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Information for Overseas Driver Licence Holders
Manly Driving School can assist you in getting your NSW Drivers Licence
Driver Licence types
The length of time you have held an overseas car or rider drivers licence
will determine the type of licence that you are eligible to hold in
NSW.
If you have held your overseas car or rider drivers licence (except
learner) for less than one year, you will only be eligible for a
provisional P1 licence.
If you have held a car or rider licence (except learner) for more
than one year but less than three years, you will only be eligible
for a provisional P2 licence.
If you have held a car or rider drivers licence (except learner) for more
than three years, you will be eligible for an unrestricted drivers licence.
See the Road Users’ Handbook or visit the RTA website at
www.rta.nsw.gov.au for descriptions of the different licence types.
I would like to keep my overseas drivers licence
It is a legal requirement under Australian licensing laws that only
one drivers licence can be used for driving in Australia.
Before a NSW drivers licence will be issued, you must present your
overseas drivers licence so the details can be verified and recorded. The
overseas licence will be returned to you unmarked, unless the
overseas licensing authority has requested its return if a NSW
licence is issued.
Manly Driving School can assist you in getting your NSW Drivers Licence
Driving in NSW
Once you have been issued with a NSW drivers licence, it becomes the
authority under which you can drive or ride on NSW roads. Your
overseas licence is not recognised and has no authority whilst you
are the holder of a NSW licence.
When driving in NSW, you must comply with any conditions,
restrictions or limitations that apply to your NSW drivers licence. If
you are requested by NSW Police to produce your licence in
relation to a driving matter, you must produce your NSW
driver licence.
If you continue to hold overseas visitor status, you may
surrender your NSW licence (including a learner driver licence) at
any time. This is as long as your NSW driver licence is not
suspended or cancelled. You may resume driving under the
authority of your overseas driver licence as long as you are not
disqualified from driving, you have not failed a driving test, your
visiting driver privileges have not been withdrawn and your
overseas licence remains current and valid.
Visiting overseas drivers
Who is a temporary overseas visitor?
If you are not an Australian citizen or not a permanent resident of
Australia you are considered to be a temporary overseas visitor.
Temporary overseas visitors can include:
Tourists.
Business people on limited-duration visits.
People studying or working temporarily (eg working visa holders)
in NSW.
If you are a citizen or licence holder from New Zealand, see Citizens or
licence holders from New Zealand on the next page.
Do I need a NSW driver licence to drive in NSW?
If you are a temporary overseas visiting driver, and you hold
a current overseas driver licence you do not have to get a NSW driver
licence. You can drive on your current overseas licence as long as:
You remain a visitor.
Your overseas licence remains current.
You have not been disqualified from driving in NSW
or elsewhere.
You have not had your licence suspended or cancelled or your
visiting driver privileges withdrawn.
Your licence must be written in English or, if the licence is not in
English, you must also carry an English translation or an International
Driving Permit with your licence when driving.
Can I get a NSW driver licence if I am a temporary overseas
visitor?
Certain licensing rules apply to temporary overseas visiting drivers
who want to get a NSW driver licence for the first time. The rules mean:
You will only be eligible to apply for a NSW drivers licence once you have
been in Australia for a continuous period of at least six months
immediately prior to licence application.
Driver Licences will be marked with the one letter code ‘Q’ in the
conditions area on the front of the licence, while the accompanying
text ‘Evidence of permanent resident status not provided to the
RTA’ will appear on the back of the licence.
Licences (including learner, P1, P2, and unrestricted) issued with a ‘Q’
will only be valid for 12 months.
Note: These licensing rules do not apply to customers who have
previously been issued a NSW licence, customers transferring an
Australian interstate licence or New Zealand licence to a NSW
licence or to visitors who do not hold an overseas licence applying for
a NSW learner licence.
Manly Driving School can assist you in getting your NSW Drivers Licence
Citizens or licence holders from New Zealand
If you are a New Zealand citizen or licence holder visiting NSW you
will be exempt from the licensing rules for temporary overseas visitors
as you must obtain a NSW licence within three months of residing in
Australia or stop driving.
What vehicles can I drive?
If you are a temporary overseas visiting car licence holder you
may drive vehicles covered by a NSW class C driver licence (up to
4.5 tonnes GVM and seating up to 12 adults, including the driver).
If you are a temporary overseas visiting truck licence holder you may
drive vehicles that are authorised by your overseas licence class. For
information about the requirements for driving heavy vehicles in NSW
see the Heavy Vehicle Drivers’ Handbook that is available on the RTA
website or which can be purchased at any RTA motor registry.
How can I prove my visiting driver status?
As a temporary overseas visiting driver, you must carry your licence
with you when driving. You have an obligation to prove your overseas
visitor status if requested by Police.
Visas, letters from employers or educational institutions and statements
from consulates or diplomatic offices may be used to establish visitor
status.
What if I have an overseas learner driver licence?
If you hold a current learner licence from your country of origin, you
can continue to learn to drive in NSW. Your supervising driver can be
anyone who holds a valid Australian driver licence, class C or above
(not an Australian learner licence or provisional (P1 or P2) licence).
You must, however, comply with all NSW road rules (eg display L
plates) and any relevant restrictions endorsed on your overseas licence.
The Road Users’ Handbook explains the NSW road rules and can be
obtained from an RTA motor registry or by visiting the RTA website.
For more information regarding temporary overseas visiting drivers or for
RTA handbooks, visit the RTA website.
Manly Driving School can assist you in getting your NSW Drivers Licence
New NSW residents
Driving as a permanent resident
If you hold a permanent resident visa under the Commonwealth
Migration Act 1958, you are not a temporary overseas visiting driver.
You are allowed to drive or ride in NSW on your current overseas
licence for a maximum of three months after arriving in Australia.
If you are migrating from New Zealand you must obtain a NSW
licence within three months of taking up residence in NSW.
To drive with your current overseas licence during the three-month
period, you must not be disqualified from driving or riding and your
licence must not be suspended or cancelled.
You must get (not just apply for) a NSW licence within this threemonth
period if you wish to continue to drive or ride in NSW.
If your overseas licence is not in English, you must also carry your
International Driving Permit or an English translation with your
licence when driving.
How do I get a NSW licence?
You must be aged 17 years or over to get a NSW driver licence.
If you hold an overseas licence to drive or ride (including a learner
licence) and want to get a NSW driver licence, you must go to an RTA
motor registry and:
If your licence is in English, present your original overseas licence.
Photocopies or scanned copies will not be accepted.
If your overseas driver licence is not written in English, present your
overseas licence and an official translation from the Community
Relations Commission for a Multicultural NSW.
The RTA also accepts translations obtained from the fee-free
translation service provided by the Department of Immigration and
Citizenship (DIAC). The DIAC fee-free translation service is only
available for eligible people. For further information on fee-free
translations for eligible persons, please go the DIAC website at
www.immi.gov.au.
For Korean driver licences, the RTA accepts translations from the
Consulate-General of the Republic of Korea as the Consulate verifies
the licence details with the relevant Korean driver licence authority.
Translations obtained through other means are not acceptable.
If you cannot produce your overseas driver licence, provide:
- a letter from the overseas licence issuing authority confirming
your licence details and status, or
- a letter from a relevant consulate or diplomatic office, based on
information received from the overseas licence issuing authority,
confirming your licence details and status.
Where extra licence information is required (eg about the first issue
date or the validity period of the driver licence or where the type of vehicle
authorised to be driven or ridden is not shown) a letter from the
driver licence issuing authority (on its letterhead) or from a relevant
consulate or diplomatic office will be accepted.
Any letter provided to confirm driver licence details or status should be
in English or have an official English translation from the sources
described above.
You must also:
Prove your NSW address.
Prove your identity.
Pass an eyesight test.
Pass a knowledge test for each class of driver licence required,
unless exempt.
Pass a driving test for each class of licence required, unless
exempt.
Provide documents proving the first issue date of your driver licence,
if it is not displayed on the licence.
You must declare your overseas driver licence (and any other licences
that you may hold) in the licence application form and prove the
length of time you have held it to help determine the type of NSW
driver licence for which you are eligible. If you do not provide acceptable
confirmation of your overseas licence details, you will be issued with
a NSW learner driver licence (with log book) or provisional driver licence.
You may not be required to pass a car/rider
knowledge test and/or a practical driving/riding test if:
You have previously held an Australian driver licence which can
be verified by the issuing authority.
You hold a current New Zealand car or rider licence.
You are applying for a car or rider licence and you hold a current
overseas driver licence, or one that expired in the last five
years, from a country recognised as having comparable licensing
standards to Australia.
Recognised countries
The countries currently recognised are Austria, Belgium, Canada,
Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guernsey,
Ireland, Isle of Man (licences issued or renewed since 1 April 1991),
Italy, Japan, Jersey, Luxembourg, Malta (licences issued or renewed
since 2 January 2004), The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,
Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and
United States.
Note: The RTA reserves the right to require a knowledge and
driving/riding test. A licence may not be issued unless the RTA is
satisfied that the overseas licence is valid.
What if I fail the driving test?
If you fail the driving test, your visiting driver privileges will be
withdrawn. You must then get a learner driver licence that will allow you
to drive (while supervised by a licensed driver) and then go for
another driving test.
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