If you’re living in ACT and have a permanent resident visa, you’re allowed up to three months to drive with your international licence. But after the three months are over, you must complete a licence conversion to a Western Australian driver’s licence to continue driving.
Depending on your age, country of origin and date of licence renewal, you may need to take additional driving tests before your licence conversion.
Approved countries and jurisdictions for mutual recognition of overseas driver licence
A national agreement for driver licence purposes separates overseas licence holders into three categories. Those from approved countries and jurisdictions, those from experienced driver recognised countries and jurisdictions and those from non-approved countries and jurisdictions.
Applicants from the following approved countries and jurisdictions who hold a full driver licence are exempt from the knowledge test and the practical driving assessment when applying for a full licence in the ACT.
Non-approved countries or jurisdictions
Mandatory practice driving hours dependant on your age.
Hazard Perception Test
Hold an ACT Learner Driver Licence for the required tenure dependant on your age (your overseas driver licence tenure is honoured in this scenario):
Once the above requirements are met, you must pass either a Government Driving Assessment or the Competency Based Training and Assessment before you can upgrade your ACT Learner Licence to an ACT Provisional Licence. You must hold your ACT Provisional Licence for a period of 3 years.
For all ACT Learners Licences (including overseas licence holders who have not passed the practical assessment) issued after 1 January 2020 – before you may sit your assessment, please make sure you have the minimum driving hours (for under 25 years – 100 hours; for over 25 years – 50 hours). The Hazard Perception Test is also required to be completed before attempting your assessment. When you book your assessment with Access Canberra, please be confident that you will have the required hours at the time of your assessment date. If you do not have the required hours, you cannot sit the driving assessment and you will need to re-book and pay the full fee again.
For all ACT Learner Licences issued after 1 January 2020, you must have completed your competencies with an Accredited Driving Instructor using the purple logbook and completed the minimum driving hours (for age under 25 years – 100 hours; for age over 25 years – 50 hours). The Hazard Perception Test is also required to be completed before the final assessment. The Service Centres will check that you have your minimum required hours before issuing your licence. If you do not have the required hours you will be asked to complete the hours before you can return to a Service Centre.
Once you pass the practical assessment or the Competency Based Training and Assessment, if you have taken out an ACT Learner Licence, you will be upgraded to a Provisional licence which you will hold for 3 years. Visit Provisional Licence Information for more information
Access Canberra regularly conducts internal reviews on overseas driver licence applications. Please note that your physical licence card will be mailed to you and will not be issued on the same day you attend a Service Centre to submit your application.
If your international driver’s licence has expired or your three-month period is almost over, ACT DRIVING SOLUTIONS can help you prepare for your official Practical Driving Assessment, as well as provide a vehicle for you to take your test in.
ACT DRIVING SOLUTIONS instructors are experienced professionals and can help to give you the skills and confidence to pass your practical driving assessment on the first try. SINCE 2019 many of our students passed their driving test, with the clear majority doing so on their first attempt.
ACT DRIVING SOLUTION’s instructors can teach new students how to drive or refresh experienced driver’s skills leading up to the official driving test.
Some cars are not allowed to be used for the practical driving assessment, including if they fail an initial safety test. Tyres without sufficient tread or other issues may not be accepted.
ACT DRIVING SOLUTIONS can provide a well-maintained vehicle which you can use as you practice for and take your test, and which meets all the requirements for practical driving assessments in CANBERRA -ACT AND NSW.
Our skilled instructors can provide local knowledge to help you easily pass your driving test, including practicing in local areas and completing exercises that official test instructors are likely to use.
The driving instructors at ACT DRIVING SOLUTIONS have years of experience with helping international residents convert their licence and pass ACT-CANBERRA AND NSW driving tests with helpful driving lessons. They can easily explain traffic laws and help to prepare you for your test.
ACT DRIVING SOLUTIONS cover all licensing centre locations across CANBERRA AND QUEANBEYAN NSW. These include:
Address: Winyu House, 125 Gungahlin Pl, Gungahlin ACT 2912
Address: Scollay St Homeworld Shopping Centre, ACT 2900
