NSW government changing laws to make international drivers get NSW licences

Anyone planning to sit a driver’s licence test in NSW might want to look at getting in early, before the state government moves to require tens of thousands of foreigners to switch to NSW licences.

More than 120,000 foreign drivers from countries like India and China living in NSW will have to start sitting drivers’ licence tests after November following a state government crackdown on loopholes.

Since 2020, more than 2000 overseas drivers have had their visiting driver privileges withdrawn after poor behaviour on the roads.

Currently more than 220,000 foreigners on student, working or visiting visas are entitled to use their overseas drivers’ licences instead of a NSW licence.

But now the state government says it will change the laws from November requiring them to obtain a NSW drivers’ licence if they have lived here for more than three months.

More than 100,000 foreigners hold licences from “recognised countries” like Germany and the UK – and they will be able to simply able to convert their licences to NSW ones.

Those with overseas licences will have to convert to NSW licences. Picture: Supplied

But another 120,000 foreigners from “non-recognised” countries like China, India and Nepal will be required to do a Driver Knowledge Test, a Hazard Perception Test and a Driving Test – although they won’t have to do the driving log of 120 hours that locals do.

It follows issues around loopholes with foreign drivers escaping automatic penalties, including those that would have been triggered from being a P-plater.

Retired NRL star Sam Burgess appeared in court last year after being charged with driving with cocaine in his system on a suspended licence. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Last year it emerged footy star Sam Burgess racked up more than 30 driving offences in NSW while using a UK licence but did not have his licence revoked – even though he was obliged to switch to a state licence.

He ended up pleading guilty to driving without a NSW driver’s licence and was fined more than $1000 but spared a conviction after being caught drug driving in an unregistered BMW.

Professional driving education pioneer Ian Luff, a board director on the Australian Driver Trainers Association, says competency in driving comes back to training and welcomes moves to improve the skills of drivers, particularly overseas drivers who may not have the benefit of rigorous training and testing.

“Training standards from many overseas countries is very very poor,” he said.

Well known racer and professional driver trainer educator Ian Luff, pictured here at Eastern Creek, says motorists skills are crucial and some overseas drivers may not have had as good training.

“In places like India for example, road carnage is absolutely disastrous, because of the number of people, and the amount of motorcycles, cars, trucks – safety standards are virtually non-existent.”

He says training is the number one issue to improving the road toll, but is concerned about how the government agencies will process so many licences.

Transport for NSW said it was working with Service NSW to implement the new arrangements, “including how best to transition people currently living in NSW to a NSW driver licence”.

The government expects to reap an extra $53 million in the next financial year from removing the exemptions.

Originally published as NSW government changing laws to make international drivers get NSW licences