Getting a Queensland licence (for overseas licence holders)

If you are applying for a Queensland licence and you hold a current driver licence issued from a foreign country, you may not need to pass a written road rules test or a practical driving test.

Special rules apply if your licence was issued in New Zealand, a prescribed country or a recognised country.

If your driver licence is issued in a country not listed below, you will need to pass a written road rules test and a practical driving test to get a Queensland driver licence.

New Zealand

If you are applying for a Queensland car or motorbike driver licence (class C, RE or R), you will not be required to complete a written road rules test or a practical driving test if you hold, or have held within the past 5 years, a driver licence other than a learner licence, that corresponds to a class C, RE or R licence granted from New Zealand.

If you are applying for a Queensland heavy vehicle driver licence (class LR, MR, HR, HC or MC) and you hold, or have held within the past 5 years, a driver licence that corresponds to a heavy vehicle licence granted from New Zealand (other than a learner licence), you will need to successfully complete the written road rules test for heavy vehicles. You will not be required to pass a practical driving test.

If you wish to transfer a New Zealand multi-combination licence (class MC) you will also need to complete the Multi Combination Driving Experience Declaration form (F3272) and provide evidence confirming your ability to drive a B-double or road train.

Prescribed country

If you are applying for a Queensland car or motorbike driver licence (class C, RE or R), you won't have to complete a written road rules test or a practical driving test if you hold, or have held within the past 5 years, a driver licence (other than a learner licence), that corresponds to a class C, RE or R licence granted from a prescribed country.

You will need to pass a written road rules test and a practical driving test if you are applying for a Queensland heavy vehicle driver licence (class LR, MR, HR, HC or MC).

The following countries are prescribed countries as defined in schedule 4, section 1 of the Transport Operations (Road Use Managment – Driver Licensing) Regulation 2010 – external territories of prescribed countries are excluded.

• Austria 
• Belgium 
• Canada
• Croatia 
• Denmark 
• Finland 
• France 
• Germany 
• Greece 
• Guernsey 
• Ireland 
• Isle of Man^†
• Italy 
• Japan 
• Jersey 
• Luxembourg 
• Malta^‡
• Netherlands 
• Norway 
• Portugal 
• Singapore 
• Spain 
• Sweden 
• Switzerland 
• United Kingdom 
• United States of America.

^†Isle of Man is prescribed only for driver licences granted on or after 1 April 1991.

^‡Malta is prescribed only for driver licences granted on or after 2 January 2004.

Recognised country

If you are applying for a Queensland car or motorbike driver licence (class C, RE or R), you don't have to complete a written road rules test or a practical driving test if you are 25 years of age or older and you hold, or have held within the past 5 years, a driver licence (other than a learner licence), that corresponds to a class C, RE or R licence granted from a Recognised Country.

You will need to pass a written road rules test and a practical driving test if you are applying for a Queensland heavy vehicle driver licence (class LR, MR, HR, HC or MC).

The following countries are recognised countries as defined in schedule 4 section 2 of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Driver Licensing) Regulation 2010 – external territories of recognised countries are excluded.

• Czech Republic
• Estonia
• Hong Kong
• Republic of Korea
• Taiwan