Discussion Paper:
Driving on an overseas licence in Western Australia
Introduction
The Department of Transport (DoT) is considering changes to rules and regulations relating to
persons driving in Western Australia (WA) on an overseas driver’s licence.
The changes may affect temporary visitors to WA and those that move permanently to WA.
This paper provides general information on the current requirements and the proposed
changes. A more detailed paper is available at www.transport.wa.gov.au
DoT would like to know what you think of the proposed changes.
Why is DoT proposing changes to overseas driver’s licence rules?
A recent co-operative investigation with the Corruption and Crime Commission has determined
two key recommendations for change;
• A licence issued under a foreign law becomes invalid three months after the holder
first arrives in WA; and
• a Practical Driving Assessment failure automatically cancels a foreign or interstate
licence.
Current Requirements
Driving in WA on an overseas licence
A person can drive on an overseas licence upon arrival in WA. The overseas licence must be
valid and carried while driving. If the overseas licence is a language other than English a
translation of it into the English language must also be carried.
A person that holds a permanent visa granted under the Migration Act 1958 cannot drive in WA
on their overseas licence after three months. The three months starts once the person lives in
WA and has a permanent visa. The three months does not start on the date the permanent
visa was granted unless the person already lives in WA. After the three months, the person
must hold a WA driver’s licence to continue driving in WA.
All other visitors to WA, such as temporary visa holders, can drive in WA on their overseas
licence unless:
• The overseas licence has expired or it is not valid in the home country;
• The person cannot safely drive;
• The person holds a WA or other Australian driver’s licence.
Visitors to WA can drive on their overseas licence, with no additional testing. This is widely
followed throughout the world. Australia is a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention on
Road Traffic. This provides the same arrangements for holders of an Australian driver’s
licence when driving overseas.
Obtaining a WA driver’s licence
WA currently follows the same process as other Australian States and Territories as well as
New Zealand.
The driver licence system in other countries are assessed against Australian and New Zealand
standards. Countries that meet the required standards are listed as recognised countries, and
those that partially meet the standards are listed as experienced driver recognised countries.
A full list of these countries can be located online at
www.transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/transferring-your-overseas-licence.asp
Recognised Countries
• A person who holds a car or motorcycle licence from a recognised country can be
granted a WA car or motorcycle driver’s licence without passing a theory test or
practical driving assessment.
• Tests are required to get a heavy vehicle licence (‘truck licence’) in WA.
Experienced driver recognised countries
• A person aged 25 years or older, who holds a car or motorcycle licence from an
experienced driver recognised country, can be granted a WA car or motorcycle driver’s
licence without passing a theory test or practical driving assessment.
• Tests are required for all ages to get a heavy vehicle licence (‘truck licence’) in WA.
Remaining countries
• Licence holders from all other countries must pass a theory test and practical driving
assessment before a car or motorcycle driver’s licence can be granted in WA.
• Further tests are required to get a heavy vehicle licence (‘truck licence’) in WA.
When applying for a WA driver’s licence a person must provide proof of their identity and
address.
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An overseas licence can be used to meet eligibility requirements for a higher class of licence.
For example, a person must have a car licence for one year before they can hold a light rigid
(LR) licence in WA. A person can use the time they have held an overseas car licence
towards the one year and apply for a WA light rigid (LR) licence instead of a car licence.
Depending on where the overseas licence was issued the person may need to complete a
general road rules and heavy vehicle theory test and a practical driving assessment, before
being granted a WA LR driver’s licence.
A failed Practical Driving Assessment in WA
Currently, when a person fails a practical driving assessment, they can continue to drive on
their overseas driver’s licence in WA. The Regulations do provide that in certain
circumstances DoT can advise a driver in writing that they can no longer drive in WA on the
overseas licence.
Discussion
Should the length of time a visiting driver or permanent visa holder can drive on their
overseas licence while in WA be changed?
Under the current system, a three month time limit is given to permanent visa holders that:
• allows people to drive when first arriving in WA;
• allows time for people to apply for a WA driver’s licence;
• encourages people to obtain a WA driver’s licence, which in turn:
o tests a person’s driving ability;
o provides a widely accepted identity document; and
o creates a record of the person’s driving history, road safety record and
their identity;
• recognises that permanent visa holders are likely to be:
o driving in WA for a long period of time; and
o engaged in work, including driving heavy vehicles or carrying fare paying
passengers.
In other Australian states and territories, permanent visa holders are restricted to driving on
their overseas licence for either three or six months.
All visitors to WA, who do not hold a permanent visa, can drive in WA until their overseas
licence expires, or the DoT advises the person in writing that they can no longer drive in WA on
their overseas licence. This is the same in most other Australian states and territories, except
the Northern Territory which limits the period to three months regardless of whether the person
is a visitor or not.
Some visitors stay in Australia for short periods. There are visitors that stay in Australia for a
number of years. For example the student visa (subclass 500) which can allow a person to
stay in Australia for up to five years. Under the current system, these visitors could drive on an
overseas licence in WA for the entire five years.
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Should DoT immediately remove the ability to drive on an overseas licence in WA when
a person fails a Practical Driving Assessment?
Removing the ability to drive on an overseas licence will mean the person will be no longer
allowed to drive in WA on the overseas licence, not even to drive home from the place where
the test was failed. The person can still use the overseas licence to drive in their home country
and the licence card will not be taken away. This is because WA laws do not apply in another
country.
Under this change, any overseas licence holder that fails a practical driving assessment:
• is not sufficiently able to safely drive in WA; and
• will immediately be forbidden from driving on the overseas licence in WA (this applies to
all car, motorcycle and truck licences held on the overseas licence).
Most other Australian states immediately withdraw an overseas driver’s licence should the
holder fail a practical driving assessment.
Provide your feedback
Feedback is being sought on whether the community supports the proposed changes to
overseas licences in WA to explore possible solutions.
You can provide your feedback by:
• Completing the survey by 5pm (WST), 30 September 2018
• Attending a workshop to be held in the Perth metropolitan area during September 2018.
(Date to be confirmed)
Please refer to the website www.transport.wa.gov.au/stakeholder-surveys for more information
on the survey and the workshop.
If you would like additional information about the proposed reforms, please contact-
Assistant Director Policy and Knowledge
Driver and Vehicle Services
Department of Transport
Email: dvspolicy@transport.wa.gov.au
Subject: Changes to overseas driver’s licence policy
Website: www.transport.wa.gov.au/stakeholder-surveys
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