Can You Drive in Australia with Overseas License

Some internationally recognised licences in Australia will allow you to drive there. These licences are recognised by the Australian government and will give you the right to drive a vehicle in this country. If you are considering driving in Australia, specific rules apply to you regarding using an overseas licence. Read on to learn more.

Rules For Using An Overseas Licence In Australia

An overseas licence is different from a local licence. Hence, you have to keep in mind the rules for driving in Australia with an overseas licence:

You must have a local licence first

Before you go for any exam:

• Ensure you have a local licence first, as this will give you the right to drive in Australia.

• If you do not have one, go for your international driving permit first.

• Take your country's driving test to prove that you are ready and eligible to drive in Australia.

You can drive with an international permit

If you are a foreign tourist who needs to drive in Australia, you need to provide a copy of your international driving permit. This will be valid for up to three months after the day your first driver's licence was handed to the authorities.

You need to provide this document if asked for your driver's licence. Once you have obtained your local licence, this document can be used as an additional one when taking tests and exams. If it is not used anymore, then you need to surrender it.

You can drive to other countries for three months

If you want to go to another country with your vehicle, remember that it should only be for three months or less. You need to provide a copy of your overseas licence, which will be valid in another country.

However, this is only the case if they have signed the convention on road traffic and driving permits. These documents must have your photo on them and be issued by an official agency in Australia or the country of origin.

You must enter Australia through an Australian border checkpoint

You must provide a copy of your international driving permit if you need to drive through an Australian border checkpoint. This document will be valid for the first 30 days after you arrive in the country. However, this is only to prove that you can drive, not for any other reason or purpose. If you want to continue driving in Australia beyond this period, apply for a local licence.

Your licence must be written in English only

You must ensure that your overseas licence is written in English only. If it is not, you must apply for an international permit. It must have your signature on it, and provide a photo of yourself.

Once the document has been issued, you will receive the international permit so that you can provide it to another employee at the Australian border checkpoint. With this rule in place, you must show that you can drive. You should also provide a passport if you have both your local licence and international permit.

You cannot drive a commercial vehicle

If you wish to drive a bus for commercial reasons, this is not allowed. Apply for an international permit instead to allow your foreign licence to be valid in Australia, but only if it is issued by the country of origin and has an English translation. This rule also applies if you want to drive a truck for the same reasons.

You must be familiar with the licence requirements before getting one from the countries that have signed up for the convention or agreement on road traffic and driving permits.

You cannot have two local licences or two international permits

With this rule in place, you need to get a new licence for the country that issued your current one. The Australian government does not allow any licence to be held by more than one person.

You need to get a local licence before taking a test

If you wish to drive and want to go for a test, then you must get a new licence. You will be required to retake the practical driving test before obtaining one. This is an Australian rule, and no exceptions are allowed.

If your tests are not done within the required time frame, this will be considered an illegal occupation of the car. You must follow all of these rules for driving in Australia, or you risk being penalised or even having your vehicle confiscated.

You cannot drive certain vehicles without a provisional licence

Be aware that you can only get these kinds of licences (provisional licences) after you have taken your practical driving test. All international drivers holding overseas licences are prohibited from driving vehicles requiring a provisional licence until they have obtained this document. Only foreigners who have yet to obtain a local licence can have one until they have passed their test.

You cannot drive during a public holiday

The government does not allow foreigners to drive on public holidays. If caught doing so, you will be required to pay a fine and might even face imprisonment. Most of these holidays fall on weekends and around Christmas, Easter, and the New Year.

You should avoid these days when driving into the country as it will be challenging to find a parking space and impossible for a foreigner to leave the area in time before your vehicle is towed away by the police.

Using An Overseas Driver's Licence In Australia

Victoria

Applications for a licence in Victoria can only be made from the country that issued your international permit. This means that if you have an Australian licence and want to get an overseas licence instead, you will have to apply for one and send a copy of your international one.

After that, you will receive the foreign one to use. This is a good deal for those who drive commercial vehicles in Australia because their permits are valid for all vehicles throughout the country of origin.

Queensland

The rules in Queensland are similar to Victoria's and apply to commercial vehicles. Before driving in Queensland, you need to get a licence from the country of origin. If your licence is not eligible, you must apply for one and provide a valid international permit or certificate. You will then receive a foreign driver's licence valid in Australia.

New South Wales and South Australia

You can't use an international permit for South Australia and New South Wales. If you want to drive with an overseas licence, you must apply for a local one. However, this may cause problems because the Australian government does not allow issuing more than one local licence per person.

Tasmania

If you are an overseas driver and wish to drive in Tasmania, you must apply for an international permit. However, applying for one may take some time. On average, you will have to wait up to six months to process your application.

Western Australia

Driving in Western Australia is also different, and you should not do so without getting a local licence first. Again, in this case, if your country does not have a driving licence agreement with Australia or unless there is no other kind of international permit for someone driving an online car rental company, then you need to apply for a local licence before taking a test here.

Get Your Overseas Licence And Local Licence

If you want to drive in Australia, you must first get an Australian driving licence, as an overseas licence alone will not suffice. Unless you are a permanent resident, you will need an international permit before acquiring a temporary or permanent licence. If you are worried about having to pass the driving test again, do not be because most Australian states allow you to do this without taking one.

Getting the necessary licences is essential, especially if you are getting a new car to drive in Australia. You can check out trusted dealerships for good deals on any vehicle of your choice, and they can assist you with any licensing queries.