Required Drivers licence for Visitors to Sydney is different based on your current drivers license.
If you are a licence holder from overseas and you want to drive while visiting NSW, you can use your current licence so long as your visitor status remains unchanged and your licence has not been suspended or disqualified. From Friday 18 April 2008, international drivers visiting NSW must have been in Australia for a minimum of six months before applying for a NSW driver licence.
The source of information on this page is the website of the road and traffic authority of NSW. The link is provided below. You should visit their site if you need to understand the legal issues related to your license conditions.
International drivers licence for visitors to Sydney can be used for driving cars in Sydney if you do not intend to stay in NSW and do not hold a permanent visa as this makes you a visiting driver.
Please note that if you hold a current overseas driver licence you are not required to get a NSW licence even if your stay is longer than three months.
If the licence is not written in English, an International Driving Permit, or an English translation must also be carried with the licence when driving.
Required Drivers licence for Permanent visa holders and New Zealand citizens. If you intend to stay in NSW and you hold a permanent visa you are no longer considered to be a visitor. In this case, you are allowed to drive or ride in NSW on a current overseas licence for a maximum of three months after arriving in Australia.
If you are a licence holder from New Zealand, you must obtain a NSW licence within three months of residing in NSW or stop driving.
If you wish to continue to drive you must get a NSW licence.
To obtain a NSW licence you must be aged 17 years or older.
If your Drivers licence is written in English: • Go to an RTA motor registry and present your licence.
If your licence is not written in English, provide:
• Your overseas licence and an official translation from the NSW Community Relations Commission or the Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs.
If you cannot produce your overseas licence, provide: • A letter from the overseas licence issuing authority confirming your licence details and status, or • A letter from a relevant consulate or diplomatic office, based on information received from the overseas licence issuing authority, confirming your licence details and status.
You must also: • Provide proof of your NSW address. • Prove your identity. • Pass an eyesight test. • Pass a knowledge test for each class of licence required, unless exempt. • Pass a driving or riding test, unless exempt.
Exemptions from licence tests:
You may not be required to pass a car/rider knowledge test or practical driving/riding test if:
• You have previously held an Australian driver or rider licence which can be verified by the issuing authority. • You hold a current New Zealand driver or rider licence. • You are applying for a car or rider licence and you hold a current overseas licence, or one that expired within the last five years, from a country recognised as having comparable licensing standards to Australia.
Recognition of licences from certain countries
As from 17 January 2005 customers are exempt from the car and rider knowledge test if they hold an acceptable licence from one of the recognised countries.
Recognised countries:
• Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark • Finland, France, Germany, Greece • Ireland, Isle of Man (licences issued since 1 April 1991), Italy, Japan, Luxembourg • Malta (licences issued since 2 January 2004), Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain • Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, USA