Qld’s interstate drivers license scheme millions off target

The state government is on track to make millions less than it had anticipated from a new fee that charges interstate migrants for a new Queensland licence.

The state government is on track to make millions less than it had initially anticipated from a new drivers licence transfer fee that cashes in on interstate migrants.

The charge must be paid by motorists who have moved to the Sunshine State from other states when they transfer their interstate drivers licence to a Queensland ­licence.

Between July 1 – when the fee kicked off – through to ­December 11, there were 21,194 interstate licence holders who paid up the charge.

It means the state government has pocketed about $1.649m from the fee, which is currently set at $78.75 per transfer for the 2022-23 financial year.

However, it puts the government behind their target to make $17m over three years from the charge.

Based on the current col­lection rate – which averages out to about $10,054 per day – the government will make about $11.01m from the fee over three years, which is about $6m less than what it was hoping.

In response to questions about the fee’s revenue and why the charge had been introduced, a spokesman for Treasurer Cameron Dick said record interstate migration continued to highlight how Queensland was the “place to be”.

“The principle of people who want to become Queenslanders supporting the investment needed to accommodate our growing population is an important one,” the Treasurer’s spokesman said.

According to the Queensland government’s website, ­interstate migrants need to apply for a Queensland licence if they have been living in the Sunshine State for three months.

A Transport and Main Roads spokeswoman said the fee was mandatory for interstate migrants wanting to transfer the unexpired period of their interstate licence to a Queensland licence.

“However, if the interstate licence expires within 12 months, the person can choose not to pay the transfer fee and forfeit the unexpired period on their interstate licence,” the spokeswoman said.

“In this instance a customer can choose a Queensland ­licence term of between one and five years and pay the applicable licence fee.”

Between July 1 and December 11, there were 10,512 NSW drivers licences that were transferred to Queensland ­licences, while 6130 Victorian licences were also transferred over the same period.

This was followed by 1109 ­licences from Western Aus­tralia, 996 from the Northern Territory, 940 from South Australia, 777 from the ACT and 719 from ­Tasmania.

NSW does not charge an ­interstate licence transfer fee, while in Western Australia the charge is set at $56.30 if no driving test is required.