Australia at a Glance

Australia: Licences and Traffic Rules

Once you have checked if your driving permit is valid in Australia, you can hit the road and have fun!

Driving in Australia evokes images of endless roads in a red desert. Indeed, the sheer size of the country means that expats driving in Australia may face unexpected difficulties. We tell you all about venturing into the outback as well as traffic rules and regulations for driving in Australia.

Driving Permits

As Australia is made up of five states and various territories, each has different specific regulations concerning driving and cars. Here is a summary of the most general rules for drivers to follow.

First and foremost, expats planning on driving in Australia need a driver’s license. When you intend to drive in any foreign country, it is always a good idea to apply for an International Driving Permit. It is accepted in almost every country worldwide and will save you a lot of trouble. The application is relatively simple and usually not very expensive. Ask at your local department of motor vehicles or motoring club.

Foreign nationals with a driver’s license in English may use their original license to drive in Australia for up to three months. After that time, they will have to apply for an Australian one and pay a small fee (price depends on territory). If you are originally from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or the United States, you may simply convert your foreign license to an Australian one. This requires an administrative fee as well.

If you come from another country, you are required to take both the written and practical Australian driving test before you are allowed to drive in Australia. The minimum driving age is sixteen in the Northern Territory, eighteen in Victoria, and seventeen in all other territories. However, there is an ongoing debate to raise the minimum age to eighteen nationwide.

Traffic Rules and Regulations

Australia adheres to the points system, meaning that for each driving offense a number of so-called ‘demerit points’ will be added to your license. An accumulation of 12 or 13 demerit points in a three-year period will result in your license being suspended; however, it is wise to check the regulations of the individual territories concerning their specific point system.

As in most countries, it is compulsory for everyone in the car to wear a seatbelt at all times. Children must be placed in a restraint appropriate to their age. Australia has one of the toughest child restraint laws. In case of violation, the driver is at fault and punishment is given in the form of demerit points and a hefty fine (which can quickly add up to several hundred AUD if there are several unrestrained kids in the car). If you are caught using a hand-held mobile phone while driving, this will result in an immediate fine, and you will incur demerit points on the spot as well.