Driver's Licence

[Newbie]

After taking a sit down test, you can swap your UK drivers licence for an Aus Licence. Strictly speaking you should hand in your UK licence for destruction - but I would want to keep mine for use with trips in the UK. Has anyone had an experience on whether they could keep their UK licence or not?

BTW, The Aus licence costs $25 per year, so if you take out a 10 year licence, the cost is $250. Bizarre?

[taylor family]

After taking a sit down test, you can swap your UK drivers licence for an Aus Licence. Strictly speaking you should hand in your UK licence for destruction - but I would want to keep mine for use with trips in the UK. Has anyone had an experience on whether they could keep their UK licence or not?

BTW, The Aus licence costs $25 per year, so if you take out a 10 year licence, the cost is $250. Bizarre?
:confused:myself and my wife just went to the licencing office filled the forms out paid the fee had picture taken and got licence in about a week did not need to take test but I was under the impresion that after 3 months you might need to take a test.
hope that helps all the best alan and laura taylor aberfoyle pk.

[BJF]

We had to produce our UK full drivers licence to show we held full one's, we DID have to take the tick test but that was almost 3 years ago and in Brisbane, I think we paid $60 for a 5 year licence but then had to change it to a SA one when we moved down here and paid about $15. for it. No one took our UK licences off us and they now have my mum's UK address on them.

Other Raffy's who have come over recently to join RAAF (yes my hubby really started a trend) have said all they've had to do is go to the licencing place, show they hold a full licence, have their picture taken, pay $15. and get given an SA licence. No tick test and no one has taken their UK licences off them.

[dglamoore]

There is no test here anymore :rolleyes: just take your uk licence to any transport office, fill in the form, take your pic and pay the fee to get your aussie one. Greg kept his uk one too no problems :)

Lisa:cool:

[Guzzler&Sas]

Hi,

Agree with Lisa, go in show your UK licence, pay your fee, have your photo and wait a week or two for your Aussie licence.
You get to keep your UK licence and by getting a ten year licence you only pay the admin charge currently $15 once.

Good luck

Guzzler

[Newbie]

Oh... it seems easier than I thought then.

I got my original advice from a Brit colleague, but he did it 3 years ago. He had to take the tick test and pay $250 for a 10 year licence.

My UK licence is the old paper type (no photo ID), but totally clean, which should help.

I'll pop up to the transport office sometime and see what happens.

[Angela]

Can I just ask, is this a priority gaining an SA license or something that needs completing within about 1 or 2 months.
Just trying to pull a list of 'must do's/urgents' together as we arrive in about 18 days time !!

Thanks
Angela

[soggy]

Can I just ask, is this a priority gaining an SA license or something that needs completing within about 1 or 2 months.
Just trying to pull a list of 'must do's/urgents' together as we arrive in about 18 days time !!

Thanks
Angela

I think if you are PR you have to do it in 3 months, if you buy a car any insurance will cost more if you dont have a SA licence so proberly worth doing befor you buy car or as soon as you can

Simon

[sparkly cat]

Hi

No test to take for us, we arrived in january and cant remember what we paid. Had our pictures taken there and then and licence arrived about a week later. The guy did want to destroy our licence, but as we wanted to use it again in Uk all he did was put a hole in one corner.

just take your paper copy and then you wont have any problems.

I would say the Licence is a must do as I cant remember how many times I have been asked for it as proof of identity.

Sandra

[Traci5]

The advantage of changing over your license early is that it is used by most places as a form of ID. So setting up a bank account, mortgage etc is easier as it will give you 50 points I think for having a aussie drivers license. They usually ask for 100 points. so a passport will make the rest up.
We did it when we first got here within a week and there was no test...just fill out a form...get your photo taken and pay your fee...all really painless. We showed them our English license but they never asked to destroy it.Thats seems a bit odd why they would want to do that as no-one knows whether or not they are actually gonna stay for the rest of their lives and then there is always holidaying back in England. Dodgy....I wouldn't let them do it if they asked me.

Enjoy!

[csobrien1966]

The advantage of changing over your license early is that it is used by most places as a form of ID. So setting up a bank account, mortgage etc is easier as it will give you 50 points I think for having a aussie drivers license. They usually ask for 100 points. so a passport will make the rest up.
We did it when we first got here within a week and there was no test...just fill out a form...get your photo taken and pay your fee...all really painless. We showed them our English license but they never asked to destroy it.Thats seems a bit odd why they would want to do that as no-one knows whether or not they are actually gonna stay for the rest of their lives and then there is always holidaying back in England. Dodgy....I wouldn't let them do it if they asked me.

Enjoy!


NO NEED TO WORRY THEY WONT ASK AT ALL JUST NEED TO SEE IT TO SEE IF ITS A FULL LICENCE....

[mOZzy]

i was wondering since i haven't got an UK license but an EU license - will i have the same procedure of just showing it???

thanks

[csobrien1966]

i was wondering since i haven't got an UK license but an EU license - will i have the same procedure of just showing it???

thanks

HELLO MOZZY I WILL FIND OUT TOMORROW FOR YOU IF YOU WANT

WHERE WAS THE PLACE OF ISSUE ie WHICH COUNTRY?

IF ITS FROM ANY OF THESE YOU SHOULD BE OK



Austria
Belgium
Canada
Croatia
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Guernsey
Ireland
Isle of Man
Italy
Japan
Jersey
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
New Zealand *
Norway
Portugal
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States

[mOZzy]

austria!
so that sounds promising!!

thanks chris

just one thing less to think of ... not that i wouldn't pass the test but still .... :confused:

[Andrew Rose]

My experience:
Used UK old style paper licence initially. On a temp visa you can do this for 4 years: no temp visa lasts longer than this. No problem at all with: hiring from major or small companies, or Bunnings ('B and Q'), driving works cars, buying, registering, insuring and using car or motorbike, getting points for speeding. The ID issue was a minor one, and the use of a UK licence with a redundant address on it is not good. (My advice, change the address to a parents address before you leave)Once you have a permanent visa you have 3 months, and it really is as easy as stated in posts above. The official info suggests you have to surrender your UK licence, but this wasn't even mentioned.
The drop in insurance costs on getting the SA licence isn't much, so if you're temporary, delay the SA licence till a permanent visa forces the issue.
ps UK: 2 speeding convictions in 27 years. SA: 3 in 20 months (careful, accident free driver)
UK: 1 breath test ever. SA: 4 in 20 months (2 in 1 afternoon) (all 5 read zero, by the way)

[ajg]

Do you have to do a sight test too as you do in WA, VIC etc as well? Wish they would standardize the whole system :)

[laura girling]

Hiya there,

My experience of this is I did'nt get around to exchanging my licence for 6 months, i was a bit sloppy in this and probably lucky that there was no problems, I never had to take a sit down test, i just paid what seemed like loads of money at the time for a 3 year licence.
Plus they don't keep your UK licence any more here in Adelaide.
Lauraxxx

[ajg]

Hiya there,

My experience of this is I did'nt get around to exchanging my licence for 6 months, i was a bit sloppy in this and probably lucky that there was no problems, I never had to take a sit down test, i just paid what seemed like loads of money at the time for a 3 year licence.
Plus they don't keep your UK licence any more here in Adelaide.
Lauraxxx

I know of someone who didn't exchange for 5 years, and still had no issues. That was WA though. So did you do a sight test Laura. Seems online that Adelaide (SA) doesn't do one, Brissy (Queens) is at discression and everywhere else they do... Thinking of migrating from Perth to Adelaide in 6 months time.

[laura girling]

I know of someone who didn't exchange for 5 years, and still had no issues. That was WA though. So did you do a sight test Laura. Seems online that Adelaide (SA) doesn't do one, Brissy (Queens) is at discression and everywhere else they do... Thinking of migrating from Perth to Adelaide in 6 months time.


Hi again,

Theres no eye test just easy peasy really.
What brings you to Adelaide?
Lauraxxxx

[sarahsmartiepants]

Blimy this an old post dug up:huh:

[graandjac]

Blimy this an old post dug up:huh:

Sarah....you must be trying to kill time before your hols to spot that:biglaugh:

[ajg]

Hi again,

Theres no eye test just easy peasy really.
What brings you to Adelaide?
Lauraxxxx

Sorry for the long delay in writing. Just bored of Perth and fancy a change. Although my wages will be less (as a mech fitter) in Ade, i am hoping this is balanced by lower rent. Currently paying 450 a week for 2 bed 2 bath apartment. Crazy rental scene here.