Driving on an overseas licence and transferring it to a state licence

Driver licensing is run by each state, so there is no single national rule. Temporary visa holders can generally drive on a valid overseas licence: in NSW for up to 6 months after arrival; in VIC you must transfer before you have lived there 6 months; the QLD, WA and SA websites set no time limit for temporary visa holders. Once you get permanent residency or citizenship, NSW, QLD and WA require you to transfer within 3 months, SA within 90 days, and VIC still counts 6 months of living in the state. A licence from a country that is not on a state's recognised list, for example mainland China, needs a theory test and a driving test in every state; check whether your own country is on the list. This page covers NSW, VIC, QLD, WA and SA.

Key facts

NSW: how long temporary visa holders can drive on an overseas licence

Temporary overseas visitors who arrived on or after 1 July 2023 can drive on their overseas licence for up to 6 months. To keep driving after that, apply for a temporary overseas visitor licence (a NSW licence) within those 6 months.¹

NSW: deadline for citizens and permanent residents to transfer

You can drive on your overseas licence for up to 3 months after arriving. Within those 3 months you must transfer it to a NSW licence at a Service NSW centre. Drivers aged 75 and over need a medical assessment. Enquiries: 13 77 88.²

NSW: tests for a licence from a non-recognised country (for example China)

China is on the non-recognised countries list, so holders must pass the Driver Knowledge Test (DKT) and a driving test. From 1 February 2026, Hong Kong (SAR) licences are also non-recognised and need both tests. Check whether your own country is on the recognised list below.¹

NSW: recognised countries and regions (no tests)

Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Ireland, Isle of Man (licences issued from 1 April 1991), Italy, Japan, Jersey, Luxembourg, Malta (licences issued or renewed from 2 January 2004), the Netherlands, New Zealand (except paper licences), Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The licence must be current or expired by no more than 5 years, and must not be a learner licence. Licences from any country not on this list need the knowledge test and the driving test.³

NSW: which licence class you get

It depends on how long you have held your overseas licence: less than 12 months, you get a P1 licence; 12 months to less than 3 years, a P2 licence; more than 3 years, a full (unrestricted) licence. NSW reserves the right to require any applicant to sit the knowledge test or the driving test.⁶

NSW: accepted translators

Only translations from Multicultural NSW, the federal Department of Home Affairs (Free Translating Service), the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Sydney (Korean licences) or the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (Taiwanese licences) are accepted, and you must present the original. Translations from any other source are not accepted.²

NSW: test and licence fees (from 1 July 2026)

DKT A$58 (unlimited attempts online; A$58 per attempt at a centre); driving test A$72 per attempt; full licence 1 year A$74, 3 years A$172, 5 years A$234, 10 years A$434.⁴

NSW: the Q marking on a temporary visitor licence

A NSW licence issued to a temporary visa holder has the letter Q on the front and a note on the back that proof of permanent residency was not provided. When you later get permanent residency or citizenship, show proof at a Service NSW centre to have the Q condition removed. The application form is the Licence Application (Form 1001).⁵

VIC: deadline to transfer

If you intend to live in Victoria for more than 6 months, you must transfer your overseas licence to a Victorian licence (the website does not distinguish between temporary and permanent visas). The 6 months count from the day you first start living in Victoria; leaving and coming back does not restart the count.⁷

VIC: translations and International Driving Permits

If your licence is not in English, you need a translation by a NAATI-accredited translator or by your country's consulate in Australia. You can instead use an International Driving Permit (IDP) that complies with the UN convention and was issued by the country that issued your licence. It must show the date of first issue, the licence categories, the expiry date, your full name and your date of birth, and you must carry it together with your original licence.⁷

VIC: tests for a licence from a non-recognised country (example: China)

For a valid Chinese licence held for more than 3 years, the VicRoads online requirements checker says you must pass all three tests: the Learner Permit Test (road rules knowledge), the Hazard Perception Test and the Drive Test. After passing, you get a Full Licence. The website notes that the checker result is a guide only and is confirmed when your licence is verified at your appointment. Run the checker for your own country.⁸

VIC: appointment fee and licence fees

Licence verification appointment fee A$22.10; full licence 3 years A$96.50, 10 years A$330.70.⁹

VIC: test fees

Learner Permit Test: first attempt online free, each further attempt A$28.70 (at a centre, A$28.70 plus the A$22.10 appointment fee). Hazard Perception Test: first attempt online free, each further attempt A$22.10. Drive Test: A$53.20 plus the A$22.10 appointment fee, A$75.30 in total.¹⁰

QLD: deadline to transfer

Australian citizens and holders of a resident visa (a permanent visa or a special category visa) must transfer to a Queensland licence once they have lived in Queensland for 3 months. Temporary visas, business visas and guardian visas do not count as resident visas, and the website sets no transfer deadline for temporary visa holders. If your licence is not in English, carry an approved English translation when you drive (NAATI has a list of approved translators).¹²

QLD: tests for licences from non-recognised countries (China, India and others)

The website gives China, India, South Korea and Taiwan as examples of non-recognised countries: you must pass the road rules test and the practical driving test and pay the test fees, unless your licence is from a recognised (exempt) country or jurisdiction.¹¹

QLD: recognised (exempt) countries and jurisdictions

Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Ireland, Isle of Man (licences issued from 1 April 1991), Italy, Japan, Jersey, Luxembourg, Malta (licences issued from 2 January 2004), the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States (New Zealand has separate rules). If you hold, or have held within the last 5 years, a car or motorcycle licence from one of these, you are exempt from the road rules test and the practical driving test. Licences from anywhere else need both tests, but you do not need to get a Queensland learner licence first. If you fail the practical test, your right to drive on your overseas licence is withdrawn.¹³

QLD: translations and documents

When you transfer, a licence that is not in English needs an English translation by a NAATI-accredited translator. All documents (proof of identity, proof of your Queensland address) must be originals; photocopies and certified copies are not accepted. No form is needed at a transport and motoring customer service centre; at police stations and most QGAP offices you fill in form F3000. Drivers aged 75 and over must also provide medical certificate form F3712.¹¹

QLD: test and licence fees (from 1 July 2026)

Road rules test A$29.70; practical driving test A$69.40; licence 1 year A$94.65, 2 years A$132.00, 3 years A$163.25, 4 years A$188.95, 5 years A$212.00.¹⁴

WA: deadline to transfer

Australian citizens and permanent residents can drive on an overseas licence for up to 3 months and must apply to transfer within those 3 months; after that you cannot drive even if the overseas licence is still valid. Tourists and people in WA temporarily to study or work do not have to transfer: they can keep driving as long as their overseas licence is valid.¹⁵

WA: China and other non-recognised countries

The website's country check lists China as non-recognised. The countries added to the recognised list from 31 October 2026 (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Cyprus, Serbia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea and Taiwan) do not include mainland China either. Use the country check for your own country.¹⁵

WA: tests for a licence from a non-recognised country

If your licence is current or expired by no more than 12 months, you must pass the Computerised Theory Test and the Practical Driving Assessment, and take an eyesight test when you apply. A licence that is not in English needs an approved translation (for example by a NAATI-accredited translator). The form is DLA1.¹⁶

WA: fees (as shown on the website in October 2026)

Theory test A$22.40 (resit A$19.20); transfer application fee where a driving assessment is required A$150.80; each practical assessment resit A$120.50; licence 1 year A$49.40, 5 years A$172.00.¹⁶

SA: deadline to transfer

Within 90 days of becoming a permanent resident of South Australia you must get an SA licence. Short-term visitors must carry an English-language licence, or their licence plus an English translation or an International Driving Permit (the IDP must be issued by the country that issued the licence and carried with the original licence), and must be able to show their passport to police.¹⁷

SA: temporary visas, translations and random checks

Students, visitors and people working on a temporary visa can keep driving on a valid overseas licence; you only need to transfer if the licence expires and cannot be renewed. Translations must be originals from a NAATI-accredited translator (stamped or with the NAATI digital seal), your country's consulate in Australia, the SA Government's Interpreting and Translating Centre or an equivalent body in another state. Holders of licences from non-recognised countries may be randomly selected for a validation assessment (a driving test) before the licence is issued.¹⁸

Who is this for, and what are the requirements?

• You hold a valid overseas licence and are visiting Australia short term or on a temporary visa: you can drive on it within the time limit your state allows. If the licence is not in English, carry a translation or an International Driving Permit (IDP).
• You have permanent residency or citizenship and want to keep driving: NSW, QLD and WA require you to transfer within 3 months, SA within 90 days, and VIC counts 6 months of living in the state.
• Your licence is from a country that is not on the recognised list, for example mainland China: in all five states you must pass a theory test and a driving test, with no exemption. Check whether your own country is on your state's list.
• You cannot drive on an overseas licence if you are disqualified, suspended or have had a licence cancelled anywhere. If you fail the driving test in your state, your right to drive on your overseas licence is usually withdrawn (the QLD website says this clearly).

How do I do it? Steps and process

1. Work out your visa status and your state

   Temporary visa holders and permanent residents or citizens follow different rules, and each state has its own deadline: NSW 6 months on a temporary visa and 3 months with PR; VIC before 6 months of living there; QLD and WA 3 months with PR; SA 90 days with PR; the QLD, WA and SA websites set no deadline for temporary visas. The clock usually starts the day you arrive (or start living in the state, or get PR). Do not leave it to the last few days.

2. Get a translation or an International Driving Permit

   If your licence is not in English, carry a translation (or an IDP plus your original licence) whenever you drive. For the transfer itself, NSW accepts only translations from Multicultural NSW, the Department of Home Affairs, the Korean Consulate General and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office; an ordinary NAATI translation is refused there. VIC, QLD, WA and SA accept NAATI-accredited translations (VIC and SA also accept consulate translations). Originals only.

3. Check whether you need tests, and which ones

   A licence from a non-recognised country (China, for example) needs tests in every state. NSW: the DKT and a driving test. VIC: the Learner Permit Test, Hazard Perception Test and Drive Test (use the VicRoads requirements checker for your own situation). QLD: the road rules test and the practical driving test. WA: the theory test and the PDA driving assessment. SA: use the Check overseas licence tool on sa.gov.au.

4. Lodge your documents at a service centre

   NSW: take Form 1001 to a Service NSW centre. VIC: first complete the online road rules course and tests, then book an appointment at a VicRoads customer service centre to have your licence verified (appointment fee A$22.10). QLD: go to a transport and motoring customer service centre, a QGAP office or, in remote areas, a police station. WA: go to a DTMI service centre or regional agent with form DLA1. SA: go to Service SA. Every state needs original proof of identity, proof of your address in the state and an eyesight check.

5. Sit the theory test

   The NSW DKT can be done online. The VIC Learner Permit Test and Hazard Perception Test are done online through myVicRoads (first attempt free); if your English is limited you can book to sit them at a customer service centre in another language. In QLD you can do PrepL online or, if you cannot easily get online, sit a written test at a licence-issuing office with help from an interpreter or staff. In WA the theory test is sat in person at a DVS centre.

6. Pass the driving test and get your new licence

   After passing the theory test, book the driving test (NSW A$72; VIC A$53.20 plus the appointment fee; QLD A$69.40; WA A$150.80 transfer application fee where a driving assessment is required, and A$120.50 for each resit). After passing, pay the licence fee. You can choose a licence term from 1 to 10 years, but the options differ by state.

7. Once you have the new licence, your overseas licence no longer counts in that state

   QLD and SA say clearly that once a state licence has been issued, you can no longer drive on your overseas licence in that state. If your NSW licence carries the Q condition, remember to have it removed once you get permanent residency.

What documents do I need?

• Your original overseas licence (current; WA accepts one that expired no more than 12 months ago)
• Original translation of the licence (each state accepts different translators, see the facts) or an International Driving Permit plus the original licence
• Original proof of identity (passport and similar) and proof of your address in the state; permanent residents and citizens also need their permanent visa or citizenship evidence
• Application form: NSW Licence Application (Form 1001); VIC Licence or learner permit application form; QLD form F3000 (at a police station or QGAP office); WA form DLA1
• The glasses or contact lenses you drive with (there is an eyesight test); drivers aged 75 and over need a medical assessment in NSW and medical certificate form F3712 in QLD
• Test fees and licence fees (amounts in the facts)

What should I watch out for?

• If you move to another state, the time limit restarts under the new state's rules: NSW gives temporary visa holders only 6 months, VIC counts 6 months of living there, and QLD, WA and SA set no limit for temporary visas but require permanent residents to transfer within 3 months or 90 days. Each state applies only its own rules.
• Translations are the biggest trap in NSW: it accepts only four sources (Multicultural NSW, the Department of Home Affairs and two consular offices). A standard NAATI translation will be refused at Service NSW. The other states accept NAATI-accredited translations.
• From 1 February 2026 NSW no longer recognises Hong Kong licences, so holders must sit the DKT and driving test. From 31 October 2026 WA recognises 14 more jurisdictions, including South Korea and Taiwan, but mainland China is still not on any state's recognised list. Check whether a change affects your country.
• Which licence class you get depends on how long you have held your licence and your age: NSW uses the date of first issue to decide between P1, P2 and a full licence; VicRoads also says that drivers who got their licence before age 21 and have held it for less than 4 years may receive a different licence type.
• Tests in another language or with an interpreter: in VIC you can book to sit the tests at a customer service centre in another language and take an interpreter to the drive test; in QLD an interpreter or staff member can help with the written road rules test. For NSW and WA, check the official website for language options.
• Fees change around 1 July each year; the amounts on this page are the current official figures (the NSW and QLD fees apply from 1 July 2026). Rescheduling a VicRoads appointment costs another A$22.10 appointment fee.
• This page covers only NSW, VIC, QLD, WA and SA; for the ACT, TAS and NT check their own websites. It is a plain-English summary of public information. Rules differ by state, so follow your own state's website and service centre. It is not legal advice.

What has changed recently?

• 2026-10-31
  WA: car and motorcycle licences from Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Cyprus, Serbia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea and Taiwan can be transferred to a WA licence without the theory test or driving assessment (only for applications lodged from this date). Mainland China is not on the list. Coming soonSource: transport.wa.gov.au ↗
• 2026-02-01
  NSW: Hong Kong (SAR) licences were added to the non-recognised list, so transferring one requires the DKT and a driving test. The Experienced Driver Status test exemption for some countries ended on the same day.Source: nsw.gov.au ↗

Common questions

Where can I check the official information?

1. Driving with an overseas or interstate licence in NSWTransport for NSW · nsw.gov.au
2. Transfer an overseas driver licenceService NSW · service.nsw.gov.au
3. Knowledge and driving test exemptionsTransport for NSW · nsw.gov.au
4. Driver and rider licence feesTransport for NSW · nsw.gov.au
5. Apply for a NSW licence as a temporary overseas visitorService NSW · service.nsw.gov.au
6. Check your licence eligibilityTransport for NSW · nsw.gov.au
7. Convert overseas licenceVicRoads (Department of Transport and Planning, Victoria) · vicroads.vic.gov.au
8. Convert your overseas licence (requirements checker)VicRoads (Department of Transport and Planning, Victoria) · vicroads.vic.gov.au
9. Driver licence feesVicRoads (Department of Transport and Planning, Victoria) · vicroads.vic.gov.au
10. Ls and Ps feesVicRoads (Department of Transport and Planning, Victoria) · vicroads.vic.gov.au
11. Transferring to a Queensland licenceQueensland Government (Department of Transport and Main Roads) · qld.gov.au
12. Driving in Queensland on an interstate or overseas licenceQueensland Government (Department of Transport and Main Roads) · qld.gov.au
13. Exempt countries and jurisdictionsQueensland Government (Department of Transport and Main Roads) · qld.gov.au
14. Licence feesQueensland Government (Department of Transport and Main Roads) · qld.gov.au
15. Moving from overseas: transferring your overseas licenceDepartment of Transport and Major Infrastructure (Western Australia) · transport.wa.gov.au
16. Transfer a licence from a non-recognised jurisdictionDepartment of Transport and Major Infrastructure (Western Australia) · transport.wa.gov.au
17. Driving with your overseas licence in SADepartment for Infrastructure and Transport (South Australia) · sa.gov.au
18. Transfer your overseas driver's licenceDepartment for Infrastructure and Transport (South Australia) · sa.gov.au

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