Learner Permit in Victoria

joxer05

Hi everyone,

I'm heading out to Melbourne for a year in July. I have an Irish (Driving) Learner's Permit, but haven't got round to applying for the test here before I go. Just wondering does anyone know if my permit is worth anything out in Victoria or do I have to start from scratch?

Thanks!

mel.b

I think you're going to have to start from scratch. Getting an australian driving licence is much stricter than when compared to an Irish one.

In OZ (Victoria - each state is slightly different) you are eligible for a learners permit at 16. To get a learners permit you have to sit & pass a theory test. You are then on your learners permit until 18. While you are on your learners permit you MUST drive with a fully licensed driver (they are VERY strict about this and no one would consider driving without one). In addition you have to have a minimum of 120 hours logged in a variety of driving conditions before you can apply for your P (provisional plates). Blood alcohol limits while on both L and P plates is 0.00. I think you have to have your L plates for a minimum of 6months before you can apply for your P plates.

To get your P plates you then sit your practical exam. Since I have been in Ireland (2007) P plates have slightly changed. I believe it is a two-tired system now, where for the first year you are on your P plates you are restricted in the number of passengers you can carry (possibly at night time) and then you go on your other P plates for the remaining two years.

I hope that helps,
Mel.b

FreeAnd..

I have an Irish (Driving) Learner's Permit

You would be surprised, I know people who transferred their Irish learners to Full Australia licenses...bit of an oversight but it has been done....the irish licence seems to confuse the australians (especially outside the major cities) especially the mix up between Provisional Irish and P plates in Australia...but in general no its not worth much, its worth more in Queensland...you can transfer it for a learners here without needing to do the theory or Log book...

The Sweeper

mel.b wrote: »

To get your P plates you then sit your practical exam. Since I have been in Ireland (2007) P plates have slightly changed. I believe it is a two-tired system now, where for the first year you are on your P plates you are restricted in the number of passengers you can carry (possibly at night time) and then you go on your other P plates for the remaining two years.

There are two kinds of P plates, red and green. If you are 18 or 19 years old when you pass your driving test, you go straight on to red P plates for 12 months. If you're older, you go straight to green P plates. Either way, the green plates last three years.

On green plates, you need to have a zero blood alcohol level, you may not use a mobile phone in any way, whether texting, talking or hands free; you cannot drive a high powered car, and you can only have a single passenger aged between 16-21 at any one time.

The most important thing for any boardsies to note is that, in the state of victoria, if you have held your full Irish licence for under three years and you choose to exchange your licence, you will go onto a green P plate licence in Australia.

Shutuplaura

FreeAnd.. wrote: »

You would be surprised, I know people who transferred their Irish learners to Full Australia licenses...bit of an oversight but it has been done....the irish licence seems to confuse the australians (especially outside the major cities) especially the mix up between Provisional Irish and P plates in Australia...but in general no its not worth much, its worth more in Queensland...you can transfer it for a learners here without needing to do the theory or Log book...

This has happened to me at the test centre in Carlton. When they gave me the P license I asked them if they were sure and they said yes. I've been wary of using it though and am strongly thinking of letting vic roads know they made a mistake. If used it and had an accident things could get very messy form both a legal or insurance point of view.

brendansmith

Shutuplaura wrote: »

This has happened to me at the test centre in Carlton. When they gave me the P license I asked them if they were sure and they said yes. I've been wary of using it though and am strongly thinking of letting vic roads know they made a mistake. If used it and had an accident things could get very messy form both a legal or insurance point of view.

:rolleyes:

jmskelly

I have just moved to Queensland and i have my Irish learners permit, can i just transfer that to a oz learners permit?
I no in other states you need to start from the start.
or is there a way of transfer it to a full liceans??

pygmypossum

You would be surprised, I know people who transferred their Irish learners to Full Australia licenses...bit of an oversight but it has been done....the irish licence seems to confuse the australians (especially outside the major cities)

I will back this up too, I'm living in Melbourne and personally know of two provisional licenses which were exchanges in person and they both received full Victorian/Australian driver licenses in return...and this was in two separate offices. No questions asked at all, they really didn't examine the Irish licenses at all apparently :eek:, and completely missed the print stating they were not valid outside of Ireland...

Addit:Here's the official line from Vic roads...(I don't know anything about the other states)
http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/Licences/NewToVictoria/OverseasDriversLicences.htm
Victorian full driver licence
To obtain a Victorian full driver licence you must have held and provide evidence that you have held an overseas driver licence for at least three years from your 18th birthday. Your overseas driver licence must be current or not expired by more than five years. Any period where you have been suspended or disqualified from driving is excluded when calculating the period of time you have held a licence.

Victorian probationary driver licence
You must be at least 18 years of age to obtain a Victorian probationary driver licence. No age exemptions apply. If you have held an overseas driver licence for less than three years, an appropriate probationary period (P1 or P2) will apply, depending on your age and the amount of time your overseas driver licence has been held (you must provide evidence). Any period where you have been suspended or disqualified from driving is excluded when calculating the period of time you have held a licence.

g5fd6ow0hseima

Hi, sorry for bumping the thread but i'm moving to Victoria in a few months and I have an Irish learner permit, and I was wondering if anyone has managed to get this changed for an australian equivalent?

I've heard of people getting provisional licences changed for full licences but that's not possible now with the news Learner Permits because it's boldly stated that they are what they are, whereas the provisional licences were fairly ambiguous things for anyone unfamiliar with them.

Basically, is it possible for me to get my LP changed to the Australian equivalent in any state as I'd rather not have to go through the theory / hazard perception tests and so on....

hussey

Lara Salmon Can wrote: »

Hi, sorry for bumping the thread but i'm moving to Victoria in a few months and I have an Irish learner permit, and I was wondering if anyone has managed to get this changed for an australian equivalent?

I've heard of people getting provisional licences changed for full licences but that's not possible now with the news Learner Permits because it's boldly stated that they are what they are, whereas the provisional licences were fairly ambiguous things for anyone unfamiliar with them.

Basically, is it possible for me to get my LP changed to the Australian equivalent in any state as I'd rather not have to go through the theory / hazard perception tests and so on....

The answers have not changed - cannot change Irish learners for any Aussie licence

dave3004

Leif,

My friend got it changed this year.

Will ask her how she done it and let you know.

I think it was in QLD she done it.

From what I know off-hand, QLD learners have to put in 100 hours of driving under a learner before applying for full test. Will let you know more when I do.

g5fd6ow0hseima

hussey wrote: »

The answers have not changed - cannot change Irish learners for any Aussie licence

as in...

FreeAnd.. wrote: »

You would be surprised, I know people who transferred their Irish learners to Full Australia licenses...bit of an oversight but it has been done....the irish licence seems to confuse the australians (especially outside the major cities) especially the mix up between Provisional Irish and P plates in Australia...but in general no its not worth much, its worth more in Queensland...you can transfer it for a learners here without needing to do the theory or Log book...

hussey

Lara Salmon Can wrote: »

as in...

I've heard of people getting provisional licences changed for full licences but that's not possible now with the news Learner Permits because it's boldly stated that they are what they are,

I know people who transferred their Irish learners to Full Australia licenses...bit of an oversight but it has been done.

This might have been done, but...

You need a Full Irish licence for 3 years before you get swapped over (for a full Aus one), even if you had a old style L licence (which look similar to the full one) you had to have had it for 3 years.
Since you don't get L licence for more than 2 years

This means when you go to the RTA they need to make 2 mistakes
1) Not recognising a provisional licence
2) Not noticing you had it for less than 3 years

To me getting a full one is unlikely, I can understand them swapping for a P1 (Irish licence < 1 year) or a P2 ( < 2years)

I should point out this is for VIC and NSW - I don't know the process for the other states, but they should be similar

Basically, is it possible for me to get my LP changed to the Australian equivalent in any state

Yes you can apply for a L plate in all states

Blue Shamrock

Lara Salmon Can wrote: »

Hi, sorry for bumping the thread but i'm moving to Victoria in a few months and I have an Irish learner permit, and I was wondering if anyone has managed to get this changed for an australian equivalent?

I've heard of people getting provisional licences changed for full licences but that's not possible now with the news Learner Permits because it's boldly stated that they are what they are, whereas the provisional licences were fairly ambiguous things for anyone unfamiliar with them.

Basically, is it possible for me to get my LP changed to the Australian equivalent in any state as I'd rather not have to go through the theory / hazard perception tests and so on....

I just went in yesterday to a vic roads office yesterday and had no problems converting Irish learners to Australian learners you just have to ring up and make an appointment costs just under 50 dollars

Zambia

Do you still have to do 120 Hours logged before test ?

diceyreilly

I have my Learners Permit Test tomorrow in Melbourne, does anyone know if they test your eyes in the centre or do you have to get it done elsewhere, and the photo..

There is nothing on the website,

Thanks,

Blue Shamrock

Im not sure about the eye test but they take your picture there

mandrake04

in NSW they have a sight test at the counter, I would say more or less same in Victoria

massdebater

mandrake04 wrote: »

in NSW they have a sight test at the counter, I would say more or less same in Victoria

Yeah, they have an eye test at the counter in VIC too.