Interstate and international licence holders requirements for obtaining a licence to drive in New South Wales
Interstate Requirements
When you move to NSW
If you are a driver or motorcyclist who has moved to NSW - either from another Australian State or Territory, or from another country - you will need to make arrangements to get a NSW driver or rider licence.
You can use your existing licence for up to three months, after which you must have a NSW licence in order to drive a vehicle or ride a motorcycle.
This section tells you how to get a NSW licence. Please note that the process is different for interstate and international drivers.
Transferring your licence If you come to live in NSW from another Australian State or territory and have a current licence (or one that expired less than five years ago) that is equivalent of a NSW provisional or unrestricted licence, you will be eligible to be issued with a NSW licence. There is a free transfer system for current interstate provisional and unrestricted licences. You are required to get a NSW licence within three months of making this State your home. The NSW licence will be issued to the expiry date of the interstate or territory licence up to a maximum of five years.
Interstate licences which are the equivalent of the NSW learner, provisional P1 or provisional P2 types of licences will be converted to NSW licences in line with the NSW Graduated Licensing Scheme for New Drivers.
If you have held your driver licence for less than 12 months, you will be issued a NSW provisional P1 licence. If you have held your driver licence for more than 12 months but less than three years, a provisional P2 licence will be issued. If you have held your motorcycle rider licence for less than 12 months, you will receive a NSW provisional P1 rider licence.
What do I need to do?
When you apply for a NSW licence, documentary proof of the first issue date of your interstate licence from the relevant issuing authority must be shown if it is not displayed on your licence. Before you first attend the motor registry, you may wish to obtain a letter from the interstate licensing issuing authority (on their letterhead) confirming your licence details (including first issue date) and status. Alternatively, the motor registry may obtain the first issue date from the interstate licensing authority, but, as the information may not be available immediately while you are at the registry, you may be required to return to the registry on another day. You need to:
Take your interstate or territory licence to an RTA Motor Registry or agency. Provide proof of identity. Provide proof of your residential address. Complete an application form. Pass an eyesight test. Have your photo taken. Pay a licence fee if you have an expired interstate or internal territory licence You will then be given your NSW photo licence.
As you cannot have more than one Australian licence, the RTA will provide you with a receipt for your old licence and then destroy the licence before notifying the issuing State or Territory to cancel it.
If you have a current interstate or territory learner licence and you take up residence in NSW, you must pass the eyesight test and provide proof of identity before you can get a free NSW learner licence. You should discuss your licensing options with the motor registry staff, however, as you may be eligible to undertake a driving/riding test on your interstate learner licence.
International driver requirements for obtaining an Australian (Aussie) License; New South Wales
Permanent visa holders and New Zealand citizens
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. If you are a licence holder from New Zealand, you must obtain a NSW licence within three months of residing in NSW or stop driving.
If you wish to continue to drive you must get a NSW licence.
To obtain a NSW licence you must be aged 17 years or older.
What do I need to do?
If your licence is written in English:
Go to an RTA motor registry and present your licence. If your licence is not written in English, provide:
Your overseas licence and an official translation from the NSW Community Relations Commission. Eligible persons may be able to obtain a fee-free translation through the Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Note: Requests for Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) fee-free translation of personal documents from eligible persons may be lodged at Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) service provider outlets which will then despatch them to a translation service provider. Eligible persons are defined as:
Persons who were granted Permanent Residence on first arrival in Australia, within two years of the date of the translation request being submitted to the AMEP service provider or were granted Permanent Residence in Australia within two years of arrival, prior to the date the translation request was submitted to the AMEP service provider. An applicant who is an Australian citizen. An applicant who is a provisional spouse or interdependency visa holder( subclasses 309, 820, 310 and 826). For further information please go to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website
If you cannot produce your overseas 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. You must also:
Provide proof of your NSW address. Prove your identity. Pass an eyesight test. Pass a knowledge test for each class of licence required, unless exempt. Pass a driving or riding test, unless exempt. Exemptions from licence tests
You may not be required to pass a car/rider knowledge test or practical driving/riding test if:
You have previously held an Australian driver or rider licence which can be verified by the issuing authority.
You hold a current New Zealand driver or rider licence.
You are applying for a car or rider licence and you hold a current overseas licence, or one that expired within the last five years, from a country recognised as having comparable licensing standards to Australia.
Recognition of licences from certain countries
The recognition of licences from certain countries was agreed nationally and commenced in NSW on 20 May 2002. Customers are exempt from the practical driving/riding test if they hold an acceptable licence from one of the recognised countries. The exemption only applies to applicants for Class C (car) and Class R (rider) licences.
As from 17 January 2005 customers are exempt from the car and rider knowledge test if they hold an acceptable licence from one of the recognised countries. It is recommended that these applicants read the Road Users' Handbook to familiarise themselves with the current road rules in NSW.
The RTA reserves the right to require customers to undertake a knowledge test or driving/riding test, and may not issue a licence until it is satisfied that the overseas licence is valid.
Recognised countries:
Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Ireland, Isle of Man (licences issued since 1 April 1991), Italy, Japan, Jersey, Luxembourg, Malta (licences issued since 2 January 2004), Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, USA.
The licensing authority in Victoria (VicRoads) is responsible for maintaining the national list of recognised countries.
What happens next?
If you have held your driver or rider licence for less than 12 months, you will be issued a NSW provisional P1 licence. If you have held your driver licence for more than 12 months but less than three years, a provisional P2 licence will be issued.
You must provide documentary proof of the first issue date of your overseas licence if the period for which you have held the licence is to be recognised for the issue of a NSW licence. Before you first attend the motor registry, you may wish to obtain a letter from the licence issuing authority (on their letterhead) or from your relevant consulate or diplomatic office, confirming your licence details, including the first issue date. If the letter is not in English, an official translation as mentioned above, is also required.
It is a legal requirement under Australian licensing laws that only one licence can be used for driving in Australia.
Before a NSW licence is issued, you must present your overseas licence so the details can be verified and recorded.
International learner licences If you hold a car learner licence issued from an overseas licence issuing authority and you wish to obtain a NSW car learner licence you must be 16 years of age or older and:
Provide proof of your NSW address Prove your identity Pass an eyesight test Pass a knowledge test.
Visitors
If you do not intend to stay in NSW and do not hold a permanent visa, you will be regarded as a visiting driver. If you hold a current overseas driver licence you are not required to get a NSW licence even if your stay is longer than three months. If the licence is not written in English, an International Driving Permit, or an English translation must also be carried with the licence when driving.
As of 14 October 2005, visiting car licence holders may drive vehicles of a kind covered by NSW class C licences (up to 4.5 tonnes GVM and seating up to 12 adults, including the driver.
