How to Upgrade to an HC or MC Licence in Perth

To upgrade to an HC licence in WA, you must no longer be a provisional licence holder, must have held a C-class licence or higher for at least three years, and must have held an MR or HR licence for at least one year.

For an MC licence, the requirements are the same except for the third condition: an HR or HC licence held for at least one year. Through an approved RTO, the upgrade involves the relevant training unit, TLIC3005 for HC or TLIC4006 for MC, followed by a practical driving assessment and endorsement of the new class on your licence.

HC applicants also have a DTMI assessment option; MC assessments must be completed through an approved RTO. Below is how each step works for Perth drivers.

Key facts

• HC upgrade: full licence (P plates finished) + car licence held 3+ years + MR or HR licence held 1+ year.
• MC upgrade: full licence + car licence held 3+ years + HR or HC licence held 1+ year.
• MC assessments can only be done through an approved RTO; a DTMI assessor can’t do them.
• Passing the assessment isn’t the last step: you cannot drive the new class independently until DTMI endorses it on your licence.
• DTMI application fees start at $63.50; RTO training fees are charged separately.

What Do Hc And Mc Licences Actually Let You Drive?

An HC (Heavy Combination) licence covers a prime mover with a single semi-trailer, or a rigid truck towing a trailer with a GVM over 9,000 kg. It also authorises you to drive every lower class, HR, MR, LR, car and moped.

An MC (Multi Combination) licence is the highest heavy vehicle licence in Australia. It covers a heavy combination towing one or more additional trailers over 9,000 kg GVM, B-doubles and road trains, plus everything an HC licence covers.

How do I check if I’m eligible for an HC or MC licence upgrade?

These are DTMI’s rules, published on its vehicle classes page. All three conditions must be met.

The holding periods run from the date each class was granted, not from when you started driving trucks. Check when you first obtained each relevant licence class and add the required holding period. If you are unsure, ask DTMI to confirm your licence history.

Example: say your HR licence was granted on 20 June 2025 and your car licence goes back to 2020. You’re eligible to sit the assessment from 20 June 2026; you can book ahead for a date after that, but the assessment itself can’t take place any earlier. This assumes your licence stayed valid throughout; time spent suspended or expired doesn’t count toward the holding period.

HC or MC: Which One Should You Go For?

You do not need an HC licence before upgrading to MC, provided you meet all the eligibility requirements. Hold an HR licence for a year, and you can go straight to MC. So the real question isn’t HC then MC; it’s which class matches what you want to drive.

• On MR or HR and aiming for prime movers and semi-trailers? HC is the step.
• On HR or HC and aiming for B-doubles or road trains? Go MC, and if you’re already on HR, there’s no need to stop at HC first unless you want the staged progression.

Either way, the holding periods are the gatekeeper. Work out your dates first, then choose.

What are The Steps To Upgrade To an HC or MC Licence in WA?

If you complete your training and assessment through an approved RTO, the process is:

1. Confirm your eligibility. The RTO verifies you in DTMI’s system before training begins.
2. Pass the eyesight test and declare your medical fitness. It’s the commercial vehicle driver’s standard eyesight test; you need glasses or contacts to pass, and they’ll be recorded as a condition on your licence. You’ll also declare any long-term medical condition or medication that could affect your ability to control a heavy vehicle. Training doesn’t start until both are sorted.
3. Complete the training. TLIC3005 for HC, TLIC4006 for MC. For HC, DTMI also requires a heavy vehicle theory test covering WA road rules.
4. Sit the practical driving assessment (PDA). In a vehicle that meets the class requirements, recorded as described above.
5. Get the new class added to your licence. Visit a DTMI service centre or regional agent with a photocopy of your completed E114 signed by the RTO and the required proof of identity. Submit your DLA1 application if you have not already done so. You cannot drive the new class independently until DTMI has endorsed it on your licence.

How Much Does an HC or MC Licence Upgrade Cost in WA?

DTMI’s published licence fees confirm current amounts before you apply, as they change:

That’s the government side. RTO course fees are separate and vary between providers, so get the full price in writing, including what’s covered and what a re-assessment costs if you need one.

What Should I Check Before Booking Truck Licence Training In Perth?

• The RTO is approved to assess your class. Essential for MC, only an approved RTO can conduct the assessment.
• What’s included in the course fee: hours, theory, the assessment itself, and whether the assessment vehicle is provided.
• Re-assessment fees, so a second attempt doesn’t come with a surprise bill.
• Gearbox options, if you want an unrestricted licence (see below).
• Scheduling: weekday-only courses don’t suit everyone; check weekend availability.

What Does HC and MC Training Involve in Perth?

Our HC licence course is built around the nationally recognised unit TLIC3005 (Drive Heavy Combination Vehicle) and includes 10 scheduled hours of training and assessment, plus study at home, a mix of theory and practical, hands-on driving in our training vehicles.

You’ll cover coupling and uncoupling, reversing a combination, and on-road driving, then sit your practical assessment on-site with an approved assessor. Courses run on weekdays and weekends.

Our MC course follows the same pattern around TLIC4006 (Drive Multi Combination Vehicle): theory, practical driving in a multi-combination vehicle, then the assessment. The key difference is who can assess you: for MC, only an approved RTO; there’s no DTMI-assessor option.

Before training begins, we complete the eligibility paperwork with you, the Heavy Vehicle PDA Customer Eligibility form (Form E114), and confirm your eligibility in DTMI’s system. On assessment day, eligibility is checked again: the assessment is recorded with in-cabin video, audio and GPS (you’ll sign a camera acknowledgement), so bring your current licence and proof of identity. If your licence has expired, the assessment can’t go ahead.

A note on gearbox conditions

The conditions on your new licence depend on your current restrictions, the vehicle you assess in, and any restriction-removal assessment you complete. Assessing in an automatic vehicle can result in an automatic (A) condition on the new class, and assessing in a synchromesh vehicle can leave a synchromesh (B) condition in place.

To have the B condition removed, you need to demonstrate your gearbox skills in a non-synchromesh vehicle; DTMI allows suitable HR vehicles to be used for this, and a higher-class non-synchromesh assessment is another recognised route. If you want an unrestricted licence, talk to us about which vehicle you’ll assess in before you book.

Frequently asked questions

Can I go straight from a car licence to an MC licence in WA?

No. You need a full (non-provisional) licence, a car licence held for at least 3 years, and an HR or HC licence held for at least 1 year.

Do I need an HR licence before getting an HC licence?

No. An MR licence qualifies too, as long as you’ve held it for at least 1 year and meet the 3-year car licence requirement.

Is there a theory test for the upgrade?

For the HC class, yes — DTMI requires a heavy vehicle theory test covering WA road rules and heavy vehicle driving. For MC, DTMI’s published application checklist also lists taking and passing the heavy vehicle theory test — confirm how this is handled within our course before booking. Follow the MC application steps on the DTMI official site.

What should I prepare before training and assessment?

Your current WA driver’s licence, proof of identity, and your USI (Unique Student Identifier) — you’ll need one for nationally recognised training, and it’s free to create through the Australian Government’s USI registry. Complete the eligibility paperwork (Form E114) as part of the RTO checks before training starts. If you wear glasses or contacts, bring them on assessment day.

What happens if I fail the PDA?

You can sit it again. Through a DTMI assessor, a supplementary PDA fee applies (currently published at $300.50 for HC); through an RTO, ask about re-assessment fees before you start so there are no surprises.

Where in Perth do I get the new class endorsed on my licence?

Visit a DTMI service centre or regional agent that handles driver licensing — for example, the City West Perth Service Centre. If you passed through an RTO, bring a photocopy of your completed Form E114 signed by the RTO. If you passed through a DTMI assessor, bring your Multi-Combination/Heavy Combination Assessment Result document instead. You will also need the required proof of identity. Check the location’s services and opening hours before visiting.

Can I drive the new class as soon as I pass the assessment?

Not yet. You cannot drive the new class independently until DTMI has endorsed it on your licence — eligible learners can drive under the applicable supervision and learner conditions in the meantime.

How long does the whole upgrade take?

There’s no set timeframe. The holding periods are fixed and can’t be shortened; beyond that, timing comes down to training availability and assessment bookings.

Requirements and fees are set by DTMI and can change. Check the current details on the DTMI offical website before booking training or an assessment.