Wokos Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Hi. We are off to Brisbane in October and I was wondering how you change your driving licence over. Is it just a form or a whole new driving test? thanks wokos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Are you on a UK licence? When we did it last year, it was very simple. No test, just a form, old licence, proof of address etc. Then they posted it out and it took about 2 weeks etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamffc Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 If you are coming on a temporary visa you do not need to get an Australian licence. If coming on a permanent visa you have six months from the date of arrival so don't worry about having to do it as a priority. That said do not forget about it though, a mate of mine just got fined $300 for being pulled over and only having his UK licence after being here 8 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 If you are coming on a temporary visa you do not need to get an Australian licence. If coming on a permanent visa you have six months from the date of arrival so don't worry about having to do it as a priority. That said do not forget about it though, a mate of mine just got fined $300 for being pulled over and only having his UK licence after being here 8 months. Is it 6 months in QLD as well as Victoria? It is three months in SA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamffc Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Is it 6 months in QLD as well as Victoria? It is three months in SA. My bad, I'm still relatively new and forget laws differ from state to state! You might want to check that out rather than take my word for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 I've been here 5.5 years and still can't believe the laws are all different in different states lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamffc Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 I've been here 5.5 years and still can't believe the laws are all different in different states lol. I saw a story on the news the other day about Victoria trying to extradite a guy who had been arrested in WA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 I know, it's crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 You have to exchange your licence within 3 months of arriving if on a PR visa in QLD .You can 'buy' a 1yr, 3 yr or 5yr licence. . Its a straight swap for car and bike but HGV isnt recognised and you have to do a test. It is used / requested alot as ID,, so we found it better to get them sorted sooner rather than later. Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 You have to exchange your licence within 3 months of arriving if on a PR visa in QLD .You can 'buy' a 1yr, 3 yr or 5yr licence. . Its a straight swap for car and bike but HGV isnt recognised and you have to do a test. It is used / requested alot as ID,, so we found it better to get them sorted sooner rather than later. Cal x I agree - we are on a 457 and got our licences as soon as we could for ID purposes. It's extremely handy for everything. Some people on Temp Visas don't as you can't receive points for QLD driving offences on your UK licence however there is debate about whether those points are put onto your QLD licence if you do end up getting one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 As others have said, it's a relatively easy straight swap here in Qld...but it's a bit more than just proving your address. You have to have the whole "100 points of identification" routine with you, including some proof of address. This won't be a problem after you get established and have the various paperwork associated with living here but you might be nearer the 3 months period before you have the bits and pieces. ID requirements for Queensland are listed HERE. As I say, none of this should be a problem...just don't want you queuing at Main Roads without all the right paperwork! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 As others have said, it's a relatively easy straight swap here in Qld...but it's a bit more than just proving your address. You have to have the whole "100 points of identification" routine with you, including some proof of address. This won't be a problem after you get established and have the various paperwork associated with living here but you might be nearer the 3 months period before you have the bits and pieces. ID requirements for Queensland are listed HERE. As I say, none of this should be a problem...just don't want you queuing at Main Roads without all the right paperwork! Maybe it has changed since last year? We got ours sorted in the first couple of weeks as soon as we had a rental contract. Can't remember what we took from that list but definitely passport, bank cards and UK licence. Was very simple then anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 The hard part can be the proof of a permanent address. If you were sorted out quickly with an address then that's no problem but, at least in our case, we weren't "permanent" for about 3 weeks then it took another month or so before we had paperwork like a utility bill to be used as proof. That page I linked to lists are the acceptable stuff and the "proof of address" part is tucked away at the bottom of the Category B ID section. FYI, I've had my Qld licence for six years so if there's been a change it was before you got here--however, the list on the web site looks the same as I had to work to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wokos Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Thanks. We are going with a PR visa. i thought it was a form but my hubby thought it was a test. I was getting concerned . I had images of my driving lessons years ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 You should still worry. They have an uncanny ability to take the worst licence photos you've ever seen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nohea Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 It's very easy, we got ours recently, it took about 30 mins, and that was including filling in the application in the office, then take it straight to the counter for processing, they have seats with cameras opposite the counter so do your pics there and then, and they check through the application and ask for any required id, we went for 5 years, not sure if we'll still be here then but just thought 5 years would be easier. You can't buy a car from a garage here without a license, so basically I found a car I wanted and whilst they sorted the roadworthy cert and rego we popped and got the license sorted, then went straight back and collected the car, was really quick and simple, they give you a temporary license so you can buy a car etc. ours took 4 weeks to come, but I would think that would depend on how busy they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Interesting that your licence took 4 weeks, Nohea. I had to renew my licence last December (five years being the maximum duration...time flew). When I first got my Queensland licence, they handed it to you then and there so the new system was a surprise to me. However, the temporary licence seemed fine--except it included wording about only being valid for x weeks (think it was two but I don't have it any more) and that if the permanent licence didn't arrive in that period you had to go back and see them. As luck would have it, I was in hospital when that period expired with no photo licence--and the real thing turned up in about 4 weeks like yours. I put it down to the Christmas rush but I'm now wondering if this is the norm--if so they should get rid of the dire warnings about the temp licence expiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.