Driving in Queensland on an interstate or overseas licence

Information on this page is from Queensland State Government – Driving in Queensland

If you are visiting Queensland from another country, you can drive if you have a valid overseas licence. If you are visiting Queensland from another Australian state or territory you can drive if you have a valid interstate licence. You can’t drive in Queensland with your interstate or overseas licence if you have been issued with a Queensland licence.

When driving in Queensland under your valid interstate or overseas licence you must:

only drive the class of motor vehicle authorised on that licence
comply with the conditions (if any) of your licence
show your licence to a police officer when asked to do so.

If you are driving in Queensland on an overseas car licence, you may drive vehicles allowed under a Queensland class C licence. This includes vehicles up to 4.5t gross vehicle mass that may carry up to 12 people including the driver.

You can’t drive in Queensland if:

you have been disqualified from holding or getting a driver licence by an Australian court
your authority to drive in Queensland has been suspended because you:
- have not paid fines issued to you
- accumulated too many demerit points on your traffic history
- have been convicted of driving at more than 40km/hr over the speed limit
your authority to drive in Queensland on your overseas licence has been withdrawn because you:
- become medically unfit to drive safely
- are an Australian citizen and you have been residing in Queensland for 3 months
- are not an Australian citizen, but before you took up residence in Queensland you were given a resident visa and you have now been residing in Queensland for 3 months
- are not an Australian citizen, but after you took up residence in Queensland you were given a resident visa and you have now been residing in Queensland for 3 months since getting the visa
- have failed a practical driving test in Queensland after 1 January 2014.

A resident visa is a permanent visa or special category visa under the Migration Act 1958 (Commonwealth). These visas allow a person to stay indefinitely in Australia. These do not include temporary, business or guardian visas.

If you drive in Queensland when you are not allowed to, you will be charged with unlicensed driving and you may have to appear in court.

Find out more about driving without a licence.

Transferring to a Queensland licence

You will need to apply for a Queensland driver licence if you:

are an Australian citizen with an interstate licence and you have been residing in Queensland for 3 months
are not an Australian citizen, but before you took up residence in Queensland you were given a resident visa and you have now been residing in Queensland for 3 months
are not an Australian citizen, but after you took up residence in Queensland you were given a resident visa and you have now been residing in Queensland for 3 months since getting the visa.

How to apply for a Queensland driver licence

You can apply for a Queensland driver licence for the same class as your interstate or foreign licence by visiting a Transport and Main Roads customer service centre or a Queensland Government licence issuing centre or, if you live in a rural area, a Queensland Government Agent Program (QGAP) office or a licence-issuing police station (in rural or remote areas of Queensland).

Make sure you meet the minumum age limit for the type of Queensland licence you are applying for.

You will need to:

complete the driver licence application (F3000)
if you are transferring from a foreign licence—bring your foreign driver licence and a recognised English translation (if needed) from a translator approved by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI)
if you are transferring from an interstate licence—bring your interstate licence because you will have to hand it in to get your Queensland licence
bring your evidence of identity documents, including proof that you live in Queensland
declare that you are medically fit to drive the class of vehicle (you may need to provide a medical certificate that states that you are medically fit to drive.)
pay the licence fee—the cost will depend on how long you want your Queensland driver licence for. If you have more than 6 weeks left on your interstate licence, you will get a Queensland licence with the same expiry as your interstate licence (maximum 5 years) at no charge.

Your authority to drive on your non-Queensland licence will be withdrawn when you have been issued with a Queensland driver licence. This means you can no longer drive with your interstate or overseas licence in Queensland.

All documents must be originals—photocopies and certified copies are not acceptable. The department may keep a copy of your evidence of identity documents or information about them to verify these documents with the issuing agency or a document verification service.

Will you be driving while you’re overseas?

If you are planning on driving, we recommend you get an International Driving Permit (IDP) before you head off. IDPs are a requirement for renting a motor vehicle in many countries and can be helpful if you find yourself in need of identification or assistance.

With an IDP, you can:

Drive internationally without further tests or applications, provided your domestic driver’s licence is valid
Prove that you hold a valid driver’s licence in your home country at the date of issue of the IDP
Drive in most foreign countries in case of an emergency (under normal IDP conditions)