How Many Mistakes Are Allowed in the Victorian Driving Test?
One of the most common questions Melbourne learner drivers ask before their VicRoads drive test is:
“How many mistakes can I make and still pass?”
The answer is more complicated than a single number.
The Victorian driving test does not simply work by saying, for example, “you can make five mistakes.” Different mistakes are assessed differently. Some errors affect your score, some are classified as Critical Errors, and one serious mistake can be an Immediate Termination Error, which means the test ends and you are unsuccessful.
So, instead of asking only how many mistakes you are allowed, it is better to understand what type of mistakes you can make, how serious they are, and when they can cause you to fail.
The Short Answer: How Many Critical Errors Can You Make?
According to the official VicRoads Drive Test criteria:
- More than 1 Critical Error during Stage 1 will terminate the test.
- More than 2 Critical Errors over the entire test will terminate the test.
- 1 Immediate Termination Error (ITE) results in immediate termination of the test.
In practical terms, this means you cannot pass Stage 1 if you accumulate 2 Critical Errors, and you cannot pass the complete test if you accumulate 3 Critical Errors.
But this does not mean you should think, “I am allowed two mistakes.”
A Critical Error is only one category of assessment. Your performance on normal assessable driving tasks is also scored, so accumulating smaller performance problems can still affect whether you meet the required standard.
How Does the Victorian Driving Test Assess You?
During your VicRoads drive test, the licence testing officer assesses whether you can drive safely and independently in different traffic conditions.
VicRoads assesses areas including:
- observation
- signal use
- gap selection
- speed choice
- following distance
- lateral position
- stop position
- parking
- vehicle control.
The test has two on-road stages.
Stage 1 takes approximately 10 minutes and is conducted in less challenging driving conditions.
It is designed to determine whether you are safe enough to continue into the more demanding part of the test. If you do something unsafe or illegal during Stage 1, the test may end.
If you successfully complete Stage 1, you continue to Stage 2, where you drive in busier and more challenging traffic situations.
Across both stages, the testing officer is looking for consistent safe driving, rather than one perfect performance.
There Are Different Types of Mistakes
This is where many learners become confused.
A small mistake, a Critical Error and an Immediate Termination Error are not the same thing.
1. Normal Assessment Errors
During assessable driving tasks, VicRoads scores different aspects of your driving performance.
For example, your observation, signalling, gap selection, speed choice and positioning may be assessed during particular tasks. These assessment items contribute to your Stage 1 or Stage 2 score.
This means you do not necessarily fail because one small part of your drive wasn't perfect.
One of the supplied transcripts illustrates this well. During a mock test, the instructor describes several areas that needed improvement but explicitly distinguishes some of them from test-failing errors.
The important question is therefore not:
“Did I make any mistake?”
“How serious was the mistake, and what category does it fall into?”
VicRoads defines a Critical Error as a serious driving error, including some illegal actions, that does not meet the conditions for an Immediate Termination Error.
Current VicRoads guidance gives examples including:
- driving too slowly for the conditions
- failing to look or signal where no other road user needs to take evasive action
- blocking a pedestrian crossing when no pedestrians are affected
- allowing one wheel to mount the kerb while parking or leaving a parking space
- stalling the vehicle
- slowing and pausing at a Stop sign without completely stopping, provided nobody is endangered
- another potentially unsafe action that does not create an immediate risk of collision or injury.
This distinction is important.
For example, missing an observation does not automatically mean an instant fail. If the missed observation creates immediate danger or forces someone else to avoid you, however, the situation becomes much more serious.
3. Immediate Termination Errors – One Can Be Enough
An Immediate Termination Error (ITE) is the most serious category.
One ITE can end your test immediately.
VicRoads says these errors involve situations such as creating immediate danger, causing another road user to take evasive action, requiring intervention to prevent danger, or unnecessarily increasing collision risk.
Examples listed by VicRoads include:
- causing a collision or creating a dangerous situation
- failing to give way, signal or check when another road user has to avoid a collision
- mounting the kerb while driving
- serious speeding
- stopping in a dangerous position
- driving through a Stop sign or red traffic light
- disobeying a direction from the testing officer or Victoria Police
- receiving verbal or physical assistance from the instructor or testing officer
- doing something else that creates an unsafe situation.
For a detailed explanation, see our related article:
What Are Instant Fails in the VicRoads Driving Test?
How Much Speeding Can Cause an Immediate Fail?
Speed deserves special attention because learners sometimes misunderstand this rule.
VicRoads states that an Immediate Termination Error can be recorded if you:
exceed the speed limit by 5 km/h or more at any time, exceed it by any amount for five seconds or longer, or exceed the limit by any amount in a school speed-limit area.
So don't concentrate so heavily on the examiner that you stop monitoring road signs.
You need to continually recognise:
speed-limit changes, school zones, roadworks and changing road conditions.
Stop Signs: Not Every Error Has the Same Result
The first transcript supplied for this article identifies failing to stop as one of the common mistakes learners should avoid.
That is correct as a general principle, but the Victorian assessment criteria provide an important distinction.
If you drive through a Stop sign, it can be an Immediate Termination Error.
If you slow and pause but don't completely stop, and nobody is endangered, VicRoads identifies this as a Critical Error.
Either way, develop the habit of making a proper, complete stop.
Observation and Blind-Spot Mistakes
The supplied transcript also highlights blind-spot checks as an important area for learners.
VicRoads expects learners preparing for their test to practise using mirrors and head checks to remain aware of other road users.
But again, the consequence depends on what happens.
If you fail to look or signal but nobody needs to take evasive action, that can be a Critical Error.
If your failure to check causes another road user to take evasive action to avoid a collision, it can become an Immediate Termination Error.
This is why you shouldn't perform head checks simply because you think the examiner wants to see your head move.
The purpose is to make sure it is genuinely safe to move.
Roundabouts, Lane Position and Planning Ahead
The second transcript provides a useful example of how one driving situation can involve several skills simultaneously.
During the mock assessment, the learner correctly planned ahead and moved into the appropriate lane, but then had difficulty maintaining the correct position through the roundabout. The instructor explains that the movement could interfere with another vehicle using the adjacent lane.
Later, another roundabout situation is described as a serious mistake because the learner's path conflicted with where other traffic could legitimately be travelling.
Although that transcript is not a Victorian VicRoads test and its specific marking terminology should not be transferred directly to Victoria, the safety lesson is highly relevant:
When approaching Melbourne roundabouts, plan early, read the signs and lane markings, choose the appropriate lane, maintain your lane position and continuously observe surrounding traffic.
Can You Make a Mistake During Parking and Still Pass?
Parking does not have to look perfect simply for appearance's sake. What matters is whether you meet the required assessment standard and remain safe.
For example, VicRoads specifically distinguishes between mounting the kerb while driving, which can be an Immediate Termination Error, and allowing one wheel to mount the kerb while parking or leaving a parking space, which is listed as a Critical Error.
One transcript similarly demonstrates that parking and low-speed manoeuvres can involve positioning errors without every imperfection automatically ending an assessment.
The key is maintaining observation, vehicle control and awareness of surrounding road users.
What If You Stall the Car?
Many manual learners worry that one stall means they have failed.
According to VicRoads, stalling is listed as a Critical Error, not automatically as an Immediate Termination Error.
So if you stall, don't panic.
Secure the vehicle, restart safely and continue when appropriate.
A panic response after the stall can sometimes create a more serious problem than the original stall.
What If You Make a Small Mistake During Your Test?
One of the worst things you can do is decide in your own mind:
Then become distracted and make another mistake.
A supplied transcript demonstrates that learners can make several imperfections during an assessment and still produce an acceptable overall drive; in that example, the learner was reported as passing despite stalls and observation issues.
However, that transcript should not be used to infer Victorian scoring numbers because it comes from a different assessment context.
For the VicRoads test, rely on the Victorian criteria.
If the testing officer has not told you the test is over, continue concentrating on safe driving and the next situation in front of you.
The Biggest Mistake: Counting Your Mistakes While Driving
Knowing the rules before your test is useful.
Trying to calculate your score while you're actually driving is not.
Imagine that you think you missed a head check.
If you spend the next two minutes wondering:
“Was that a Critical Error? How many errors do I have left?”
your attention is no longer fully on the road.
That can lead to missing a speed sign, choosing a poor gap or reacting late to a hazard.
Recognise the mistake → recover safely → refocus on the road.
Common Mistakes Melbourne Learners Should Practise Before Test Day
Based on the Victorian assessment criteria and themes appearing throughout the supplied transcripts, learners should pay particular attention to:
- Stop signs – come to a proper stop and observe before proceeding.
- Speed management – recognise speed-limit changes and adjust early.
- Give Way situations – don't rush into intersections or roundabouts.
- Mirrors and head checks – make observations consistently before changing direction or position.
- Lane positioning – stay within your lane, particularly through multi-lane roundabouts.
- Gap selection – don't enter traffic unless the gap is genuinely safe.
- Signs and road markings – read them early instead of reacting at the last second.
- Parking and manoeuvres – maintain observation and controlled vehicle movement.
- Following distance – leave sufficient space to respond safely.
- Test pressure – don't allow one mistake to cause several more.
The first supplied transcript specifically highlights failing to stop, speeding, failing to give way, missing signs or road markings and failing to check blind spots as recurring learner-driver problems. These themes align closely with several areas VicRoads assesses during the Victorian drive test.
How Can You Tell If You're Ready for the Victorian Driving Test?
Don't judge your readiness only by whether you can complete a particular test route.
Can I drive safely without my instructor constantly correcting me?
Before test day, you should be able to:
- make safe decisions independently
- recognise hazards early
- use mirrors and head checks consistently
- choose safe gaps
- manage your speed without reminders
- follow signs and road markings
- maintain safe lane position
- handle intersections and roundabouts
- park and perform low-speed manoeuvres safely
- remain composed when something doesn't go perfectly.
Transport Victoria recommends practising independent driving across different road types, including busy roads, multi-lane roads, different speed zones and varied traffic conditions.
Should You Take a Mock Driving Test?
A professional mock driving test can be particularly useful because normal lessons and test conditions feel different.
During an ordinary lesson, your instructor may remind you:
“Watch the car on your left.”
“Slow down approaching the intersection.”
During your actual assessment, you need to demonstrate that you can recognise and manage these situations yourself.
The supplied mock-test transcript makes this point particularly well: despite describing the learner's overall driving as good, the instructor identified several errors showing that the learner was not yet fully test-ready.
A realistic mock test can therefore help identify patterns before they appear in your real VicRoads test.
So, How Many Mistakes Can You Make and Still Pass?
Here is the most useful way to remember it:
You are not required to drive perfectly.
But according to the published VicRoads Drive Test criteria:
Stage 1: more than 1 Critical Error terminates the test.
Entire test: more than 2 Critical Errors terminates the test.
Immediate Termination Error: 1 is enough to terminate the test.
And remember: Critical Errors aren't the only assessment. Your performance across the normal driving tasks also contributes to your result.
So don't approach your test thinking:
“How many mistakes can I get away with?”
A much better mindset is:
“Can I consistently demonstrate that I'm ready to drive safely and independently?”
That is what the Victorian drive test is ultimately designed to assess.
Prepare for Your VicRoads Driving Test with DOS Driving School
If you're preparing for your drive test in Melbourne or surrounding areas, DOS Driving School can help you identify mistakes before test day and build safer, more consistent driving habits.
Our driving lessons and test preparation can help you work on areas including:
✔ Mock driving tests
✔ VicRoads test preparation
✔ Roundabouts and intersections
✔ Parking and manoeuvres
✔ Mirror and head checks
✔ Lane changes and positioning
✔ Speed management
✔ Safe gap selection
✔ Confidence and independent driving