If you are a visitor or a temporary visa holder, in most Australian states and territories (except the Northern Territory) you can drive on a current overseas licence.
If your licence is in a language other than English, you must also carry an English official translation or an International Driving Permit.
An official translation means a translation certified by an Embassy or Consulate or by an authorised translator.
Often migrants will need to change their overseas licence over to a local one.
VicRoads' Executive Director of Registration and Licensing David Shelton says it often varies.
If you are a permanent visa holder, then you must convert your overseas licence within either three or six months of arrival.
The process to convert your licence slightly differs according to the state or the territory you live in.
People from certain countries can convert their licence to an Australian one and not sit any tests.
Theres a small number of recognized countries, these are countries for which you do not need to sit a test to convert to a Victorian license. Countries that are recognized include Singapore, Japan, Spain, Malta, Sweden, obviously the UK, Canada, and many European countries, VicRoads' David Shelton explains.
He says people from all other countries need to go through a full set of tests in order to convert to a Victorian license.
Each state and territory has its own system for regulating roads and licences.
