Getting an Australian Driver's Licence: Everything Changed in 2025 — Here's What You Need to Know

Until April 2025, drivers from South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and a number of other countries could convert their overseas licence to an Australian one without sitting any test — as long as they were over 25. That system — the Experienced Driver Recognition scheme — was abolished by Austroads in April–November 2025, state by state. If you're arriving in Australia now with a Korean, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Filipino, or Indonesian licence and expecting to swap it without a test, the rules have changed. This guide explains exactly what the current rules are, how they differ by state, and what you need to do to drive legally in Australia in 2026.

What Was the Old System — and What Changed?

Australia's overseas driver licence conversion operated under two tiers until 2025:

• Tier 1

  Recognised Country Scheme — Countries whose licensing systems were assessed as equivalent to Australia's could convert directly, with no test required. This included the UK, USA, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, New Zealand, and several others. This tier still exists and is unchanged.

• Tier 2

  Experienced Driver Recognition (EDR) — A second tier for countries not fully recognised but where drivers over 25 with several years of experience could convert without additional testing. This included South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Africa, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Serbia. This tier was abolished in 2025.

Under the new arrangements, the Experienced Driver Recognition status ended on 30 April 2025 for all states and territories except Western Australia and Queensland. The deadline for Western Australia was 31 October 2025, and Queensland's EDR status ceased on 29 November 2025. New South Wales extended its original deadline to 31 January 2026 to allow more time for eligible drivers to convert and reduce pressure on Service NSW testing centres.

As of early 2026, the EDR system has fully ended in all states. Drivers from countries that previously held EDR status — including South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Africa — must now complete both the Driver Knowledge Test and the Driving Test to obtain an Australian licence.

Which Countries Are Affected?

Korean Licence Holders: The Specific Situation in 2026

South Korea was previously one of the most clearly affected countries — it was in the EDR tier, meaning over-25 Koreans could swap to an Australian licence with no test. The Korean National Police Agency applied formally to Austroads for Recognised Country Status for the Korean licence, and Austroads has been conducting an assessment of the overall Korean licensing system. The Austroads assessment process was temporarily suspended, with results expected in the first half of 2026.

As of the date of this article, that assessment has not yet been finalised. Until it is, Korean licence holders converting to an Australian licence are subject to the standard theory and practical test requirements in each state. If Korea is eventually granted Recognised Country status, the conversion process will become easier — but this has not yet occurred and there is no confirmed timeline.

What this means practically for Korean licence holders in 2026: if you are a permanent resident or have been in Australia long enough that your state requires conversion, you will need to sit both a theory (knowledge) test and a practical driving test. Your Korean licence and years of driving experience are not wasted — they will make passing both tests straightforward for most experienced drivers — but the tests are now required regardless.

The Critical First Question: Do You Actually Need to Convert?

Before anything else, establish whether you are required to convert your overseas licence at all. The answer depends on your visa status and how long you've been in Australia:

How Long Can You Drive on an Overseas Licence?

The grace period for driving on a valid overseas licence varies by state and by your residency status:

If your overseas licence is not in English, you must carry either an International Driving Permit (IDP) or an official NAATI-certified English translation of your licence at all times while driving. Carrying only a Korean, Vietnamese, French, or other non-English licence is not sufficient on its own in most Australian states.

The Two-Tier System That Still Exists: Recognised vs Not Recognised

Even after the EDR abolition, the conversion process differs significantly depending on whether your country holds Recognised Country status.

If Your Country Is Recognised (UK, France, Germany, Japan, USA, Canada, NZ, and others)

The process is straightforward: visit your state's transport authority office, present your overseas licence, proof of identity, and proof of residency. Pay the licence fee. Your Australian licence is issued on the spot or by mail. No written test, no practical test. This process is unchanged and continues in 2026.

If Your Country Is Not Recognised or Former EDR (Korea, Taiwan, most of Asia, Southeast Asia, South America)

You must complete the full licence assessment process in your state, which involves two separate tests:

• 1

  Driver Knowledge Test (DKT) — theory test A multiple-choice written test covering Australian road rules, traffic signs, and safe driving practices. Completed at a transport authority office or online (state-dependent). Usually 45 questions; passing score is typically 80–90% depending on the state. Most experienced drivers from any country pass this on the first attempt after studying the state's road rules handbook for a few hours. Cost: approximately $40–$60.

• 2

  Practical Driving Test (also called Driving Assessment or Road Test) A 30–45 minute on-road assessment conducted by a testing officer in a government vehicle or your own vehicle. Covers basic vehicle control, road positioning, observation, giving way, merging, parking, and judgment under real traffic conditions. Experienced drivers who are familiar with left-hand traffic (for those coming from UK, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia — all left-hand drive countries) typically find the practical test manageable. Cost: approximately $50–$130 depending on the state. The ACT pass rate dropped from 60.8% in 2021 to 47.7% in 2025 — preparation matters, even for experienced drivers. If you fail the practical test in some states, you may be required to hold a provisional licence or undertake additional supervised driving hours before retesting.

State-by-State: What You Need in 2026

Documents You Will Need — Regardless of Country

• 1

  Your valid overseas driver's licence — original, not a copy Some states also require the licence to not be expired for more than 12 months. If your licence is nearing expiry, renew it in your home country (or via your country's consulate in Australia if possible) before attempting conversion.

• 2

  Official English translation — if your licence is not in English Must be a NAATI-certified translation, not a generic online translation. Cost: approximately $50–$80. Some states accept an International Driving Permit instead, but a NAATI translation is the safer option for conversion purposes.

• 3

  Proof of identity — passport plus secondary ID Your passport is the primary document. Most states require a secondary form of ID such as a Medicare card, bank card, or a utility bill showing your current Australian address.

• 4

  Proof of residency — for permanent residents Your visa grant notice or ImmiCard confirming permanent residency status, plus something showing your current Australian address such as a lease agreement, bank statement, or utility bill.

• 5

  Medical certificate — for specific categories Required for applicants over 75, those with certain medical conditions, or if specifically requested by the testing authority. Not typically required for standard conversions.

Preparing for the Knowledge Test: What to Study

Every Australian state publishes a free road rules handbook that forms the basis of the Driver Knowledge Test. These are available as free PDFs from each state's transport authority website. The test is multiple choice and is available in several languages in most states — though sitting it in English is recommended as the licence itself and all road signage in Australia is in English.

The content covers: speed limits and when they apply, giving way rules at intersections and roundabouts, road markings and signage, blood alcohol limits (0.05% for full licence holders; 0.00% for learners and P-platers), mobile phone rules, seatbelt requirements, and specific rules for low-speed zones and school areas. Most experienced drivers from any country pass the DKT on the first attempt after 2–3 hours of study. The rules are not dramatically different from most developed countries — the primary adjustments are the specific Australian speed limit zones and the roundabout giving-way rules.

Preparing for the Practical Test: Tips That Actually Help

• 1

  Book at least one lesson with an Australian driving instructor before the test Not because you don't know how to drive — you do — but because Australian testing officers look for specific behaviours (head checks, mirror checks, shoulder checks at every lane change, observation before moving off) that experienced drivers from other countries often do correctly but don't make obviously visible. An instructor will tell you exactly what the testing officer is looking for in your specific state.

• 2

  Practise in the area where you'll be tested Book the test at a testing centre near where you live and drive the surrounding streets before test day. You're allowed to practise on public roads — do it. Familiarity with the specific intersections, school zones, and speed limit transitions near the test centre reduces surprises on the day.

• 3

  Exaggerate your observation — make it visible Testing officers cannot see your eyes. They judge observation by head movements. When checking mirrors, move your head visibly. When checking blind spots, turn your head fully. When approaching an intersection, look left, look right, look left again — with obvious head movement. This is the single most common reason experienced drivers fail Australian practical tests: they look, but the officer can't tell.

• 4

  Roundabout rules are critical Australian roundabouts require you to give way to vehicles already in the roundabout. Approaching a roundabout without slowing to assess whether anyone is in it — even if it looks clear — is an automatic fail. Slow down, look, then proceed if clear.

The Bottom Line for Each Group

Official Resources by State

• NSWservice.nsw.gov.au — search "transfer overseas licence"
• VICvicroads.vic.gov.au — search "overseas licence"
• QLDtmr.qld.gov.au — search "overseas licence"
• WAtransport.wa.gov.au/licensing — search "overseas licence"
• SAsa.gov.au — search "overseas driver's licence"
• ACTaccesscanberra.act.gov.au — search "overseas licence"
• TAStransport.tas.gov.au — search "overseas licence"
• NTmvr.nt.gov.au — search "overseas licence"
• Austroadsaustroads.gov.au/drivers-and-vehicles/overseas-drivers — for the current Recognised Country list and updates on Korea's application status