Australia: Driver’s Licence Requirements for Car Rentals

If you are a temporary overseas visiting driver and you hold a current overseas driver licence you do not have to get an Australian state driver’s licence. You can drive on your current overseas licence as long as:

  • You remain a visitor.
  • Your overseas licence remains current.
  • You have not been disqualified from driving.
  • You have not had your licence suspended or cancelled or your visiting driver privileges withdrawn.

Temporary overseas visiting drivers include:

  • Tourists.
  • Business people on limited-duration visits.
  • People studying or working temporarily (eg working visa holders).

Your licence must be written in English or, if the licence is not in English, you must also carry an English translation or an International Driving Permit (IDP) with your licence when driving.

You must carry your current overseas licence, IDP or translation with you while driving.

You do require to have a photo ID licence if you want to rent a car from Low Cost Car Rentals. If your foreign licence does not have a photo ID, you should get an IDP before travelling to Australia if you intend to rent a car.

All states require Australians from other states to get a new state licence after three month’s residence (with some specific exceptions). Some states also require New Zealanders to get a state drivers licence after they have been in Australia for three months.

Specific State Requirements

In Australia, laws and driving regulations differ from state to state. Some states require you to carry an International Licence with your current foreign licence. Other states request you carry your current foreign driver’s licence together with a formal translation of your licence into English.

Select the state or territory you will be driving in to find out what the laws are for driving with an overseas licence.

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Tanya is a Promotions Manager at Low Cost Car Rentals and one of the most active bloggers of our site.