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Drivers with licences from overseas

Important Changes come into effect on 1 July 2025

From 1 July 2025, overseas licence holders from non-recognised countries who seek to obtain their ACT driver licence will be issued a Provisional Licence upon passing their practical driving examination.

Overseas licence holders who successfully pass a practical driving examination that they booked before 1 July 2025 will be issued with a Full Licence.

If you are driving in the ACT, you are required to hold a licence. The type of licence you need to hold will depend on if you are just visiting.

Visiting drivers with overseas licences

A visiting driver is a person who arrives in the ACT with no intention of becoming a resident. This includes:

  • tourists
  • business people
  • people visiting friends or relatives
  • visitors on working holiday visas
  • people studying or working temporarily in the ACT who intend to return to their home country.

What you need to do

If you have a full licence from another country and are only visiting the ACT (not living here), you don’t need to get an ACT driver licence.

As a visiting driver:

  • your overseas licence must stay valid
  • you should have an International Driving Permit
  • you must still be a tourist or visitor (not a resident).

If your licence is not in English:

You need an official English translation from one of these places:

  • An embassy or consulate (a government office from your country),
  • The Department of Home Affairs (an Australian government office), or
  • A translator who is certified by NAATI (a group that approves translators in Australia).

What to carry when driving

You must carry:

  • an overseas licence and an International Driving Permit,
  • an overseas licence written in English, or
  • an overseas licence not in English, with an official English translation.

You must also:

  • follow all ACT road rules
  • follow any rules or limits written on your overseas licence
  • only drive the types of vehicles your licence allows.

Residents of the ACT with Overseas licences

In certain circumstances residents of the ACT cannot rely on an Overseas Licence to drive in the ACT.

  • Where you are the holder of, or are granted, a permanent visa you must obtain an ACT drivers licence. As a holder of a permanent visa you will be able to continue to use you overseas licence for 3 months after which you must hold an ACT Driver Licence to drive in the ACT.
  • Where you are the holder of a temporary visa (but are a resident of the ACT) you may choose to obtain an ACT driver licence.

What you need to do next will depend on whether your overseas driver licence has ‘recognition status’.

Recognition of international licences in support of the issue of an ACT licence.

Austroads has released new arrangements for the transition of overseas issued licences to Australian licences.

More information about the changes can be found on the Austroads website.

Countries with recognition status

These countries and jurisdictions hold ‘recognition status’:

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Canada
  • Croatia
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Guernsey
  • Ireland
  • Isle of Man*
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Jersey
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta**
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Portugal
  • Singapore
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • United Kingdom
  • United States of America.

* For licences first issued on or after 1 April 1991

** For licences first issued on or after 2 January 2004

Licence holders with recognition status

If you have a full driver licence from a country that Australia recognises, you can get an ACT full licence without doing any extra training or tests.

Visit an Access Canberra Service Centre and bring:

You must also bring an official English translation from one of these places:

  • An embassy or consulate (a government office from your country),
  • The Department of Home Affairs (an Australian government office), or
  • A translator who is certified by NAATI (a group that approves translators in Australia).

Getting Your Licence:

  • Your ACT licence will be mailed to you. You can’t pick it up at the service centre.
  • You’ll get a temporary licence to use until your card arrives.
  • It may take up to 21 business days to get your card in the mail.

Licence holders with non-recognised status

As of 1 July 2025 if you hold a licence from a country that does not hold 'recognition status', you will need to do additional training and testing before being issued an ACT driver licence.

Step 1: Take the learner course and pass the test

You need to:

  • complete the ACT Pre-Learner Licence Course
  • pass the ACT Road Rules test at the end of the course.

You can complete the ACT Pre-Learner Licence Course through an ACT-based training provider.

Search online or view a list of providers on the City Services website.

Step 2: Book your appointment

Visit an Access Canberra Service Centre to book your practical driving assessment with an ACT Government Licence Examiner.

You need to bring:

  • your current driver licence.
  • the certificate confirming completion of the ACT Pre-Learner Licence course
  • the certificate showing you passed the ACT Road Rules test
  • your proof of identity and residency
  • a debit card or credit card to pay the fee.

If your driver licence is not written in English, you must also bring an official English translation from one of these places:

  • An embassy or consulate (a government office from your country),
  • The Department of Home Affairs (an Australian government office), or
  • A translator who is certified by NAATI (a group that approves translators in Australia).

Step 3: Attend your appointment

You only get one attempt at this assessment using your overseas driver licence.

You need to:

  • supply your own vehicle for the assessment
  • arrive 15 minutes before your appointment
  • bring your current driver licence
  • bring the certificate showing you passed the ACT Road Rules test
  • bring your proof of identity and residency.

If you are more than 5 minutes late to your assessment, you will need to rebook and pay again.

If your driver licence is not written in English, you must also bring an official English translation from one of these places:

  • An embassy or consulate (a government office from your country),
  • The Department of Home Affairs (an Australian government office), or
  • A translator who is certified by NAATI (a group that approves translators in Australia).

Vehicle requirements

The vehicle needs to:

  • be registered (an unregistered vehicle permit is not acceptable)
  • be clean and roadworthy (check your tyres, brake lights and indicators)
  • have working seatbelts
  • have a working centre-mounted park brake (electric or manual handbrake)
  • be clear of loose items that may move in the cabin and become a hazard
  • display 'L' plates on the front and back
  • have enough fuel for a 55-minute assessment
  • have a working air-conditioning system.

If your vehicle type was listed in the ACCC’s compulsory recall for Takata alpha airbags you will need to produce a document from the manufacturer stating the airbag has been replaced.

If you need to reschedule

You need to:

  • give at least 48 hours' notice
  • pay the fee for the change.

If you give less than 48 hours' notice you will lose your booking fee and need to pay it again in full.

If you need to cancel

You need to give at least 48 hours' notice to receive a refund. A cancellation fee will be deducted from your refund.

If you give less than 48 hours' notice you will lose your booking fee and you won’t receive a refund.

If you PASS your practical driving examination

The ACT Government Licence Examiner will tell you if you have passed the assessment. They will also update your details on the registration register. You will be eligible to hold a provisional driving licence. This may be a P1 if you are younger than 25 years old at the time the licence is issued, or P2 if you are 25 years old or older at the time the licence is issued.

Visit an Access Canberra Service Centre and bring:

You must also bring an official English translation from one of these places:

  • An embassy or consulate (a government office from your country),
  • The Department of Home Affairs (an Australian government office), or
  • A translator who is certified by NAATI (a group that approves translators in Australia).

Getting Your Licence:

  • You will be issued a provisional ACT driver licence (either P1 or P2 depending on your age at the time of issue).
  • Your ACT licence will be mailed to you. You can’t pick it up at the Service Centre.
  • You’ll get a temporary licence to use until your card arrives.
  • It may take up to 21 business days to get your card in the mail.

If you DO NOT PASS your practical driving test

If you don’t pass the assessment the Examiner will tell you why and email you an assessment report that details why you’re 'not yet competent'. This will help you practice the competencies you didn’t get right the first time.

If you do not pass your practical driving test within 3 months of receiving your Australian Permanent Resident Visa, you will be unable to continue to use your overseas licence for the purpose of driving in the ACT. You are driving ‘unlicensed’ and must not drive a motor vehicle on ACT roads. Penalty action can be enforced by the police.

You will need to apply for an ACT Learner licence and complete all learner licence requirements before attempting the practical driving examination again. This will include:

  • completing the ACT Learner driver licence period
  • completing a set amount of driving hours.

It is important to note that when driving on your learner licence that you always have a fully licenced Australian driver in the passenger seat.

Applying for an ACT learner driver licence

You will need to apply for an ACT Learner licence if you are an:

  • overseas full licence holder with non-recognised status who did not pass their practical driving examination, or
  • overseas learner or provisional licence holder (and their equivalents).

Visit an Access Canberra Service Centre and bring:

  • your current driver licence
  • the certificate confirming completion of the ACT Pre-Learner Licence course
  • your proof of identity and residency
  • a debit card or credit card to pay the fee.

If your licence is not written in English, you must also bring an official English translation from one of these places:

  • An embassy or consulate (a government office from your country),
  • The Department of Home Affairs (an Australian government office), or
  • A translator who is certified by NAATI (a group that approves translators in Australia).

You will then need to follow the steps for getting your ACT provisional licence under the Graduated Licensing Scheme.

Read about getting your provisional driver licence.

Other Licence Classes and Conditions

If you hold a heavy vehicle or motorbike licence overseas, there are separate requirements if you want to get the same licence in the ACT.

Read about licence classes and conditions.

Medical conditions and driving

When you apply for an ACT driver licence, the application form will ask if you have any permanent or long-term illness, injury, or condition that could affect your driving.

If your health changes after you get your licence, you must tell Access Canberra.

Access Canberra may ask you to that you are still safe to drive. This could include:

  • a medical examination
  • a driving assessment by an occupational therapist.

Read about fitness to drive.