How To Convert or Exchange Foreign Driver License In Australia

Depending on the license you are currently holding, where it was issued and how long you have been driving, you may or may not be asked to take the theory or practical driving tests.
You may use the links provided under ‘Office Locations & Contacts’ section to get in touch with your relevant Australian road agency to check if your license is eligible for conversion. You may also use the links to check which documents you will need to present or submit and applicable fees.

Office Locations & Contacts

Relevant Australian road agency:

National Office Contacts:

Phone: +61 2 8265 3300
Fax: +61 2 8265 3399

ACN: 136 812 390
ABN: 16 245 787 323

Mail / Street Address:
Level 9, 287 Elizabeth Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000
Australia

Email: austroads@austroads.com.au

Website

What Are All The Eligibility

Recognised countries and jurisdictions

Applicants from the countries listed below who are exchanging their foreign license are exempt from undertaking a knowledge and drive/ride test:

Austria
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Canada
Croatia
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Guernsey
Ireland
Isle of Man (for licences first issued on or after 1 April 1991)
Italy
Japan
Jersey
Luxembourg
Malta (for licences first issued on or after 2 January 2004)
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
UK
USA

Experienced Driver Recognition

The experienced driver recognition category aims to recognise a persons driving experience and age as a substitute for licensing measures aimed at novice drivers. You may be considered for this category if you are:

A person who holds a driver’s licence from the countries listed below and is 25 years of age or older. You may be able to exchange their overseas licence for an Australian issued driver licence without driver testing.
A person who holds a driver’s licence from the countries listed below and is under 25 years of age. You will be required to undertake theory and practical driving tests. If you pass the tests set by the jurisdiction, your overseas licence will be converted, based on years of driving experience and age, to the class of licence you would have been on had you commenced driving in that Australian jurisdiction.
A person wishing to exchange a Hong Kong licence without driver testing must be 25 years or older and must have held the Hong Kong Licence for at least 12 months.

Countries and jurisdictions that have obtained Experienced Driver Recognition status:

Bulgaria

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Estonia

Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China)*

Hungary

Latvia

Lithuania

Poland

Republic of Korea (South Korea)

Romania

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Africa

Taiwan

Applicants form other countries: If your driver’s license was issued by a non recognised country, you are required to undertake a theory test and a practical driving test. If you pass both the theory and practical tests, your overseas licence will be converted, based on how long have you been driving and your age, to the class of licence you would have been on had you commenced driving in that Australian jurisdiction.

Need for the Document

Foreign citizens are permitted to drive in Australia on their current overseas licence for a maximum of three months after arriving in the country. If they wish to continue to drive after three months, an Australian issued driver’s licence must be obtained in the state or territory in which the person is residing.

External Links

Austroads:

http://www.austroads.com.au/drivers-vehicles/overseas-driver-licences/applying-for-a-licence

How To Convert or Exchange Foreign Driver License In Australia