Alex V. Stoddard

Anyone actually gone through this process?

I've read the manual and from the RTA and it's not really clear to me.

Some parts make it sound like you can just exchange your American
driver's license for a NSW one within your first three months, other parts
make it sound like you need to take the knowledge test and the driver's
test (in car).

The scenario:
29 y/o male had a California driver's license since age 16.
Here on 4 year work visa (the RTA manual only really mentions
a special case for perm residents). I've only been in the country for
6 weeks now.

Thanks to all in advance.

-Drake

Jaj

    >On Thu, 19 Sep 2002 13:11:43 +1000, "Alex V. Stoddard" wrote:
    >Anyone actually gone through this process?
    >I've read the manual and from the RTA and it's not really clear to me.
    >Some parts make it sound like you can just exchange your American
    >driver's license for a NSW one within your first three months, other parts
    >make it sound like you need to take the knowledge test and the driver's
    >test (in car).


Since May 2002 if you have a US licence you can get a NSW licence by
just doing the theory test.

It's not an exchange - they should let you keep your US licence but it
will be invalidated for use in Australia.


    >The scenario:
    >29 y/o male had a California driver's license since age 16.
    >Here on 4 year work visa (the RTA manual only really mentions
    >a special case for perm residents). I've only been in the country for
    >6 weeks now.


If you only have a temporary visa, then you don't need to get a NSW
licence. You can continue to use your US one if you wish.

If you want a NSW licence you can get one. A disadvantage of doing so
is that you will be liable to get demerit points - overseas drivers
get the fines but not the points unless they do something serious, as
far as I know.

Jeremy

ian

Yep..they put a hole in it!

Alex V. Stoddard

Excellent news!
Thanks for the concise answer.

Cheers,
-Drake

"JAJ" wrote in message
news:[email protected]
net.au...
    > >On Thu, 19 Sep 2002 13:11:43 +1000, "Alex V. Stoddard"
wrote:
    > >Anyone actually gone through this process?
    > >
    > >I've read the manual and from the RTA and it's not really clear to me.
    > >
    > >Some parts make it sound like you can just exchange your American
    > >driver's license for a NSW one within your first three months, other
parts
    > >make it sound like you need to take the knowledge test and the driver's
    > >test (in car).
    > Since May 2002 if you have a US licence you can get a NSW licence by
    > just doing the theory test.
    > It's not an exchange - they should let you keep your US licence but it
    > will be invalidated for use in Australia.
    > >
    > >The scenario:
    > >29 y/o male had a California driver's license since age 16.
    > >Here on 4 year work visa (the RTA manual only really mentions
    > >a special case for perm residents). I've only been in the country for
    > >6 weeks now.
    > >
    > If you only have a temporary visa, then you don't need to get a NSW
    > licence. You can continue to use your US one if you wish.
    > If you want a NSW licence you can get one. A disadvantage of doing so
    > is that you will be liable to get demerit points - overseas drivers
    > get the fines but not the points unless they do something serious, as
    > far as I know.
    > Jeremy

Ed

My wife and I arrived in January, and had to take the knowledge AND road
tests by April. Wait till I tell her we only missed it by a month. She's
gonna die. She was more nervous than a 16 year old when it came to that
road test. LOL.

Ed.

"JAJ" wrote in message
news:[email protected]
net.au...
    > >On Thu, 19 Sep 2002 13:11:43 +1000, "Alex V. Stoddard"
wrote:
    > >Anyone actually gone through this process?
    > >
    > >I've read the manual and from the RTA and it's not really clear to me.
    > >
    > >Some parts make it sound like you can just exchange your American
    > >driver's license for a NSW one within your first three months, other
parts
    > >make it sound like you need to take the knowledge test and the driver's
    > >test (in car).
    > Since May 2002 if you have a US licence you can get a NSW licence by
    > just doing the theory test.
    > It's not an exchange - they should let you keep your US licence but it
    > will be invalidated for use in Australia.
    > >
    > >The scenario:
    > >29 y/o male had a California driver's license since age 16.
    > >Here on 4 year work visa (the RTA manual only really mentions
    > >a special case for perm residents). I've only been in the country for
    > >6 weeks now.
    > >
    > If you only have a temporary visa, then you don't need to get a NSW
    > licence. You can continue to use your US one if you wish.
    > If you want a NSW licence you can get one. A disadvantage of doing so
    > is that you will be liable to get demerit points - overseas drivers
    > get the fines but not the points unless they do something serious, as
    > far as I know.
    > Jeremy

Jaj

As you arrived in January, you couldn't have waited until May anyhow
because of the obligation to get a NSW licence within 3 months of
taking up residence.

Jeremy

    >On Fri, 20 Sep 2002 22:21:15 +1000, "Ed" wrote:
    >My wife and I arrived in January, and had to take the knowledge AND road
    >tests by April. Wait till I tell her we only missed it by a month. She's
    >gonna die. She was more nervous than a 16 year old when it came to that
    >road test. LOL.
    >Ed.