Visiting NSW? You can use your interstate or overseas driver or rider licence for the first 3 or 6 months – as long as it's current and you follow NSW road rules. If you're a tourist or temporary overseas visitor, you can drive in NSW using your overseas licence for up to six months as long as you: remain a temporary overseas visitor have a current overseas licence have not been disqualified from driving in NSW or anywhere else have not had your licence suspended or cancelled, or your visiting driving privileges withdrawn carry your overseas driver or rider licence with you. If your licence is not written in English, you must also carry an English translation, or an International Driving Permit. This is issued by the motoring association or embassy of the country that you are licensed to drive in. You don’t have to get a NSW licence if you meet these conditions and can prove your visitor status to police, if asked.

Six-month rule The new arrangements apply to a person who takes up residence in NSW on a temporary visa on or after 1 July 2023. Under the new arrangements, temporary visa holders will need to obtain a NSW driver licence within six months if they have resided continuously in NSW and wish to continue to drive. To be a resident of NSW, a person must ordinarily live at an address that is in NSW. A person may visit another state temporarily for a holiday or for work but would be considered to be continuously living in NSW. The timeline starts from the date that a person obtains, changes to, or uses a NSW address as their primary location. Overseas licence holders who are residents of NSW prior to 1 July 2023 can continue to drive on their overseas licence and would not be required to meet the new requirements. Example 1: Person A arrives in NSW on 1 March 2023. The new ‘six-month rule’ does not apply. Person A can continue to drive in NSW on their overseas licence until they became the holder of a permanent visa under the Migration Act or their overseas licence expires or is otherwise cancelled or suspended. Example 2: Person B arrives in NSW on 1 July 2023. Person B will reside continuously in NSW for six months or more from that date. Person B would be required to obtain a NSW driver licence by 1 January 2024. Example 3: Person C resides in NSW for five months and then goes to Queensland for a one- month holiday. Person C is still required to obtain a NSW driver licence as their main residence is NSW.

Visiting NSW for more than 6 months? If you hold an overseas licence and wish to continue to drive in NSW, you will need to obtain a temporary visitor’s licence within 6 months. Complete a Licence Application form (PDF 222.41KB) and take it to a service centre along with: your overseas licence or an authorisation letter from the country it was issued in proof of identity pass an eyesight test (unless exempted) pass a knowledge test if applicable (unless exempted) pass a driving and/or riding test (unless exempted) your payment. If any of your documents are not in English, you'll need to bring an English translation with you.

A car, motorcycle or bicycle in an adjacent lane can easily be positioned beyond the area visible in the mirrors. Checking your blind spots is an essential observation skill as many crashes occur because drivers do not turn their head and look over their shoulder before steering. Frequently not performing observation checks will result in a fail. You must turn your head and check your blind spots before: • changinglanes • leavingorreturningtothekerb • mergingordiverging • reversing • turning left – looking for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists who could be beside you in your blind spot • turning right – looking for vehicles that may be overtaking you • joiningthetrafficstream • leavingtheinsidelaneofamultilaneroundabout. When reversing you must turn your head and look over your shoulder to check through the rear window for vehicles and pedestrians that may not be visible in your mirror. All vehicles have blind spots behind.

The Driving Test is a set course over 25 zones. A testing officer will be in the car with you to direct the drive and record your performance on a test score sheet. Your test is scored on your ability to show low risk driving behaviour in a range of situations. The test has five key performance indicators: • speedmanagement(S) • roadpositioning(P) • decisionmaking(D) • respondingtohazards(H) • vehiclecontrol(C)

If you hold a car or rider licence issued by a recognised country and jurisdiction, you can apply for a NSW licence without passing a knowledge test or driving test. The licence must be current or expired within the last 5 years, and it must not be a learner licence. There are 2 categories of recognised countries and jurisdictions – A and B. List B exemptions are for drivers and riders who are 25 years of age or older. Heavy vehicle licences If you are applying for a heavy vehicle licence (classes LR, MR, HR, HC or MC) there are no exemptions. You must pass the relevant knowledge and driving tests, even if you hold an equivalent class licence from a recognised country or jurisdiction. Recognised countries and jurisdictions Recognised countries and jurisdictions - List A 1/3 You do not have to pass knowledge or driving tests for a NSW car (class C) or rider (class R) licence if your current licence comes from a licensing authority in one of the following places: Austria Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Canada (any state) Croatia Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Guernsey Ireland Isle of Man (licences issued since 1 April 1991) Italy Japan Jersey Luxembourg Malta (licences issued or renewed since 2 January 2004) Netherlands New Zealand (except for paper licences) Norway Portugal Singapore Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom United States of America (any state). Recognised countries and jurisdictions - List B if: you are 25 years or older, and your current licence comes from a licensing authority in one of the following places: Bulgaria Cyprus Czech Republic Estonia Hong Kong – for licences held for at least 12 months Hungary Latvia Lithuania Poland Republic of Serbia Romania Slovakia Slovenia South Africa South Korea (Republic of Korea) Taiwan. If you hold a licence issued by a licensing authority on list B, but are under 25 you must pass the relevant knowledge and driving tests. If you hold a licence issued by a country or jurisdiction not listed, you will need to pass knowledge and driving tests when applying for an equivalent NSW licence. When the exemption does not apply In some cases, the recognised licensing authority exemption may not apply, for example if: you hold a licence from an external territory of a place on list A or list B, you must pass knowledge and driving/riding tests a Hong Kong licence has been issued for less than 12 months you failed a NSW knowledge test before 17 January 2005, you must resit and pass the relevant knowledge test you failed a driving or riding test before 20 May 2002, you must retake and pass the relevant driving or riding test you hold a licence issued by a licensing authority on list B, and you failed a knowledge test and/or driving test before 18 February 2013 you must re-take and pass the relevant test.

Buffering is keeping as much space to the sides of your vehicle as practical in any situation. You should have at least 1m from other vehicles and hazards. Where you are not able to keep a safe space from other vehicles and hazards you must slow down. You are also expected to change your position on the road to create space from hazards. On crests and curves, slow down and move away from oncoming traffic. When possible, you should be at least 1m from the centreline on blind crests and curves. In multi-laned traffic, avoid driving in the blind spot of other drivers and in the high risk area beside other vehicles.

When you are stopped in traffic you must keep one to two car lengths from the vehicle in front to reduce the risk of colliding with it if you are hit from behind. You may move forward to within 1m once other vehicles are stopped behind you and the risk of being hit from behind is reduced.

You must adjust your speed to maintain crash avoidance space to the front of your vehicle. The minimum safe distance needed in front is three seconds. This must be increased in poor conditions, or when you are being followed too closely by another vehicle. When you change lanes or if another vehicle moves into your 3-second gap, you will be expected to create a new gap by gradually dropping back. To calculate a 3-second crash avoidance space when following another vehicle use this basic technique: as the rear of the vehicle in front of you passes a stationary object at the side of the road such as a power pole, tree or sign, start a 3-second count ‘one thousand and one, one thousand and two, one thousand and three’. If your car passes the object you picked before you finish the 3-second count, you are following too closely. Your crash avoidance space is not large enough. Slow down, and repeat the count again until the 3-second crash avoidance space is achieved. You should increase your crash avoidance space to 4 or more seconds when driving in poor conditions, such as on unsealed (dirt or gravel), icy or wet roads, or at night. You can help other vehicles, such as trucks and buses, to keep their crash avoidance space by not cutting in front of them.