Applying for a New Zealand License

New Zealand recognises certain overseas country’s driver licences. For information about which countries are recognised, or how to become a recognised country for New Zealand please visit  www.nzta.govt.nzOpens in new window

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Applying for an Australian  Driver’s License

If your overseas license ceases to be valid, you may be eligible to apply for an Australian Driver’s license.

A person who enters Australia on a permanent visa or who is a permanent resident may drive on their current overseas licence for a maximum of three months after arriving in Australia. If they wish to continue to drive after three months, an Australian  driver’s license must be obtained in the state or territory in which the person is residing.

Recognised countries and jurisdictions

Australian driver’s license agencies recognise certain overseas countries and jurisdictions as having comparable licensing standards to Australia.

Individual applicants from the countries listed below are exempt from undertaking a knowledge and drive/ride test when applying for an Australian car or motorcycle licence.

This makes it simpler to exchange a driver’s licence.

Recognised countries and jurisdictions are:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Canada
• Croatia
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Guernsey
• Ireland
• Isle of Man (for licences first issued on or after 1 April 1991)
• Italy
• Japan
• Jersey
• Luxembourg
• Malta (for licences first issued on or after 2 January 2004)
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Portugal
• Singapore
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• UK
• USA

Experienced Driver Recognition

Countries and jurisdictions whose licence testing standards meet the stringent assessment criteria relating to evidence of identity, security features of the card and licence examiner training and assessment standards but do not meet all of the licence testing requirements will be considered for Experienced Driver Recognition status. The experienced driver recognition category aims to recognise a person’s driving experience and age as a substitute for licensing measures aimed at novice drivers.

The following countries and jurisdictions have obtained Experienced Driver Recognition status:

• Bulgaria
• Czech Republic
• Estonia
• Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China)*
• Hungary
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Poland
• Republic of Cyprus
• Republic of Korea (South Korea)
• Republic of Serbia
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• South Africa
• Taiwan

A person who holds a driver’s licence from one of these countries and is 25 years of age or older may be able to exchange their overseas licence for an Australian issued driver licence without driver testing.

A person who holds a driver’s licence from one of these countries and is under 25 years of age will be required to undertake theory and practical driving tests. If a person passes the tests set by the jurisdiction, their overseas licence will be converted, based on years of driving experience and age, to the class of licence they would have been on had they commenced driving in that Australian jurisdiction.

* A person wishing to exchange a Hong Kong licence without driver testing must be 25 years or older and must have held the Hong Kong Licence for at least 12 months.

Other Countries

Applicants for an Australian driver’s license who hold a driver’s licence from a non recognised country, are required to undertake a theory test and a practical driving test. If applicants pass both the theory and practical tests, their overseas licence will be converted, based on years of driving experience and age, to the class of licence they would have been on had they commenced driving in that Australian jurisdiction.

Converting an Overseas Licence

Individuals seeking conversion of an overseas licence should make direct contact with the relevant Australian road agency.
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