pako

I have just passed my test in the UK (a bit of a late starter!). When I go to Oz at the end of the year will I be qualified to drive over there? We're heading to Melbourne. I can't find anything on VicRoads? Can anyone help?

Stewie

pako

If you have a full UK licence and are 21 or over, you just apply at Vic Roads and they issue you a Vic licence there and then. Providing your a Permanent Resident of course

Pootle

Hi,
We moved here on a 4 year visa (to Melbourne) in Jan. I rang to ask about the licences when we arrived. The rules apparently changed in January so you don't need to take a test (yippee!!) if you hold a full uk drivers licence. If you are on a temp visa, you can drive on your uk licence for as long as your visa lasts. If your visa is or becomes permanent you need to change to a vic licence. This doesn't involve a test, just take in your uk licence, pay the fee and they will issue a vic licence. Just as an aside, we have higher excess on the insurance premium because we have not yet driven here for over 2 years - and the roads are SO different!!
Best of luck,
Pootle

CasG

Can I just add a bit about the road differences - I've found them MUCH better than in the UK - wider, better signposted, better for cyclists and the freeways are HEAPS better than UKs' crappy, conjested motorways. But thats just my opinion, based on lots of driving in the UK and overseas in various countries.

Cas

Pootle

Yes the freeways are much better, wider etc. In Melbourne centre can be tricky though with trams, hook turns etc! Genarally though, now driving an automatic its dead easy to get about.

gadgetMan

Also if your have had a Full (UK) licence for less a year (or maybe four) you will be given a provisional status licence, which will mean you cant drive certain high powered cars..

A bugger but thats how it is

Shellfish

when driving on a provisional licence, you are not allowed to drink at all when driving (in theory, in practice you can drink and drive at the same time and not get stopped (have seen it)...great police presence, who wants to stop drunken, speeding teenagers when there are parking fines to give out

OzTennis

IMHO there is much more random breath testing and public awareness in Victoria than in the UK (Drink, Drive, bloody idiot year round campaign vs a token gesture in the lead up to Christmas).

Something I've never understood is why police in either country don't breathalyse people in pub car parks - ah, that's right, it's harassment and it also affects the publican's livelihood so they have to wait until the person out of their skull gets onto the public highway before they can catch them.

OzTennis

legoman

Just had a Email back from Transport SA Customer Service Centre, about the driving theory test just thought you Forum Surfers may be interested in it..

Thank you for your e-mail. You must obtain a South Australian licence
within three months of becoming a resident. This grace period is offered to
allow time for you to establish proof of a residential address here. Proof
can be by way of Council Rates Notice, telephone, power or gas accounts or
rental/lease agreement.

All overseas licence holders will continue to be required to undertake and
pass a theory test before the issue of a South Australian driver's licence.
However the holder of a licence from an approved country that has similar
licensing practices to South Australia will not be required to complete a
practical test if you wish to convert to just a car licence only.

In March 2000, a process was commenced to identify other overseas countries
with comparable licensing standards to Australia. As a result of that
process, the following countries have been identified as having acceptable
driver licensing and testing standards:

Austria France Italy Singapore
Spain Belgium Germany Croatia
Luxembourg Sweden Denmark
Greece Netherlands United Kingdom
Finland Ireland Portugal
Canada United States Switzerland
Norway Japan New Zealand
__________________
Legoman

JAJ

There's information on recognition of overseas licences on the VicRoads website, if you look again.

UK licence holders do not need to do a test, however as you only obtained your licence recently you may be subject to the probationary driver regime.

Jeremy

G&P

Pako,

I was given the same info as Stewie by Vic Roads, so you should be ok with just xferring it!
Gill

pako

Thanks guys I was starting to worry!

Laurie1st

Here is the site:

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/vrne/...600145D2C?open