Found out my international driver's licence only lasts 3 months in NSW. Surprise!

Anonymous Cautious Wallaby · 16 May 2026

Was happily driving around with my UK licence for the past 5 months because I genuinely thought it was valid as long as my licence was valid back home. Turns out NSW gives you 3 months and then you need to convert or do the local test. If anyone else is on a temp visa or PR — check your state's rule. WA, NSW, VIC all have different timelines. I'm now booking a Hazard Perception Test and feeling like an idiot.

3 replies

Anonymous Cautious Brushtail · 16 May 2026
WA gives you 90 days too, VIC gives you the visa duration for non-perms, NSW is 3 months. Each state has its own rule and the websites bury it. Check before you move state too.
Anonymous Patient Wallaby · 16 May 2026
Hazard Perception Test is harder than it looks. Use the official Service NSW app, not the free YouTube ones. Practice mode is brutal but accurate.
Anonymous Quiet Quoll · 16 May 2026
Same boat last year. Cost about $76 in fees + $50 in stress. Drive defensively until it's done — insurance gets weird if you crash on an expired international licence.

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