jonnypirate

Once you've got your personal import approval from Canberra the next thing is paying the tax once the vehicle arrives. The usual way is having the vehicle appraised after it has landed. However, there is another way for lower value vehicles where they simply submit the vehicle details with an estimated value. I used this company in Australia https://www.cargoonline.com.au/ They were very efficient and sorted the tax out without the vehicle needing to be inspected for tax purposes. Also note that the tax you have to pay is based on the landed value and not the higher on the road value. I would also say to not waste your time and money having the vehicle thoroughly cleaned before its shipped. Make sure that its had a good wash and there is no apparent dirt underneath, but as they are often still directed to be steam cleaned once they arrive in Australia, there is not much point doing it twice.

Don't believe anyone who tells you that they will get your car on the road for a fee after the relevant compliance has been done. I had mine registered and on the road in Sydney within 2 hours of collecting it from Port Botany after paying the relevant tax based on the estimated landed value of the car. There is absolutely no different compliance required for ex UK vehicles as there is for those sold directly in Australia. As long as you've got your personal import approval from Canberra prior to shipping, you then just need a blue slip in NSW from a local garage which is the same as required for any vehicle that has been off the road for more than 6 weeks. The RMS in NSW even said that I could drive the vehicle from the port to a pre booked inspection near by which is exactly what I did and 30 minutes later I had the blue slip pass certificate in my hand. I definitely agree that new vehicles are cheaper in Australia compared to the UK but for some strange reason, used vehicles hold their value well above what they are really worth.

Bring your car as used car prices have gone through the roof over the last year in Australia. As long as you've owned the car for more than 12 months, its quite easy to get approval to bring it with you. I did it 10 years ago when I shipped my Toyota from the UK to Sydney in a 40ft container along with all our other household goods. As I recall, the container cost £1800 at the time which we had to load ourselves to get it at that price but only took a couple of hours. I still have the car (now in Perth) and its worth a lot more than it ever was back in the UK.

As long as you renew you expired QLD licence within 5 years you generally keep all your entitlements. After 5 years you will have to get a learners licence again or present your UK licence for it to be transferred. However, you would certainly be better renewing your QLD licence as that also has your truck licence on it which are generally not transferable from any UK truck licence without sitting a test.

All licencing categories are now the same across all States in Australia and most also apply very similar rules when transferring your UK Licence. Here in NSW you don't have to surrender your UK licence, you just present it to show what you are entitled drive in the UK. The RMS (Roads and Maritime Services) will give you a full car and bike licence if you hold them in the UK. As far as your truck licence is concerned, you can drive on your UK truck licence for 3 months when you'll then have to take a test which is much easier that in the UK. If you hold a UK CE (old class one) licence, you will be allowed to skip the usual process of passing a Rigid truck licence and holding it for a year and instead go direct to a HC (heavy combination) test which is the same as a UK CE licence. Basically, the driving school that teaches you are also authorised assessors and they will usually pass you on the same day particularly if you have already been driving trucks in the UK. Quite simply there are no scary examiners to have to contend with unlike the UK. The cost is around $1000 to $1500 depending where you go to. After holding your HC licence for a year you can then upgrade to the MC (multi combination) licence which is B double trucks and road trains. Again, this is usually done all in one day at a similar cost to the HC test. At the moment there is a massive shortage of truck drivers over here particularly in Sydney and earnings are getting really good. Certainly over $100,000 a year is well within scope and if you work afternoons or night shifts you can easily pull in $150,000 a year. The shortage means that even new drivers with no experience are being employed full time as the employers are desperate to get their hands on any driver who walk through the door including offering up to $2500 starter bonus just for accepting a job with the company. I transferred my UK licence back in 2008 and went direct to the HC licence and subsequently upgraded to the MC licence.

If you already hold a UK Class One (CE) semi trailer licence you are allowed exemption in NSW (probably the same in other states too) on the usual process of having to hold a rigid licence for a year before being allowed to take a trailer test. The RMS will allow you to go direct to HC trailer training and lets not forget that getting a truck licence in OZ is almost a easy as opening a packet of cornflakes. No 90 minutes nerve racking practical test in front of an examiner like they have in the UK. Here, the guy who teaches you also signs you off at the end of the training as being competent and that is it. (usually just a day for experienced drivers)

That was a while ago when I posted the info. But yeah, you can do the on-line mock theory tests before you then go to the RTA and take for real. If you do as many mock tests as I did until I finally got 100 % correct, I will be very surprised if there are any questions in the real test which you haven't already seen an answered in the mock tests. Did you previously hold any HGV/LGV licences in the UK? If you held a Class 1 or CE Artic licence, you can go directly to a HC test. If you held a Class 2 or C Rigid licence in the UK for over a year, you should be eligible to also go direct to a HC test.

Thanks for your message. If you already hold a UK CE licence then you should be allowed to go straight to an Australian HC test regardless of how long you've held your CE licence. The Australian state driving authorities have a book which they refer to with all the different international driving licences listed. When you show them your UK driving licence with a CE category, this then cross references within their book to allow you to go straight to take a HC test without having to first take a rigid test and wait a year before going to HC , which is the usual process for Australian drivers.

No, I'm back in the UK at the moment but should get back to NSW before the end of the year.

Hope that was helpful for you but just to be clear, you will still have to take a practical HC test to get your licence as well as also passing the theory test. However, for truck licences in Australia you have the option of either going in front of an examiner, just as in the UK, or you can opt for an accredited school who also conduct the test at the end of the training. If you already drive Class One trucks in the UK then you should be good enough for the training school to sign off your training record book after just one days training. You then simply take the signed book back to the state driving authority who will then issue you with a Heavy Vehicle Truck licence. With regard to the theory test, if you take the time to read the books for a few days and do the online practice mock tests, then it is a quite straight forward touch screen multiple choice test. You can usually walk in to the driving authority office to take the test without having to pre book and it costs around $20. If you fail, you can keep retaking the test all day until you pass although you would have to pay the $20 for each attempt. The whole process really is much easier than the UK.

See my post I left earlier today for another member regarding HGV licences in Australia. Whilst you will have to take a test in Australia, if you held a Class One in the UK then you don't have to start off from Zero in Australia which, if was the case, would mean going back to a HR (Heavy Rigid for a year). They will in fact allow you to take a test at the same level you held in the UK which if it was a Class One then you can go direct to a HC test (Heavy Combination). You can also take the test with an accredited school without having to face an examiner if you don't want to. I did all this in 2008 and got my HC licence the same day after 8 hours of training.

Hi, I noticed your post from a couple of months back and thought you might like some info on changing to an Australian truck licence. Whilst they will simply exchange your UK Car and Bike Licences for Australian licences, that is not the same for HGV/LGV licences as you will have to take an Australian truck test. If your husband has held his UK Class 2 ( LGV C ) for more than a year he should be allowed to go directly to take an Australian HC Semi truck test (same as UK Class One or C+E). The difference in Australia is that you don't have to take your test in front of an examiner if you don't want to. You can choose to take a test with an accredited school where the guy who teaches you also conducts the assessment and test. I had held my UK Class One for 18 years and was allowed to go direct to a NSW HC test ( Heavy Combination). I had to first pass the theory test at the RTA office which is quite easy if you take the time to study the book for a few days and do the online mock tests. You Don't have to book the theory test, you can just walk in to any RTA office, pay the fee and take the test. If you fail, you can keep taking them all day until you pass, although you would have to pay the fee each time. A few days later I then started the practical training at 6am in the morning with a local company in Sydney. By 2pm I had completed the course and the instructor then signed off my training record book as being completed. You then simply take the signed and completed training record book back to the RTA who will issue you with a Heavy Vehicle Truck licence. Clearly, far easier than the UK HGV/LGV test and the nerves some people have when facing an examiner.