Hi,


I have been told that you can only drive on a UK licence for 3 months after arrival (if you are planning on permanent stay)...after that you have to take an Aus driving test. :scared:
Have you all found this to be the case.....The thought of this is terrifying
Tanya

We've got friends here who are on a 4 year Visa, have been here for 12 months and havent had to take a test - they havent even got their aussie driving licences yet! We're in NSW.

HTH

Rach xxxx

Must be my Aussie OH winding me up....

i think if you have a PR visa you can drive for 3 months then you do have to take a test.

that is correct, and in some states, you only have to do a multiple choice theory test and not a practical. I'm doing mine on Thursday!

:scared: Something else for me to worry about!

Hi there.

I wouldn't worry too much. have a go at this online test. It has really helped me.

http://www.raa.net/page.asp?TerID=192#

If you are PR then your UK licence is valid for 3 months. This does not mean you have to do an Aussie test after this period. You can change your licence at 4 months in the same way as you would have changed it at 2 months. Whether you have to do a written test or not depends on your state.

For example, in Vic, you can go to Vic roads after 4 months and change your UK licence to a Vic one, straight swap - the same as if you did it after month 2. The only difference is that you were not legally allowed to drive between the end of month 3 and the time you got your Vic licence.

OMG have the got car insurance??

If they have an accident they are uninsured - so if they hurt someone or damage their property they could be sued.

Kiwi

We live in the Perth area in Western Australia.

We didnt have to undertake any theory test or anything.

We are over here on a 457 4 year sponsored visa.

We had to fill the form in, I dont remember it mentioning our visas, and we certainly didnt take it with us.

We took our passports for id.

Just completed the form and they looked at our plastic UK driving licence (they didnt want to see the paper one). Had a simple eye test, which meant standing in front of a chart and reading some letters, which took less than a minute.

Had our photos taken, and paid the fee.
The australian driving licence arrived within 4 days.

We did this about 6 weeks ago.

Hope this helps
Jill

We did the multiple choice theory test just over a year ago in Queensland. It is pretty easy if you just buy the relevant highway code and spend the time reading it. The book in Queensland is called something like "Your keys to driving in Queensland".

Just read it and then test yourself on it. One of us did bother to read it and passed first time the other didn't and failed so had to do a resit a couple of days later. There were quite a few questions on giving way at various junctions such as crossroads, T junctions and roundabouts. One question bizzarely wanted you to know how many milli or micro something or other parts per million or whatever of alcohol is permissable in you blood. As if I am going to count them after a couple of beers. Oh look, I'm a 3 point 7 milli thingys of alcohol over the limit, I'd better call a taxi.

QLD is the only State (I believe) where you have to take a theory test if you have a UK licence. (within 3 months if PR but they don't check)
QLD will change to the "swap over" system as soon as they have upgraded their internal systems. Could be 6 months away.

Andrew

Hi
We arrived in Perth, WA, 2 May this year. All my hubby had to do was get an Aussie driving license within 3 months of arriving from the UK. I can't remember the cost but I think you can pay for a 3 or 5 year license then it has to be renewed. In WA definately no test required.
Tracey B

I actually think doing at least the theory is a good idea. Although most of it is the same as the UK there are definite things that are different and need to be learnt. In Victoria you just swap over with no test, yet they have the bizarre left hand rule for turning right so you don't bump into the trams.

As they are temp residents they can stay on the UK licence. However if they went to PR they would then have 3 months to get the Aussie licence. I am open to correction but I believe this to be the case with temp visas.