Key Points
- The conversion process of overseas-issued licences will change in 2025.
- Overseas licence holders from certain countries will have to undergo further training and testing.
- Visitors in Australia who hold an overseas licence will not be affected by these changes.
Some residents seeking to convert their overseas-issued driver’s licences to Australian ones may soon face additional requirements.
Austroads, which manages international licences on behalf of the states and territories, announced earlier this week that the conversion process would change from next year.
“The new process has been designed with strengthened assessment criteria, greater clarity regarding mandatory requirements and a focus on a Safe System approach,” Geoff Allan, Austroads chief executive, said in a statement.
How does the current system work?
Currently, under the Recognised Country Scheme, permanent residents from certain countries can convert their driving licences under specific circumstances.
Ausroads says the scheme “provides for more streamlined conversion of licences from certain countries to Australian licences, in some cases without any additional testing requirements”.
Individuals with a licence from a country with “Recognised Country Status” are exempt from taking a knowledge and driving/riding test when applying for an Australian car or motorcycle licence.
Countries that do not meet all the licensing testing requirements are eligible for Experienced Driver Recognition status.
Those holding a licence from a country with Experienced Driver Recognition status and are over 25 years old “may be issued a comparable Australian licence without further training or assessment”.
People who hold licences issued in other countries, as well as those who hold licences from experienced driver countries and are younger than 25, will need to do tests.
What is changing?
With the new changes, the Experienced Driver Recognition status will “cease on 30 April 2025 in most Australian states and territories and nationally in subsequent months”.
As a result, drivers from countries with Experienced Driver Recognition status will need to transition away from the status.
“If an overseas licence holder does not apply to transition to an Australian licence before the Experienced Driver Recognition Scheme ends, they are likely to have to undertake further training and testing before they can be issued with an Australian licence,” Allan said.
Ausroads has encouraged countries in this category to apply for recognised status.
The countries in this category are: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hong Kong, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Republic of Cyprus, South Korea, Republic of Serbia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa and Taiwan.
Visitors in Australia who hold an overseas license will not be affected by these changes.
“These changes do not apply to visitors to Australia who will continue to be able to drive on Australian roads if they hold a valid overseas licence and comply with all conditions of that licence,” Allan said.
