Eligibility to qualify for a Victorian driver licence

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 for as long as it is current providing it is in English or accompanied by an English translation or International Driving Permit. There is no requirement to get a Victorian driver licence.
If you have entered 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 whilst in Australia.

If you want to continue driving in Victoria after this time you must change your overseas licence to a Victorian driver licence.

New Zealand residents who hold a current licence are treated as interstate drivers.

Eligibility to qualify for a Victorian licenceVictorian full driver licenceTo obtain a Victorian full driver licence you must:

• be 21 years of age or older; and
• hold an overseas full driver licence; or
• have held an overseas probationary driver licence for at least three years from your 18th birthday (you must provide evidence).

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 licenceTo obtain a Victorian probationary driver licence you must be at least 18 years of age. No exemptions apply.
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 of disqualified from driving is excluded when calculating the period of time you have held a licence.
You will be issued with a P1 probationary driver licence if you are under 21 years of age and have held an overseas driver licence for less than 12 months from your 18th birthday.

You will be issued with a P2 driver licence if you:
• are under 21 years of age and have held a driver licence for more than 12 months; or
• are 21 years of age or older and have held a driver licence for less than three years.

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.