Existing NT licences

Renew your driver licence

To continue driving on Northern Territory (NT) roads, you must renew your driver licence before it expires.

Within 6 weeks of its expiry, a courtesy renewal notice will be sent to your nominated email or postal address.

You may also receive SMS notifications if you've nominated to receive them.

You can renew for 1, 2, 5 or 10 years.

You must go to a Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) office or a participating Australia Post outlet to get a new photo to renew your driver licence for 10 years.

When you renew, you must surrender your old driver licence card.

Who can't renew

You can’t renew your driver licence if:

  • it's an alcohol ignition lock or learner licence - you must re-apply for your learner licence
  • you’re currently suspended or disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver licence
  • it’s been expired for 5 years or more
  • you‘re no longer a resident of the NT.

How to renew

Before you renew your driver licence, you must check if you:

You can renew and pay through any of the below.

To renew online, you must have your transaction number.

You can find it on:

  • the upper, right hand side of your renewal notice or
  • on your renewal SMS message.

You can pay using Visa, Mastercard or BPAY.

Driver Licence Renewal Notice showing MVR Quickpay transaction number

Renew your licence

Before you pay with BPAY

At the end of your renewal transaction in MVR Quickpay, you'll get your BPAY customer reference number.

You can only use the transaction number and your BPAY customer reference number once.

To make a payment using BPAY, follow these steps:

Step 1. Copy the payment details from the MVR Quickpay screen:

  • customer reference number
  • BPAY biller code
  • payment amount.

Step 2. Log in to your nominated bank and process your BPAY payment.

If you have a renewal notice with a Post Billpay barcode, you can renew your licence at a post office.

You can't use the Australia Post app to pay for your renewal. You must do this in person.

If you don't have a renewal notice or need a new photo taken, go to a participating Australia Post outlet.

You must:

  • bring your driver licence card
  • pay by cash, BasicsCard, EFTPOS, Visa or Mastercard.

If you have an occupational authority (endorsement) that is also due for renewal, or an XA condition on your licence, you can't renew at an Australia Post office.

You can renew over the phone by calling 1300 654 628, if:

  • you don't need a new photo taken before your selected renewal period
  • you can pay the renewal fee by Visa or Mastercard.

If you need to submit a medical assessment or criminal history check, during your call you may be asked to send them by email to mvr@nt.gov.au.

You can renew your driver licence at an MVR office (Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm).

You must:

  • have your renewal notice or evidence of identity e.g. driver licence
  • if applicable, bring your medical assessment or criminal history check.

You can pay by cash, BasicsCard, EFTPOS, Visa or Mastercard.

After you apply

Once your renewal is processed, you will get a receipt.

You must keep it with you at all times when driving.

This is your authority to drive until your driver licence card arrives at your recorded postal address.

Standard mail delivery times apply.


Replace your driver licence card if lost, stolen or damaged

If your driver licence is lost, stolen or damaged or compromised, you can request for a replacement card.

You can also do so if you've recently been affected by a data breach.

How to request

When submitting your request, you must provide all of the following to the MVR:

  • full name
  • date of birth
  • residential address
  • contact phone number.

You must also pay a licence replacement fee and you may need to show evidence of identity.

If you're getting a replacement card due to a data breach, you can seek reimbursement from the affected organisation by presenting your transaction receipt.

To submit your request, choose any of the below options and include the above details.

You can apply for a replacement card in person:

You can pay the fee by cash, BasicsCard, EFTPOS, Visa or Mastercard.

You can request a replacement card by calling 1300 654 628.

You can pay the fee by Visa or MasterCard.

After you apply

Once your request is processed, you will get a receipt, which you must keep with you at all times when driving.

This is your authority to drive until your driver licence card arrives at your recorded postal address.

Standard mail delivery times apply.


Driver licence cards affected by data breach

If you're worried that your Northern Territory (NT) driver licence card details may have been compromised or stolen due to a data breach, there are a few things you should do.

Contact the affected organisation

First, you should contact the affected organisation to understand how the breach may affect you.

They will provide guidance on steps you should take, such as monitoring your accounts for suspicious activity.

Consider getting a replacement NT driver licence card

You should replace your NT driver licence card if you receive notification that both the below driver licence details have been compromised:

  • driver licence number (at the front of the card)
  • card number (at the back of the card).

By doing so, it will make it harder for someone to use your stolen information for fraudulent purposes, as licence details must pass a document verification process - find out how.

If only your driver licence number was compromised and not the card number, you don't need to replace your licence card.

However, if you want to replace it as a precaution, you can also do so.

How to get a replacement

You must pay a licence replacement fee, but you can seek reimbursement from the affected organisation by presenting your transaction receipt.

Find out how to replace your NT driver licence card.

New national protections

As of 1 September 2022, new national protections require both the driver licence number and the unique licence card number to pass a document verification service (DVS) check. This is used by banks, financial providers and the Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) to verify a person’s identity.

This two-step authentication process makes it harder for someone to use your driver licence number inappropriately.

If your driver licence and card numbers are compromised in a data breach, replacing your NT driver licence will ensure the stolen information is no longer verifiable through the DVS.

Read more about DVS on the Australian Government's IDMatch website.

Credential Protection Register

If your driver licence and card numbers are compromised in a data breach, your details will be added to the Credential Protection Register.

This will prevent your licence from being verified through the DVS until you get your replacement licence card.

The NT Government works with federal agencies and affected organisations to identify if Territorians have been affected by a data breach.

Recent data breaches and getting support

To find out about:


Change personal details on your driver licence and vehicle registration

If you change your name, address or other contact details, you must notify the Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR).

If your address has changed, you must notify the MVR within 14 days. This is required under the Motor Vehicles Act 1949.

Doing this also ensures you:

  • get your courtesy reminder notices when your driver licence or vehicle registration is due for renewal
  • can be contacted for any other reason.

Contact details include your:

  • residential and postal address
  • phone numbers and
  • email address.

Before you begin

If you're requesting a replacement for your driver licence or registration certificate, you must meet the requirements below:

  • driver licence - you must be the licence holder and the licence must be current
    • if your licence is suspended or cancelled, you can’t apply for a replacement licence until the end of your suspension or cancellation period
  • registration certificate - you must be the registration owner and the registration must be current.

Fee

If you surrender your current licence and registration certificate to the MVR, you will get the replacements for free.

Otherwise, you must pay a licence replacement fee or a registration certificate replacement fee.

If the card number on your driver licence has been surrendered before, you must also pay a licence replacement fee.

How to update

How to update your details depends on what you need to update.

To change your name, you must supply original documents. Copies or certified copies will not be accepted.

MVR will verify the documents you submit through the Australian Government's Document Verification Service. To find out more, go to the Australian Government’s ID Match website.

If the documents can’t be verified, MVR can’t process the name change.

Documents that must be verified include:

  • a marriage certificate - to change from your family name to your married partner’s family name
  • a change of name certificate.

The following documents will not be accepted as evidence for name change:

  • relationship certificate
  • overseas marriage certificate
  • statutory declaration and
  • commemorative marriage certificate.

For individuals

To change your name on your driver licence and registration certificate, you must go to an MVR office with:

Change of family name due to marriage

To change your family name to your partner’s family name after getting married, you must go to an MVR office with:

  • your evidence of identity and residency - at least one category A and two category B documents, or two category A documents and one category B document and
  • one of the following documents issued by an Australian Births, Deaths and Marriages office:
    • marriage certificate - if you are adopting your partner's family name
    • change of name certificate - if you are changing your family name to a name that is not your partner’s family name
      • including if you intend to blend, hyphenate or combine your family name with your partner’s family name.

You can only use a marriage certificate to adopt your married partner’s family name.

Change of family name due to divorce

To change your name from your married partner’s family name back to your previously-known family name, you must go to an MVR office with:

  • court-issued divorce papers
  • evidence of identity in your previously-known family name (such as your birth certificate)
  • your marriage certificate to link your former married partner’s family name to the name appearing on your evidence of identity documents, unless the names are stated in your divorce papers.

You can update your address or contact details by any of the below.

Online

You can update your address and contact details on the MVR Quick Pay website or through the NT Rego app.

To change your address and contact details online, you will need your customer ID and your:

  • licence number or
  • registration number.

You can find your customer ID on your renewal notice.

Driver licence renewal notice showing MVR customer ID number highlightedVehicle registration renewal notice sample with the customer ID highlighted

In person

You can change your details by visiting:

  • a local participating Australia Post outlet
    • if you update your residential address at an Australia Post outlet, you will only get a replacement licence if you’re completing another licence transaction, such as a licence renewal
  • or an MVR office.

By phone

You can change your details by calling 1300 654 628.

By email

You can change your contact details by sending the following to mvr@nt.gov.au:

  • your new details and
  • a scanned copy of the front and back of your current NT licence.

By mail

You can change your contact details by writing to:

Motor Vehicle Registry
GPO Box 530
Darwin NT 0801

You must include your:

  • new details and
  • a scanned copy of the front and back of your current NT licence.

After you update

If you are issued a replacement licence due to a change of name or residential address, it will be mailed to the address shown on your driver licence receipt.

If the address is not correct, you must contact MVR.

You must allow standard mail delivery times for your area.

When you receive your replacement licence in the mail, you must destroy or surrender your old licence.


Apply for driver licence or address history

You can apply for your driver licence or address history if you fit one of the following:

  • it's your information
  • the owner of information gave you written consent and copy of their identity (ID)
  • you have legal authority to request the information
  • you're from a law enforcement agency.

What's included

Your driver licence history is provided on a certificate showing your:

  • licence issue date and recorded address
  • class of licence held
  • expiry date
  • sanctions recorded
  • any active demerit points.

If you request for your address history, this will include all recorded addresses, their type (residential or postal) and effective date.

For records of traffic and parking infringements or traffic conviction history, go to the NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services website.

You can also apply for your vehicle registration history or only check your demerit points.

How to apply

To apply for your driver licence or address history, follow the steps below.

Step 1. Fill in relevant form.

M6 disclosure of information: for individual or non-government organisations form PDF (597.0 KB)

M10 disclosure of information: for government agencies form PDF (191.3 KB)

Step 2. Attach the following supporting documents:

Step 3. Submit form with supporting documents and pay the search fee by email, mail or in person.

Email mvr.infosearch@nt.gov.au.

You can pay the fee:

  • by Visa or Mastercard
  • over the phone by calling 1300 654 628.

Mail to:

Motor Vehicle Registry
GPO Box 530
Darwin NT 0801

You can pay the fee using money order.

Go to an MVR office.

You can pay the fee by cash, EFTPOS, Mastercard, Visa or BasicsCard.

Contact

If you have any questions or need to do a search for other details on your records, contact the MVR.


Driver licence suspension and disqualification

The Northern Territory (NT) Fines Recovery Unit can suspend your driver licence if you don't pay your fine on time.

If you get a fine, you must pay it. It won't go away.

You can be given a fine by any of the following:

  • councils - for parking offences
  • NT police - for traffic and vehicle offences such as speeding, drink driving and not wearing your seatbelt
  • park rangers - for breaches of fishing regulations
  • NT courts - for public order offences like disorderly conduct.

Suspension due to fines

To lift the suspension from your NT driver licence, you must contact the Fines Recovery Unit to pay your fine.

The Fines Recovery Unit can also help you work out ways to pay your fine such as:

  • setting up a payment plan over a period of time
  • making an agreement to pay the fine so you won't get further penalties.

Suspension due to demerit points

Your licence may be suspended if you receive a certain amount of demerit points.

Find out more about demerit points.

Suspension due to a medical condition

If your licence has been suspended due to a medical condition, you will need to have a medical assessment to show you are fit to drive.

Penalties for interstate and overseas drivers

If you have a licence from another state or country, you may have your right to drive in the NT suspended for the following reasons:

  • you have lived in the NT for more than 3 months and have not changed your licence over
  • you have received the maximum demerit points allowed for visiting drivers
  • the MVR believes your previous conduct or medical fitness to drive is likely to put you or the public at risk.

Disqualification for serious driving offences

If you are convicted by a court of a serious driving offence your licence can be disqualified. The length of your disqualification can vary.

Find out more about traffic offences and penalties.


Apply for an international driving permit

If you hold a Northern Territory (NT) driver licence and you're planning on driving or hiring a car overseas, you should get an international driving permit (IDP).

IDP is also known as an international driver licence.

In many countries, it's a requirement.

Your Australian driver licence may not be enough to ensure you can drive or hire a car in another country.

You can apply for an IDP through the Automobile Association of the Northern Territory (AANT) and must do so before leaving Australia.

To find out how to apply for a permit, go to the the AANT website.

Driving in the NT

If you're planning on driving in the NT with your overseas licence, read driving in the NT for new residents and visitors.


Check your driver licence status

The class on your Northern Territory (NT) licence shows the type(s) of vehicle you are allowed to drive.

You can check if your licence class is current by entering your licence details below.

You should only check a licence class if:

  • you are the licence holder
  • you have the consent of the licence holder
  • it's for employment purposes or
  • you are a driving instructor/examiner.

Licence card details

You must complete all fields.

Licence holder's date of birth

Licence class expiry date

For licences issued before 1 November 2020, use your licence expiry date.
For newer licences, you can find the class expiry on the back of the licence - view sample of expiry date on new cards.

By using this service, you agree to the disclaimer provided below.

The licence you entered is valid.
This information is only current as at the time and date of inquiry - .
The licence you entered is not valid.

If you think this is incorrect, review the information you provided and re-submit.

If you've already checked the information you provided and you're still getting an unexpected result, call MVR on 1300 654 628.

This information is only current as at the time and date of inquiry - .

Other ways to check driver licence details

You can also check if your licence is current at your nearest MVR office.

If you need historical licence details, find out how to apply for your driver licence history.

Disclaimer

The licence status details provided are for the user's information only.

The NT Government and Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) take no responsibility for any misuse of the information from this service.

It is provided based on the NT driver licence information held by MVR at the time of the enquiry.

While care has been taken to ensure that the information provided is true and correct, the accuracy, completeness and currency of the information provided through the service depends on the accuracy, completeness and currency of the information provided to MVR.

MVR does not independently verify the accuracy of the information.

MVR makes no warranty on the correctness of the information provided or its suitability for a particular purpose.

Contact

If you have any questions or issues, contact MVR by phone on 1300 654 628.


Check a commercial passenger vehicle driver ID

To ensure your safety when riding a commercial passenger vehicle (CPV), you can check your driver's CPV identification (CPVID) card.

A CPVID should show you the driver’s:

  • name and ID number
  • category of CPV they can drive
  • where they can drive
  • if any conditions are applied
  • expiry date.

To check if a driver's CPVID card is genuine and current, you can check its status below.

You can only search CPVID cards issued in the Northern Territory (NT).

By using this service, you agree to the disclaimer provided below.

Disclaimer

The details provided are for the user's information only.

The NT Government takes no responsibility for any misuse of the information from this service.

It is provided based on the CPVID card information held by Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) at the time of the enquiry.

Contact

If you have any questions or issues, contact the CPV office by phone on 08 8924 7580 or email cpv.admin@nt.gov.au.