The requirement to change your overseas driver licence to a Victorian driver licence depends on whether your stay in Victoria is temporary or permanent.

If you are in Victoria on a temporary visa, you can drive on your overseas driver licence (it must be current and valid) for an indefinite period provided your overseas driver licence is in English (or you have an accompanying English translation or International Driving Permit).

If you are in Victoria on a permanent visa issued under the Migration Act 1958, you may drive on your overseas driver licence for:

• six months from the date you first entered Australia (if the permanent visa was issued before you entered Australia); or,
• six months from the date when the permanent visa was issued to you (if the permanent visa was issued to you in Australia)

Eligibility to qualify for a Victorian driver licence or learner permit

Victorian full driver licence
To obtain a Victorian full driver licence you must have held and provide evidence that you have held an overseas driver licence for at least three years from your 18th birthday. Your overseas driver licence must be current or not expired by more than five years. Any period where you have been suspended or disqualified from driving is excluded when calculating the period of time you have held a licence.

Victorian probationary driver licence
You must be at least 18 years of age to obtain a Victorian probationary driver licence. No age exemptions apply. If you have held an overseas driver licence for less than three years, an appropriate probationary period (P1 or P2) will apply, depending on your age and the amount of time your overseas driver licence has been held (you must provide evidence). Any period where you have been suspended or disqualified from driving is excluded when calculating the period of time you have held a licence.

Victorian learner permit
You must be at least 16 years of age to obtain a Victorian learner permit (at least 18 years for a motorcycle). No age exemptions apply.

Licence translations
If your licence is in a language other than English, it must be accompanied by an English translation. The translation is at your own cost.

VicRoads only accepts translations completed by:

• a NAATI accredited (any level) translator, or
• an official translation from the country of origin, or
• an appropriate consulate in Australia.

An International Driving Permit is acceptable as a translation of an overseas driver licence.

How to apply - Victorian driver licence test
To obtain Victorian driver licence (full or probationary) you need to make an appointment to undertake a road law knowledge test, hazard perception test (HPT), eyesight test and a drive test (except as noted below) at a VicRoads Customer Service Centre. You must complete and pass the road law knowledge test and hazard perception test before you attempt the drive test.

If your overseas driver licence is no longer valid for driving in Victoria (see above information regarding permanent visas), you will still be able to undertake the driving test, as you are exempt from holding a learner permit for the duration of the test.

Exemptions from licence tests
If you hold a driver licence from one of the countries in the table below you are not required to undertake any tests provided your overseas driver licence is current or not expired by more than five years. However, you still need to make an appointment to changeover to a Victorian driver licence.

If your overseas driver licence includes a heavy vehicle category (eg. truck or bus), you must complete a full heavy vehicle licence test to convert it to the equivalent heavy vehicle licence category in Victoria. Read more about what you need to do to get a heavy vehicle licence category.

1 for licences first issued on or after 1 April 1991
2 for licences first issued on or after 2 Jan 2004

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Make an appointment
To make an appointment:

• book online
• call VicRoads on 13 11 71 (Mon-Fri 8.30am - 5.00pm, Sat 8.30am - 2.00pm). You can pay by credit card (Visa or MasterCard)
• visit a VicRoads Customer Service Centre. You can pay by cash, cheque, EFTPOS or credit card.

You can book the knowledge and driving tests for different days if you wish. If payment of the appointment fee is not made over the phone, the payment must be finalised within five days or the appointment will be cancelled. Payment can be made by cheque or in person at the VicRoads Customer Service Centre where your appointment is scheduled.

Important: You must bring the appropriate evidence of identity documents with you when you sit for your learner permit or licence test. If you do not have the appropriate evidence of identity documents, you will forfeit your appointment and test fees.

Cancelling or changing your appointment
If you want to change an appointment you will need to pay another appointment fee. The test fee can be transferred to a new time (or refunded if the test is cancelled) if 24 hours notice is given. Failure to provide at least 24 hours notice will result in you forfeiting your appointment and test fees.

Fees
Please refer to the driver licence and learner permit fees for the information on the following fees:

• Appointment
• Knowledge test (only when undertaking the knowledge test as part of your overseas licence conversion)
• Hazard perception test (HPT)
• Drive test
• Driver licence card – 3, 4 or 10 years

There are no concessions available for appointment, test or licence fees.

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Evidence of identity
On the day of your appointment you need to bring original evidence of identity documents.

You must have:

• your overseas driver licence in English (or with English translation or International Driving Permit)
• one primary evidence document (eg. Australian birth certificate or passport)
• one secondary evidence document with your Victorian address (eg. credit/account card, phone bill, bank statement)
• evidence of Victorian address if not included on secondary evidence document (eg phone bill, bank statement)

One of these documents must have your signature on it. If your overseas driver licence is not available you can provide a letter from either:

• the issuing country’s driver licensing authority confirming your licence details, or
• the issuing country's consul in Australia where the consul has verified your licence details with the issuing country’s licensing authority

Study material
To prepare for your test you need to study the Road to Solo Driving handbook (available to view online in English). The printed handbook is available in English, Chinese (Mandarin), Vietnamese, Turkish and Arabic and can be purchased from VicRoads online bookshop, VicRoads Customer Service Centres, RACV offices, some newsagents and bookshops.

Test vehicle
VicRoads does not provide vehicles for drive tests. You need to ensure the vehicle you will be using meets the conditions of a vehicle allowed for drive tests.

Test languages
The road law knowledge test and hazard perception test is available in these languages: