Special mobility vehicle rider licences

What is a Special Mobility Vehicle?

A three-wheeled Special Mobility Vehicle (SMV) is a vehicle that a person with a disability can operate from their wheelchair. They're also known as Nippis or wheelchair accessible motorcycles.

You must be able to fasten the seat belt and drive at normal traffic speeds on roads while remaining seated in the wheelchair.

SMVs that weigh more than 110kg and go faster than 10km/h must be registered to use on NSW roads.

Driving guidance

For guidance on driving mobility scooters, see Centre for Road Safety.

What do I need to drive an SMV?

You need a licence to drive an SMV and must wear an approved motorcycle helmet at all times.

What you need to do depends on your situation. See below for how to apply depending on if you do or don't have an existing licence.

If you're a person without disability

If you're a person without disability and want to ride an SMV:

• you must pass the same knowledge and riding tests as other SMV applicants
• check with your doctor if you need to do a medical assessment.

If you're a person without a disability, and have a full rider licence, you don't need an SMV condition applied to your licence. You can drive without additional tests or medical assessments.

Using an existing rider or driver licence

You may be able to get a condition added to an eligible driver or rider licence allowing you to drive an SMV.  This means your licence will be endorsed with SMV condition X118.

This may require extra tests or assessments (see below).

Using existing Rider licences

You can skip the SMV learner licence step if you've held a:

• full rider licence at any point, or
• a P1 rider licence for a minimum of 12 months in the last 2 years.

You still need to pass a medical assessment and sit a number of tests to get the SMV condition X118 put on your rider licence, including:

• SMV knowledge test (PDF 1.68MB)
• eyesight test
• riding test.

See above for information on driving an SMV without disability.

Using existing Driver licences

If you have a full driver licence, you need to:

• prove you've operated your SMV for at least a year
• pass a medical assessment
• sit an SMV knowledge test (PDF 1.68MB), eyesight test and riding test.

When you get a P1 SMV rider licence, the condition 'X118 – rider may only ride a Special Mobility Vehicle' is added to your driver licence.

Applying for an SMV learner rider licence

You can apply for an SMV licence once you are at least 16 years and 9 months old.

Once you have a learner SMV rider licence, you need to wait 3 months before taking the riding test.

Getting an SMV learner rider licence

Visit your doctor to get a medical assessment for Fitness to Drive.

Once your doctor completes the Fitness to Drive form, they can submit the form online or you can take it to a service centre.

To get your learner licence, you need to visit a service centre with:

• proof of identity
• completed licence application form (PDF 222.41KB)
• reference statement (if necessary)
• completed medical report form (unless your doctor submitted it online).

Once you've completed the paperwork, you need to:

• pass the SMV knowledge test (PDF 1.68MB)
• pass an eyesight test (if applicable)
• pay the learner licence fee
• have your photograph taken for the licence.

Remember to bring your glasses or contact lenses if you normally wear them to drive or ride.

Getting a provisional (P1) SMV rider licence

To move from an SMV learner rider licence to an SMV P1 rider licence, you must:

• be at least 17 years old
• have held an SMV learner licence for at least 3 months
• pass a riding test
  • in a declared area - you need to pass a Motorcycle Operator Skills Test (MOST) with an approved rider training provider
  • in an undeclared area - you need to pass a kerbside test.

Find your nearest service centre to sit the test.

If you successfully pass the test, be ready to have your photograph taken and pay the provisional licence fee.