Are you allowed to keep your previous drivers licence ?

[Guest Flo]

If I understand this correctly if you hold a driver's licence from the UK (or another country on the recognised overseas licences list) you can simply swap your licence for a South Australian one. Can anyone tell me whether you have to surrender your original one or whether you get to keep it ?

 

I am holding currently a US and a German one (live in the UK, though don't drive here so never got around to get a UK one), both on the list, so if I have to surrender the licence will have to decide which one...

[Blossom]

You get to keep them. :-)

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

Nope you get to keep it...you can't have 2 from 2 different states in australia though

[Blossom]

Nope you get to keep it...you can't have 2 from 2 different states in australia though

I didn't realise that..

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

I didn't realise that..

 

Yep, when you go to get one in SA you have to give them your old one from whatever state, i think its so you don't rack up lots of points on them

[Guest Flo]

Great, thanks everyone

[Guest wijaya]

This was that I found in sa.gov.au website.

[h=2]New residents[/h]If you are issued a permanent visa and become a resident of South Australia, you must obtain a South Australian driver's licence within three months and you may be required to surrender your overseas driver's licence. Once you are issued with a South Australian learner's permit or driver's licence, your overseas licence is invalid.

[xzibit]

You don't have to surrender your overseas licence if its a UK licence and it's only invalid in Australia, you can use it in other countries.

[Keith & Linda]

You don't have to surrender your overseas licence if its a UK licence and it's only invalid in Australia, you can use it in other countries.

 

That's correct xzibit, the SA website does say may have to surrender, but even if you did surrender it you can always get another from DVA by saying its lost or something! But remember the 3 month limit on having to obtain your SA licence! this only applies if you have a permanment visa, temp visa's have different guidelines though it does not say how long temp is, at a guess if you have a 2yr visa then this is temp and not permanment, need to check with transport dept to clarify your own situation.

Edited August 4, 2013 by Keith & Linda
more info to add

[jim and adel]

Any driving licence is invalid if it's got an incorrect address on it. So, if you no longer live at (or at least own) the address on the UK one, then it shouldn't be used anyway.

[Keith & Linda]

Any driving licence is invalid if it's got an incorrect address on it. So, if you no longer live at (or at least own) the address on the UK one, then it shouldn't be used anyway.

 

Just checked the dvla site, and yes to change address you need to be a resident of the uk, how this affects temp resident visa here in oz i do not know. and you need to give previous 3 years address's, they will check all other agencies too! like dept of work and pensions, and HM revenue & customs. It does also tell you that that if you are moving abroad then you can not have your overseas address on your uk licence and to contact your licencing authority incountry if residence.

 

Thanks for that jim and adel, something everyone from uk needs to be aware of (myself included), suppose you could still use it as photo id (that is if you have the photo type)

[spanners]

As already mentioned your UK licence is not valid after 3 months as you no longer live at the address stated on the licence.

 

Word of warning - don't try whipping out your UK licence in an attempt to avoid penalty points if you have an Australian licence. The copper will just do a rego check, see that you own the vehicle and have a local licence and then give you a harsher fine for trying to be a smart arse.