Getting your driving licence in Australia

elliott550

Hi,

Wonder if anyone has any experience or advice on doing a driving test and getting a licence in OZ?

I have my provisional (UK, from the North) was ment to get my test before heading out but it didn't happen. I'd like to do it over here and have heard that QLD is the best place for it. Does anyone have any experience of doing a test over here? I just go for a automatic licence I reckon for handiness. If anyone had any ideas on - waiting times, process, theory test, price anything else would be really appreciated!

Cheers

stephenmario

I rang up the QLD Department of Transport and Main Roads and they told me u need to be a resident to get a driving licence so I couldn't get it

colman1212

No you don't. Just bring your provisional to the dept of transport and they'll exchange it for an Australian learner permit. You dont need to be a resident.

elliott550

Cheers. Any ideas on the length of the waiting list for the test?

Thanks

hussey

elliott550 wrote: »

Cheers. Any ideas on the length of the waiting list for the test?

Thanks

Should be a few days-weeks, it's a pretty short cycle here.

Note if you do pass your test, you won't get a full licence like ireland it's a 4 step towards full liceance
http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Licensing/Getting-a-licence/Car-licence.aspx
Learner -> P1 provisional (1 year) -> P2 provisional (1-2 years depending on age) -> Full licence

Zambia

Isnt a Northern Provisional your R plates so the op may be able to go straight onto his P plates?

mandrake04

R plates means 'Restricted' same as P plates in Oz, you only get when you pass your test.

Provisional licence is your leaners Licence or Learner Permit.

Zambia

What is a northern provisional a learners?

mandrake04

Zambia wrote: »

What is a northern provisional a learners?

That's exactly what it is.

TirEoghain

Yes, a provisional in the North is a learners licence.

I have heard stories about people swapping these straight for QLD provisional, but I believe that the TMR offices would now be wise to this practice.

Anyway, back on topic. I recently got my driving licence for the first time in QLD.

The process was as follows for me:

Do written test, and when you pass that you get a learners licence.
Once issued with a learners licence, you must hold that for 12 months before being allowed to do the test.
Once I passed the test, I went onto Green "P" plates that I must display on my car for a year.
(This is all based on me being over 25 when going for the licence.

If you are under 25, the main differences are:

During the 12 months, you must keep a log of 100 hours of driving practice and have this signed off. Hours spent with proper driving lessons count of three hours practice, up to a limit of 10 driving lesson hours, thereafter they just count as 1 hour.

Once you pass the test, you display Red "P" plates for 1 year, and Green "P"s for 2 years after that.

There are various restrictions attached to Red "P"s and 1st and 2nd year Green "P"s that are detailed on the Queensland Transport website under "Getting a licence"

Also, in QLD the benefit over NSW for example is that there is no speed restriction (other than the road speed limit) on any learner or provisional licence.

There is no way around the 12 months as far as I know unless you can demonstrate to the QLD Transport that you have a compelling need for a licence sooner.

Hope this helps..

fasttalkerchat

TirEoghain wrote: »

Yes, a provisional in the North is a learners licence.

I have heard stories about people swapping these straight for QLD provisional, but I believe that the TMR offices would now be wise to this practice.

I know of people who did this. They told the authorities in Australia that all NI licences are blue and they believed it. Then word spread and everyone was doing it. I'm sure they will have caught on to it and even if you do get away with it, when you go home and try to transfer back to a UK licence they will see that you transferred Provisional to AUS full.