[OzMove]

I have a South African drivers license and I was fortunate enough to have received permanent Australian residence before my arrival, which will be in the next couple of weeks.

Wondering if anyone can help me, I have read the Queensland gov website for drivers licenses and I know that my South African license is not really accepted for a straight swap.

My understanding is that I would need to do the full test, everything in order to get my Australian license. I am however allowed to drive on my SA license for 3 months.

The joke is that my Australian wife also has a South African drivers license, so I am wondering if she also needs to do the full test again.

 

[Maz25]

If your wife has never held an Australian driving license, then the same rules will apply to you both. The fact that she is an Australian citizen would be irrelevant in this case.

 

[OzMove]

If your wife has never held an Australian driving license, then the same rules will apply to you both. The fact that she is an Australian citizen would be irrelevant in this case.

She has had a Australian dirvers license, but when she wanted to renew it while staying in Eastern Europe, Australia only renewed for one year, they told her to change it into that countries license which she did not do. In South Africa she needed to do the full drivers test again and obtained a South African license. So she has a valid SA License and a expired Australian license from more than 10 years ago.

So does this change anything

Also any advice for myself would be great, does the fact that I have permanent residence make a difference in my case?

 

[Maz25]

You would have to check directly with DVS in SA. I'm in WA and here, as long as a license has not expired by more than 5 years, then it can be renewed but I can't comment about the rules in SA. The rules vary ever so slightly from state to state.

With regards to yourself, I'm afraid you still need to sit a driving test if you wish to obtain an Australian driving license, unless you have another driving license from a country whose license is eligible to be swapped.

 

[OzMove]

You would have to check directly with DVS in SA. I'm in WA and here, as long as a license has not expired by more than 5 years, then it can be renewed but I can't comment about the rules in SA. The rules vary ever so slightly from state to state.

With regards to yourself, I'm afraid you still need to sit a driving test if you wish to obtain an Australian driving license, unless you have another driving license from a country whose license is eligible to be swapped.

Sorry for the confusion. SA in my post meant South Africa and I think you are reffering to Southern Australia Nevertheless the answer was relevent and help me a lot.

I think she will probably have to redo the whole thing.

What is a realistic time period to pass the learners and drivers test, can it be done in 3 months? I am a fairly experienced driver, but I know these can be tricky.

 

[Maz25]

Sorry for the confusion. SA in my post meant South Africa and I think you are reffering to Southern Australia Nevertheless the answer was relevent and help me a lot.

I think she will probably have to redo the whole thing.

What is a realistic time period to pass the learners and drivers test, can it be done in 3 months? I am a fairly experienced driver, but I know these can be tricky.

Reading your first post again, I do see now that you mentioned Queensland. I'm must be losing my sight.

I fortunately have a UK license, so I did a straight swap, so I would not have any idea how long it would take to do the test. There are a few older threads though on the forum where people have posted their experience of getting an Australian driving license in various states. If you do a search, they should give you an idea of how long it would take.