Victoria will open extra driving assessment sites and start testing learners online to churn through its coronavirus backlog of licence applications.
The state government announced a $26.8 million package on Tuesday to make computer-based tests available online and boost licence testing capacity.
Under the plan, six more temporary licence testing sites will open by early 2021 to clear the backlog and an additional 180 testing officers employed.
Cranbourne, Ringwood, Coolaroo and Mulgrave will feature among the new site locations.
"Some will be there by October and some by mid-November," Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll told reporters on Tuesday.
It will take the number of new testing centres across Melbourne to 12.
Some 80,000 driving tests were postponed earlier this year, but Mr Carroll announced all $19 application fees would also be refunded and that cost waived entirely until April.
The state government estimates future demand for services across Melbourne at about 125,000 for licence test appointments and 255,000 for learner and hazard perception assessments.
"We know that the suspension of licensing is affecting some Victorians, especially the young 16-year-olds and 18-year-olds predominantly," Mr Carroll said.
"It's had an impact also on parents at home with the kids as well.
"We're going to bring licence testing into the 21st century."
Mr Carroll said registration and licensing staff ordinarily dealt with 10,000 applications and tests each week.
Once all 12 new sites open, it is expected VicRoads customer service centres will be able to administer up to 11,000 licence tests and 16,500 computer tests each week.
Testing will resume in metropolitan Melbourne when the city moves to step three of its roadmap, with online learner permit and hazard perception tests available from early next year.
Successful L-platers will still need to visit a licensing office to take their identification photo and undergo an eye test.
Since regional Victoria restarted drivers' licence tests, Mr Carroll said VicRoads had cleared 5000 of 20,000 postponed appointments.
It is expected licence testing levels in the regions will recover before the end of the year.
