Driving experience gift vouchers: what to check

A driving experience voucher is an easy gift to buy and a surprisingly easy one to get wrong. The recipient might not have the right licence, might be too tall for the car, or might not get around to booking before it expires. This guide covers the checks that matter before you pay. Prices and rules were checked on the operators' own sites on 30 October 2026.

DrivingExperiences.com.au is a general information site operated by Dominet BV. We don't sell experiences or vouchers, take bookings or rank operators, and we don't receive payments from operators. Prices, age and licence rules, dates and voucher terms are set by each operator and change often, so check the operator's own page before you buy or book. Facts were checked on 30 October 2026. Read our general information notice. Voucher terms below are as published by each operator on that date.

How driving experience vouchers work

A voucher lets you give the experience first, with the recipient choosing a booking date later.

A fixed experience voucher names an experience. A dollar-value gift card gives an amount to put towards one. Fastrack lists gift cards in values of $100, $200, $300, $500, $750 and $1000, as listed on Fastrack's site on 30 October 2026. The Bend lists gift vouchers from $25, as listed on The Bend's site on 30 October 2026.

Drive laps put them behind the wheel with an instructor or coach beside them. Hot laps put them in the passenger seat with a professional driver.

Also check what “supercar” means on the package. It can mean a V8 race car or an exotic road car such as a Lamborghini, Ferrari or Lotus. Our V8 driving experience guide and supercar driving experience guide explain the difference.

What the law says about gift card expiry

The ACCC's gift card guidance says cards bought on or after 1 November 2019 must be redeemable for at least three years after supply or purchase. That rule has exceptions.

The three-year minimum does not apply to reloadable cards, promotional giveaways, cards available only for a specified period, cards supplied at a genuine discount, employee rewards, loyalty programs, second-hand cards, temporary marketing promotions, or cards supplied to certain charities or government agencies.

An expiry date must be prominently displayed. If the card states its validity as a period, it must also show the issue date. A card without an expiry must say so. Businesses don't need to honour a card after a valid expiry date.

Post-supply fees, including activation, account keeping, balance inquiry and inactivity fees, aren't allowed. A booking fee is allowed if it is the same as the fee for other payment methods.

Voucher terms by operator

The table shows each operator's published voucher terms, from the operator pages linked below, checked on 30 October 2026. Where a cell says to check, the detail wasn't on the pages we read.

A long expiry doesn't cover moving a date once it's booked. Change fees are listed under Before you buy or book below.

Before you buy, check the person can use it

Fastrack's FAQ says drivers need a provisional or full car licence, with valid international licences accepted. It lists driving heights of 152cm to 194cm and weight under 130kg. Its experiences page instead gives 135cm to 194cm for both driving and rides, so ask Fastrack if the driver is between those two minimums. The FAQ lists hot lap riders at 135cm to 194cm and under 130kg.

Fastrack lists no age limit for drives or rides, but licence and height requirements still apply. Automatic V8 race cars are available at its tracks except Hidden Valley. Mustangs are manual only. Participants must not be pregnant and must have a 0.00% blood alcohol reading.

Norwell welcomes confident L platers, P platers, full licence holders and international licence holders. Manual and automatic cars are available. Visitors without a Queensland licence need a current road licence.

Queensland Raceway requires drivers to hold at least a current learner's licence with 50 logbook hours. Its cars are six-speed manuals, but a manual road licence isn't required. Drivers need photo ID and their voucher or booking confirmation.

V8 Drive Day Perth requires an Australian full licence, P plate licence or international licence. Its listed limits are under 130kg and 135cm to 194cm, with zero drugs and alcohol.

The Bend's V8 drive uses manual cars. The minimum age is 21, with a weight limit of 100kg and height limit of 185cm.

Gifts for kids and non-drivers

For children and anyone without a licence, a passenger ride is the usual gift. Our hot laps guide explains the format.

Fastrack's Rookie Racer V8 rides suit children aged seven and over. Fastrack's general ride limits of 135cm to 194cm and under 130kg also apply.

Queensland Raceway requires passengers to be over seven. Under-18s need parental permission. A legal guardian must sign the indemnity form and show photo ID and a Medicare listing with the child.

Rally School Australia's Sydney Triple Hotlap at Colo Heights includes three professional hot lap rides. It is listed as suitable for children aged ten and over, with no licence required.

Norwell's hot laps package has a minimum age of 14 and minimum height of 120cm. Under-18s need a parent or guardian present to sign the indemnity form. It requires zero blood alcohol and isn't suitable during pregnancy. The Bend also lists hot laps with no licence required.

Vouchers bought from third parties

Fastrack says vouchers bought through its agents follow the agent's conditions until booked. Once booked, the booking follows Fastrack's conditions.

So if you buy through a gift site or reseller, the expiry and refund terms are the reseller's, not the operator's, until the date is booked.

If something goes wrong

Contact the business first, as the ACCC advises.

If a business is sold as a going concern, the new owner must honour existing gift cards. If it becomes insolvent, the card holder becomes an unsecured creditor.

Anyone can report a gift card problem to the ACCC. The ACCC doesn't resolve individual disputes.

Before you buy or book

• Eligibility: Confirm the licence, age, height and weight requirements for the exact drive or ride.
• Car and clothing: Check manual or automatic availability. Queensland Raceway and The Bend require full-length clothing and enclosed shoes.
• Dates: Check the operator's available dates and required arrival time.
• Validity: Read the expiry date, issue date where relevant, and transfer conditions.
• Rebooking: Fastrack lists free changes more than 14 days out. Its fees are $30 for changes eight to 14 days out and $50 less than seven days out, as listed on Fastrack's site on 30 October 2026. A no-show forfeits the booking.
• Other change fees: Norwell hot laps changes are free up to 48 hours before, with a $25 fee within 48 hours, as listed on Norwell's booking page on 30 October 2026. V8 Drive Day lists an $80 rebooking fee within seven working days, as listed on V8 Drive Day's site on 30 October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Does every driving experience voucher last three years?

No. The ACCC minimum has exceptions. Norwell publishes two-year gift vouchers, while The Bend lists one-year and three-year experience voucher options. Fastrack and V8 Drive Day list three years.

Can someone on P plates use a driving voucher?

Fastrack, Norwell and V8 Drive Day list P plate licence holders among eligible drivers. Other requirements still apply, including physical limits and the chosen car's transmission.

Can I give a voucher to someone without a licence?

Passenger rides are a separate option. Rally School's Sydney Triple Hotlap and The Bend's hot laps state that no licence is required.

Are Fastrack vouchers refundable?

Fastrack says bookings, vouchers and gift cards are non-refundable. They can be transferred if the original purchaser gives notice before expiry.

What happens if the operator changes owners?

The ACCC says a new owner must honour existing gift cards when the business is sold as a going concern. Insolvency is different: the holder becomes an unsecured creditor.