Drivers licence and buying a car in SA

[richard300]

We move in March 2015 and i have a question regarding drivers licence and buying a car in South Australia.

 

Is obtaining a drivers licence (i have a full UK licence) relatively simple? Is there a maximum period of time that you can drive in Australia on a Uk licence?

When buying a car, what does one need to have in place to make it legal?

 

For example: In the UK, you need to have the V5 suitably filled in, car insured, taxed and MOT'd.....

 

Currently i am drawn (for several reasons - including budget) to a 4.0litre AU series Falcon.

[Blossom]

If you have a temp visa you can carry on driving on it until 3 months after you get pr. If you have pr then you have three months from when you move. It's pretty easy.

Registering a car is easy too. You only need the papers and to pay stamp duty and rego. Some ID too of course. I can't remember off hand exactly what they wanted without an Aussie licence.

[RachaelOs]

Getting a licence is really easy, we went to a place in Christies beach (which is just next to Port Norlunga) go in fill in a form, take your ID - can't remember what we needed definitely passport and UK licence and maybe take bank card and Medicare card if you can. The licence does have your address on it so you may want to secure your rental beforehand (we hadn't moved in to ours but we had the contract). You can get the licence for different amounts of time, 1 year, 2 years, 10 years etc obvs with the cost getting more expensive. They give you a paper licence there and then and then your card comes in the post a week or so later.

 

We bought our car from a dealership so they then took a copy of the temp licence and registered it for us and sorted out the first 3 months tax as well.

[snifter]

You need 100 points of ID. Passport, bank card and a Medicare card should be enough. There are plenty of offices around to walk in and apply. They'll take a mugshot on the day too.

 

Suggest you get Medicare and bank stuff in place firmest to get the ID points in place. You'll need it for other things anyway.

[sidestep]

Currently i am drawn (for several reasons - including budget) to a 4.0litre AU series Falcon.

Series 1 AU's were known for having electrical issues. 2's and 3's were ok.

[richard300]

Thanks for the feedback..... From doing a little research, it looks like setting up a bank account whilst in the UK is simple enough and i can make an appointment for (hopefully) the day i arrive to pick up the bank card(s).

 

Can i do all the Medicare in advance (whilst still in the uk)?

 

Am i correct in assuming, that, if i buy a 2nd hand car that has a registration document (Rego)? that makes the car legal to drive - Because the registration document is effectively road tax/mot and basic insurance)?

 

Do most cars get sold with a registration document?

[Guest Guest12727]

Thanks for the feedback..... From doing a little research, it looks like setting up a bank account whilst in the UK is simple enough and i can make an appointment for (hopefully) the day i arrive to pick up the bank card(s).

 

Can i do all the Medicare in advance (whilst still in the uk)?

 

Am i correct in assuming, that, if i buy a 2nd hand car that has a registration document (Rego)? that makes the car legal to drive - Because the registration document is effectively road tax/mot and basic insurance)?

 

Do most cars get sold with a registration document?

 

You have to be here to get your Medicare card. This has names of all the family members on it. I am not sure if you can do this to include your wife (plus any other children) if they haven't arrived yet. (You mention in another post coming out before your wife).

 

It is illegal to sell a car without a registration certificate. This document has the transfer of ownership information on it that is completed by the seller and buyer and sent into the rego dept, so they know who is the registered owner of the vehicle. This document also tells you how much registration is left on the vehicle, which will be considered in the price you pay for the car. If there is a full year of rego you would pay more for the car than if there is just 1 month. Registration is the same as tax but also includes third party personal insurance. So you can drive and know that if you injure or kill some-one you are covered, but you are not covered for any sort of damage to your or any other vehicle or property. You need to take out your own comp insurance for that, but that is your choice / risk.

[Blossom]

You can also take out third party property insurance which is much less than fully comp and will cover you for if you hit another car. Worth thinking about if you just buy a cheap run around.

[candt]

We just arrived, brought a cheap car it has 2 months rego left. Went to the office to register it and they gave us some forms to complete. We bought the car before we got a place to rent. You can drive it for upto 14 days before registering change of owner, after that they fine you. We have uk licenses only at the mo, when we got a residential address we went to the bank to tell them and they also completed a client number form, given to us from car registration place. We could then register the car it cost $27. The rego can be paid every 3, 6 or 12 months. I think you can keep your Uk licenses for upto 3 months and I'm told they cost $180 but maybe someone else can confirm that part?

[candt]

You can also take out third party property insurance which is much less than fully comp and will cover you for if you hit another car. Worth thinking about if you just buy a cheap run around.

Hi Blossom

where can I look into this? A price comparison site?

[Blossom]

Hi Blossom

where can I look into this? A price comparison site?

Phone any insurance company and ask. Your bank will probably do it too. I have no idea about price comparison websites. My car is an import so there are only three companies who will insure it so no need for me to use them.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Blossom
Spelling

[sidestep]

.... The rego can be paid every 3, 6 or 12 months...

Isn't Rego only either 3 or 12 months now?