Recognised Overseas Licences Scheme
The Recognised Overseas Licences Scheme supports Australian driver licensing authorities by providing a nationally consistent process for assessing whether overseas driver licences can be recognised in Australia.
Austroads reviewed Australia's overseas licence recognition arrangements to ensure future recognition decisions are based on a transparent, robust and evidence-informed process. As a result, a new assessment framework was developed in consultation with road safety and licensing experts from Australian licensing authorities and academia.
The framework assesses both licence integrity and road safety outcomes using a range of evidence sources.
This includes consideration of:
- licence integrity arrangements, including identity management processes
- road safety performance
- driver licensing requirements and controls for new drivers
- the safety performance of overseas drivers after they transition to an Australian licence.
Assessments are informed by international road safety data, analysis of Australian crash data and information provided by jurisdictions seeking recognition. Recommendations are considered by the Austroads Registration and Licensing Task Force on behalf of Australia's driver licensing authorities.
The framework has been used to assess jurisdictions previously covered by the former Experienced Driver Recognition arrangements and to support recognition decisions by Australian licensing authorities. Future assessments will continue to be undertaken using the same nationally consistent, evidence-informed approach.
Background and Evolution
Australia’s Recognised Overseas Licences Scheme (which is similar to that operating in New Zealand) provides for streamlined conversion of overseas licences to Australian licences for drivers with licences from recognised overseas jurisdictions – in some cases without any additional testing requirements.
Additionally, Australia and New Zealand are parties to international conventions, which allow visitors to drive on their overseas licences for a certain period of time.
Under the Scheme, Austroads manages the administrative arrangements for overseas licence recognition.
Why the Scheme Was Reviewed
Over recent years, the international driver licence environment has become increasingly complex. There have been a variety of challenges for licensing authorities across the globe, growing from:
- Reliance on a licence as proof of authority and competence to drive
- Use of the licence for proof of identity
- Rise in identity theft and document fraud
- Greater personal and employment mobility
Reflecting these concerns, Austroads reviewed the management of overseas-issued driver licences on behalf of its member agencies.
What Has Changed?
Following the review, the Scheme was updated to improve safety, integrity, and consistency. Key changes include:
- Revised assessment criterion to determine whether licence holders from specific jurisdictions are suitable to have their licences recognised in Australia.
- Strengthened licence verification processes.
- Reviews of overseas jurisdictions with recognition status will be undertaken periodically.
How the Scheme Works
Recognition Status
Recognised overseasjurisdictions are assessed as having robust licence integrity processes and strong road safety performance.
Drivers from recognised jurisdictions have a more streamlined process to transfer to an Australian licence.
Changes to Experienced Driver Recognition
Up until 2025, Australia operated the Experienced Driver Recognition scheme whereby holders of licences from these overseas jurisdictions, who were over the age of 25, could be issued a comparable Australian licence without further training or assessment. The Experienced Driver Recognition status ended for all Australian states and territories in early 2026.