What do you do about driving licenses? We are moving out at the beginning of Sept to temp accommodation for a month before flying out to Perth. Do we change the address on the licenses:
a. at all.
b. to our temp accomm.
c. to an Oz address.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks, Al.

In most states, you have 3 months to change your licence etc. Check with your state transport department.

www.dpi.wa.gov.au/licensing/566.asp

Sorry, should have said, I meant UK driving license.

We haven't informed dvla, we fly out on 15th August. I still have a paper type licence. I guess the only time you'd would change details is if you return to the uk?
Sharon

Someone else from BE phoned the DVLA some time ago to ask that question and was told that if they left the country permanently, they should return their licence to the DVLA :scared:

(I won't be telling the DVLA that I'm leaving the country.)

Gina

Why don't you change your address to your parents or sibling. It's free even if you have a photo licence?

It's not quite the same i know but when i went out to Germany for 3 years, i was actually told by a policeman to give my parents address.

You never know, you might need it should you return for a holiday.

No probs. Still can change licence to Australian when you get here. WA has the only state transport site recently, that I have seen that has a section that actually gives information for overseas drivers. If you want to go back for hols etc, you can still use your Aussie licence over in the UK. You only have to pay the fine, if caught, but not lose any demerit points.

Hope this site can help you for when you get here.

Hi - -We fly on the 15th too - -where you off to?

xRachx

We left in Feb, and called them just before hand, they told us that once we were out of the uk, they didn't use overseas addresses, so either leave it at our old address, or change to a relatives. Also, you have to renew the photo ones every 10 years, so not sure how that will work...forgot to ask them that part!!
PS - Hi Gina, All great here, not long till you get here now is it??
Judith

Technically you're supposed to change your licence when you change your address (or you could be fined £1000). Practically I think this is only a problem if they are unable to contact you through the address on the licence.

I emailed them and got an email back to say that it was fine to keep it, but they couldn't change it to a non uk address, and as I had already left the country they said I couldn't change it. As it happens we still own our UK house and we have our mail on a forward right now, so it doesn't matter. When our move is more permanent or if we sell our property in the UK I will probably change it to my parents address, although once you get to Oz if you are on permanent residency you will have to get a local license within three months anyway, and at that point some states make your uk license unusable.

There's a bit of the loop in the system with this anyway... see my post above.

When you exchange your UK licence for an Australian one, your UK licence will have a hole punched through it making it invalid.

"Depending on whether you are just visiting or planning to stay here permanently, there are different periods that you are allowed to drive with your overseas licence.
Planning to stay?
If you intend to take up permanent residence in WA you are no longer considered to be a visitor. You must apply for a WA driver's licence within three months of your arrival."

from WA transport website

I think that means when you arrive in regardless of what visa you are on or whether the move is permanent or not.

Going from Heathrow to Perth with Emirates. What about you?
Sharon