Interstate driving rules in Australia: what changes at the border

Interstate driving rules in Australia are not the same in every state. The Australian Road Rules are a shared model, but each state and territory writes its own laws and fines. A rule that is fine at home can cost you money and demerit points across the border. This guide covers the main differences for a road trip.

The short answer: watch speed limits, school zones, mobile phones and emergency vehicles. Tolls are the other thing to plan before you leave.

Sources for this section: CarsGuide, Australian road rules: Everything you need to know (25 February 2019).

Speed limits by state

Most of the country uses the same defaults. In built-up areas the limit is 50 km/h, and on rural roads it is 100 km/h. The highest signed limit on most roads is 110 km/h.

The Northern Territory and Western Australia are the main exceptions. The NT keeps a 60 km/h default in built-up areas. Both the NT and Western Australia use a 110 km/h default on rural roads, and four NT highways have 130 km/h zones.

This creates a sudden jump at one border. On the Stuart Highway, the stretch in South Australia is limited to 110 km/h. Once you cross into the NT, the signed limit rises to 130 km/h.

Always follow the signs, not the default. Victoria is also known for strict enforcement. Fines can apply for going only a few km/h over the limit, and many four lane roads are signed at 80 km/h where other states would use 100 km/h.

Sources for this section: CarsGuide, Australian road rules: Everything you need to know; Wikipedia, Speed limits in Australia (revision of 2020).

School zones and emergency vehicles

School zones are 40 km/h in most places, but the hours and signs differ from state to state, so read each sign as you reach it.

South Australia is the standout. School zones and crossings there are signed at 25 km/h. You must also slow to that speed near a school zone when a child is present, even outside school hours.

Passing emergency vehicles is the second trap. Since 2014, South Australian drivers must slow to 25 km/h when passing an emergency service zone. In Victoria, Western Australia and now NSW, the required speed is 40 km/h. A driver doing 40 km/h in South Australia would be 15 km/h over the limit.

Sources for this section: CarsGuide, Australian road rules: Everything you need to know; Wikipedia, Speed limits in Australia (revision of 2020).

Mobile phone rules

Phone rules differ by state, and the details matter.

In Victoria, a fully licensed driver may use a phone for calls, music or navigation only if it sits in a commercially made holder fixed to the car, or can be used without touching it. Texting, email and social media are banned. Breaking these rules brings a $496 fine, and illegal hand-held use also adds 4 demerit points. Victorian learner, P1 and P2 drivers may not use a phone at all, even hands-free.

In NSW, a driver may only use a phone if it is mounted in a bracket in the car. The state was the first to pass a law against unsafe phone use at the wheel.

Smartwatches count too. VicRoads says drivers should not use one for calls, messages or navigation while driving, unless it is not worn and meets the same holder rules.

Sources for this section: VicRoads, Mobile phones, technology and driving; CarsGuide, Australian road rules: Everything you need to know.

Speed cameras and small local rules

Cameras work differently from state to state. Victoria has many cameras that are hard to spot. NSW says its speed cameras are clearly signed, with several warnings before them. Western Australia often uses mobile cameras on a small tripod, not in a van.

Some local rules surprise visitors. Queensland requires drivers to produce a licence and give a name and current address if police pull them over. Tasmania has a zip merge rule, and enforces keep left on multi lane roads where the limit is above 80 km/h. In Western Australia, road trains up to 50 m long are common, and they are hard to overtake.

Some rules are national. The blood alcohol limit is 0.05 in every state, and random breath tests run all over the country.

Sources for this section: CarsGuide, Australian road rules: Everything you need to know.

Tolls on an interstate trip

Toll roads sit mainly in the big cities. Linkt, a Transurban brand, lists payment options for Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Each city has its own rules for paying.

Check how you will pay before you drive onto a toll road. A simple check before you leave saves a surprise bill after you get home.

Sources for this section: Linkt, Easier, smarter ways to pay for Australian toll roads .

A simple checklist before you cross a border

• Check the speed limit signs every time they change, especially at the NT and SA border.
• Learn the school zone hours for the state you are in.
• Put your phone in a fixed holder, or leave it alone. If in doubt, do not touch it.
• Slow right down for emergency vehicles. In South Australia that means 25 km/h.
• Plan how you will pay tolls in Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne.
• Check the state transport authority site if you are unsure. Rules and fines change.

Sources for this section: CarsGuide, Australian road rules: Everything you need to know; VicRoads, Mobile phones, technology and driving; Linkt, Pay for tolls.

Sources

1. CarsGuide, Australian road rules: Everything you need to know, 25 February 2019: carsguide.com.au
2. VicRoads, Mobile phones, technology and driving: vicroads.vic.gov.au
3. Wikipedia, Speed limits in Australia: en.wikipedia.org
4. Linkt, Pay for tolls: linkt.com.au