 months | Pass the driving test within 15 months |
Getting ready for the test
- Read Transport for NSW's Hazard Perception Handbook, which it names as the way to prepare
- Drive in as many conditions as you can: busy roads, night, rain
- Consider the Safer Drivers Course, which Transport for NSW suggests as preparation
- Practise commentary driving, saying aloud what you see ahead and what you would do
- Book it once your driving test is in sight, not straight after you get your Ls
Be careful with paid HPT practice sites
Transport for NSW says it has no link to third party HPT practice tests and that they do not match the real test. Use the handbook and real driving experience instead.
Where it fits
Some older guides say the HPT is sat on your red Ps. Today it comes at the end of the learner stage: pass it, then the driving test, and you are on red Ps. Moving from P1 to P2 needs only time on your licence.
nsw.gov.au describes the HPT as a computer test you book ahead, with service centre staff able to help, and lists no at-home version the way the DKT has one.
Common questions
- Can I do the Hazard Perception Test online at home?
- nsw.gov.au lists no at-home version. You book it and sit it on a computer, with service centre staff on hand to read questions if you need it.
- What languages is the HPT in?
- English, Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Greek, Korean, Serbian, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese, each with an audio version. A free interpreter service is also available.
- What happens if I fail the HPT?
- You can sit it again as many times as you need, paying the $58 fee for each attempt.
- Do I need the HPT to go from red to green Ps?
- No. In NSW the HPT is passed before your driving test, at the end of your learner stage.
- Does the DKT practice cover hazard perception?
- The DKT is a separate knowledge test. Its road safety questions cover hazards in words, but the HPT itself is a video test with its own handbook.
Sources
- nsw.gov.au, Hazard Perception Test checked 20 Oct 2026
15 videos after 2 practice videos, touch to show when to slow, overtake or turn; under 25s after 10 months on Ls, 25+ any time; fee paid at booking, unlimited attempts; driving test within 15 months; languages; third party practice tests are not the same. - nsw.gov.au, Driver and rider licence fees checked 20 Oct 2026
Hazard Perception Test fee of $58 each attempt, effective 1 July 2026. - nsw.gov.au, Provisional P1 licence checked 20 Oct 2026
To get red Ps you pass the HPT and then the driving test. - nsw.gov.au, Learner driver licence checked 20 Oct 2026
The HPT is the first test before a P1 licence, bookable after 10 months on Ls if under 25.
NSW Learner is an independent study site, not affiliated with Transport for NSW or Service NSW. Fees and rules can change, so confirm with Service NSW before you go.
Your L plate turns green when you would pass
NSW Learner is also an iPhone app, built on the same lessons and questions as this site. Short lessons for every topic, drills that bring back what you got wrong, and a mock exam in the test's layout, in your pocket and working without a signal.
- Free in the app: one full mock exam, and the speed limits and traffic signs and signals topics with their lessons, drills and 179 questions
- Private the app needs no account, works offline and keeps your progress on your phone
- Pro comes two ways, each bought separately. NSW Learner Pro on this website is A$14.99 one-time and works in any browser you sign in on. The app has its own Pro, bought inside the app through Apple. One does not unlock the other.
Independent study app. Not affiliated with Transport for NSW or Service NSW.