Lifestyle and Leisure
Getting an Australian licence
Jo-ann Hodgson finds out how British emigrants go about getting their hands on an Australian driving licence.
Unlike many steps of the emigration process, you'll be pleased to hear this one's pretty simple. As with many things in Australia, driving licences are administered at state and territory level, meaning that regulations vary. However, if you already hold a British licence, the process of obtaining a new Australian one is fairly straightforward.
Lorna Dale relocated to Australia four years ago and had no problems transferring her licence: "When we came over we could drive on our British licence until we became permanent residents and then we had to change over to the Australian license within three months," she says. "The changeover was just a paperwork, fee and photograph issue. There was no wait at all, I just went in to the licencing centre where they looked at my British licence, asked me to complete a form and took a photograph. It was all completed within ten minutes."
Although regulations do vary depending on where you live in Australia, like Lorna you will normally be required to obtain a state licence within three months of taking up residence in the state, while being able to drive on your British licence in the meantime. The recognition of licences from certain countries was agreed in Australia in 2002 and this has made the whole licence changover much easier for us Brits.
Drivers are now exempt from the practical driving and riding tests if they hold an acceptable licence from a recognised country – the UK being one of them. As of 2005 drivers were also made exempt from the car and rider knowledge tests if they hold an acceptable licence from the UK. However, it is recommended by the various state governments that emigrants read the Road Users' Handbook to familiarise themselves with the current road rules in their new state or territory of residence.
You will need proof of address in your state of residence to obtain a licence, which can take the form of an official letter addressed to you within the state. If you've been staying with friends in your new state of residence and haven't yet received any official correspondence, then your friend can sign and vouch for you as long as they also hold a driving licence in the state. To obtain your new Australian driving licence you will most likely be required to take an eyesight test, but this will, at worst, form a minor inconvenience in the often overwhelming macro process of emigration. "The process of changing our driving licence over really was very simple," says Brit Dave Montoya, Emigrate2's resident blogger. "When we moved out to New South Wales two years ago all we had to do was take our current UK licences to the Road Traffic Authorities (the UK version of the DVLC) within three months." He continues: "They looked at them with our passports, we took an eye test there and then and that was that. You can buy a one- or three-year licence and that really is it!"
However, Dave was less impressed by the bureaucratic and costly process of moving between Australian states as a driver. "When we moved states to Queensland, again within three months we had to change our New South Wales licence for a Queensland licence and re-register both our cars from NSW plates to QLD plates – and all at cost I may add." If you don't already have a British driving licence, the system for learner driver's is much the same as it is in the UK. Before a learner's permit is issued applicants must show proof of identity and residence, pass a knowledge test of road rules and an eyesight test and learner drivers must be accompanied at all times by a fully licensed driver. In most jurisdictions learner's permits are issued for manual or automatic transmission vehicles and, if automatic, the learner is restricted to that type of vehicle.
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