Driver Licences

[Stadler Family]

We are moving to Perth and was wondering how does driver licences ?. can you convert your South African driver licence or do you need to get retested. Is it better to apply immediatly or wait for the first year. (International Drivers Licence)

[Tracy]

Hi there,

My understanding is that your International license is valid for 3 months and then you have to sit the Australian drivers test from scratch.

Regards

Tracy

[Johan Swanepoel]

Not sure about WA, but in NSW it depends on your Visa type.

On a Temporary Visa you license is valid until the Temp Visa expires.

On a Permanent Visa the license is valid for 3 Months.

For example if you go from 457 to 136(or something similar), you then have 3 months to get your Aus license.

It is a good idea to get your license as soon as possible though. They use it as identification here.

Regards

Johan Swanepoel

[Bob]

Yup.

If you come as a permanent resident, no matter which State or Territory you live in, you're required to obtain a driver's licence from one of the States or Territories within three months of arrival.

If the police pull you over after that time, you can be fined for not driving with an Australian licence.

Temporary residents don't have that restriction however and can keep driving on their licence from home until it expires.

Also, different States have different requirements as to what they will accept and won't accept from overseas driving licences.

Check with a Western Australian licensing department office and they will let you know what is involved and how to go about getting a W.A. licence.

Once you get that, you can go anywhere in Australia and swap it over for another State licence if you happen to shift there. No further tests are needed.

Edited May 7, 2007 by Bob

[The Parsons Family]

Hi

We are in the process of getting our WA drivers licences.... this is the reply I got from the Licensing Office.

"Thank you for your email regarding the transfer of your driver's licences.

If you are to become a permanent resident of Western Australia, you have three months in which to transfer your driver's licence.

To transfer your overseas drivers licence you will need to attend a Western Australian Licensing Centre or regional Licensing Agent. To find the address of your nearest centre/agent, please visit our website www.dpi.wa.gov.au/licensing <http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/licensing>. Licensing Centre addresses are also listed in the White Pages under Planning and Infrastructure (Department for).

Licensing Centre opening hours are from 8.15am til 4.30pm Monday to Friday (Excluding public holidays). Regional agents opening and closing times may vary, so please check times before attending.

To transfer your licence, you will need to bring the following identification with you.

*Passport

*Overseas Drivers Licence

*Secondary Identification that displays your signature, such as an ATM card or Credit Card; and

*Proof of Residency, i.e. something that displays your Western Australian address, such as a bill, bank statement or lease agreement.

Some applicants will be required to undergo a multiple-choice question test on Western Australia's road rules. This test is based on information in the Drive Safe (http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/licensing/learner/dsbook.html) Book. Those who need to complete the test will be required to attend a Licence Centre/Agent before 3.45pm. In some cases a practical driving test may also be required.

You will be exempt from the theory test if you obtained your driver’s licence from:

Austria France Luxembourg Spain

Belgium Germany Netherlands Sweden

Canada Greece New Zealand Switzerland

Croatia Ireland Norway United Kingdom

Denmark Italy Portugal United States of America

Finland Japan Singapore

At the centre/agent you will also be required to complete an eyesight test.

To transfer a heavy vehicle licence class, you must pass an oral test on specific issues relating to size and dimensions of heavy vehicles. The test will comprise of 10 questions of which you must get 8 correct to pass.

Please note, if your overseas licence is not written in English you will need to produce an official translation from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs <http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/licensing/mylicence/about/visit.html> at the time of transfer. The Department’s offices are located at,

45 Francis Street

Northbridge 6003

Telephone: (08) 9261 2266.

Alternatively, the licence may be translated by your Consul. In this case the translation needs to be on an official Consulate letterhead and be signed by the Consul General or other authorised officer.

You may also have your licence translated by an approved National Accreditation Authority Translators & Interpreter's (NAATI) translator. There is a fee for this service.

For your Driver’s Licence, an application fee of $43.30 will be charged together with the standard renewal fees. Renewal fees are:

For one year: $35.00

For five years: $111.00

The cost to transfer your husband's drivers licence differs.

He is required to sit the theory test therefore will need to pay a fee of $33.00, on passing the theory he will have to pay an application fee of $45.00.

He will then be required to sit the Practical Driving Assessment. When he passes this assessment he will the be required to pay the renewal fees:

For one year: $35.00

For five years: $111.00

Payments are by cash or cheque at any Licensing Centre or regional Licensing Agent. Licensing Centre's also accept EFTPOS payments. Please make all cheques and money orders payable to the Department for Planning and Infrastructure.

If you have any further enquiries please reply to this email or visit our website www.dpi.wa.gov.au. Alternatively you can contact our Customer Contact Centre on 13 11 56 or (08) 9427 6404 if interstate or overseas."

I have a British licence and my husband has a SA licence. I don't have to do any tests but he on the other hand has to do both tests

Hope this clarifies what is required....

Gaille

Edited May 8, 2007 by The Parsons Family

[Meisiekind]

WA is very strict with road rules... and antihooning laws.... as they call it if you do wheelspinns with your V8 UTE. You have to rewrite your learners... look on their website and the "practice test" is available. Use it as some of the diagrams can be confusing.

You don't have to wait, you can then immediately do your driving test. Make an appointment with a reputable driving school in the same area that you are going to be doing your test. Some of the rules are different and the "give way" principle could be confusing... also the driving instructor will mostly take you to the spots where you might be tested.

Good luck.