Last Updated:
Tuesday, 29. July 2008

Driving Licence Information in Australia

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Info and links for the relevant States on the transferring your UK Car licence to an Australian one.
This info is valid as at 11 May 2005

A Permanent Resident is normally allowed to drive for 3 months before needing an Australian Licence, after that period they would be classed as driving without a valid licence.

International Driving Permits

A Permanent Resident can ignore any references to "International Driving Permits (IDP)", as these are not required for UK licence holders. They are required when your normal licence is in a different language, and must accompany your VALID National licence. An IDP is NOT a licence in itself, but effectively just a Translation of your licence.

Information on this point from:

http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au - PDF file

If your overseas licence is not in English, it is advisable to carry an International Driving Permit or an approved English translation of your licence (if you have either of these) with you when you drive.

GOVERNMENT TRANSPORT SERVICES

On-Line Driving Tests

• NSW
• W.A.
• QLD - (No On-Line facility as the test is pen and paper, but this link gives Q&A information in PDF format)
• VIC 
• ACT 

Queensland

• Changing a driver licence from another state or country to a Queensland driver licence.- When changing your Car Licence from a country such as the UK, you must pass a written theory test, which consists of 30 general questions in two parts. You need to get 9 correct out of the first 10 and then 18 correct from the next 20.  This test costs $15.90 as at December 2004.  It can be taken once per day until you pass.  A Permanent Resident is allowed to drive for 3 months before needing an Australian Licence, after that period they would be classed as driving without a valid licence.
• Queensland Roads & Traffic - www.transport.qld.gov.au

Western Australia -

• Department for Planning and Infrastructure - http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/licensing/
• Driving Theory Test in W.A.You need 24 correct out of 30 questions in W.A.
• Interstate and overseas visitors
• If you are a visitor to Western Australia you may drive for a period of twelve months if you hold a valid driver's licence issued in your country of origin or a state/territory of Australia of which you are a permanent resident. http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/licensing/yourlicence/1363.asp

  If you become a permanent resident of Western Australia, you have three months in which to transfer your driver's licence.

Victoria

• VicRoads - http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au
• Victoria Driving Theory Tests - http://clt.vicroads.vic.gov.au/  You need 24 correct out of 32 questions in Victoria
• Info from: http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au as at 23/9/04
  As the following countries have similar licence standards to Australia, current overseas holders of licences from the recognised countries listed below are only required to pass the knowledge test on the Victorian road law.
  Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA
  If your licence is not from one of the countries listed above, you will need to undergo a knowledge test of Victorian road law as well as a driving test. 

South Australia - 

• Transport SA - http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/index.asp

New South Wales

• Roads & Traffic Authority - http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au
• As from 17 January 2005 customers are exempt the car driver knowledge test if they hold an acceptable car licence from one of the recognised countries.
• If you intend to stay in NSW and you hold a permanent visa under the Commonwealth Migration Act 1958, you are no longer considered to be a visitor. You are allowed to drive or ride in NSW on a current overseas licence for a maximum of three months after arriving in Australia. http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/licensing/newtonsw/international_drivers.html 28/9/04

 Australian Capital Territory

• ACT Registration and Licencing
• Visiting drivers are not required to obtain an ACT Driver Licence providing their overseas licence and International Driving Permit are current. A visiting driver is a person from overseas who arrives in the ACT with no intention of becoming a permanent resident. This includes:
  * tourists;
  * business people;
  * people on working holiday visas; and
  * people studying or working temporarily in the ACT who intend to return to their home countries when they finish their courses or jobs.
  

Tasmania

• Transferring an overseas licence
• Permanent visa holders may drive in Tasmania for up to 3 months if their foreign licence is current and they carry their driver licence while driving.
• Persons holding a temporary visa, ie student/working/holiday visas, do not need to obtain a Tasmanian Licence for the duration of their visa provided their foreign driver licence remains current
• The Registrar of Motor Vehicles may authorise an extension of the 3 month period. An application for an extension must be made in writing to the Registration and Licensing Branch.

Other State Links

• Roadtransport Authority, NSW
• Vic Roads, Victoria
• Mainroads, Queensland
• Mainroads, Western Australia
• Transport, Northern Territory
• Transport, Tasmania
• Transport, South Australia
• Transit, New Zealand

Minimum Driving Age & Learner Drivers

• QLD - In Queensland a learner can start to drive at the age of 16yrs and 6 months, You must drive with someone who holds and has held for at least one year an open driver licence for that type of vehicle and you must have a zero blood alcohol content if under 25 years of age.
• NSW - To get your learner licence you need to be 16 years of age or older, and be supervised at all times by the holder of a full Australian driver licence and not exceed zero blood alcohol concentration (in effect, this means you cannot drink before driving).
• WA - You can get a permit to drive a car when you turn 16, but if you are under the age of 18 when you apply, you must have a letter of consent signed by your parent or legal guardian. When you are learning, you MUST ALWAYS be accompanied by either: a licensed driving instructor or a person who holds a current and valid licence and has held the class of licence specified on your permit for at least 4 years.
• SA - You must be 16 years or older before you can apply for a Learner’s Permit, You must be accompanied by the holder of a full Driver's Licence (not being a Provisional or Probationary Licence) of the class appropriate to the vehicle being driven by the learner driver.
• VIC - You must be at least 16 years old to obtain a car learner permit. The accompanying driver must hold a current full Victorian car driver licence, or a non - Victorian car driver licence (including overseas licence) that has been held for at least two (2) or more years for the category of motor vehicle being driven by the learner driver.

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