There are different rules in each of the Australian States/Territories. But basically, if you are coming from Overseas, specially if you have an Indian drivers license, then you will need to follow through with the below:
1. Before you leave India, get a letter from your RTO validating and verifying the drivers license and all the details on it. It needs to be in a format where all the details of the license as well as your details need to be mentioned in a paper, which is certified by an official at the RTO.
2. You need to go on-line and make a booking for getting verification of the License done by the VFS Indian Consulate Offices, which are located, in Sydney, at: 64, Clarence Street, Sydney 2000 (very near to the Wynyard Station on the York St side). The Licensing Authority might provide you with a letter stating the Actual Embassy/Consulate address, but it is no use going there, as they will redirect you to the VFS address, and the VFS people will ask you to fill the form on-line. So, save yourself the trouble :-)
a) Main Site: http://www.vfs-in-au.net/
b) Offices in the various Territories: http://www.vfs-in-au.net/submityourapplication.html
c) Instructions to get your License Verified: http://www.vfs-in-au.net/indiadriverslicence.html
d) The Online Application: https://www.vfsglobalonline.com/IHCAUSOnline/
Once you have booked an appointment with them and submitted the required documents, they will "Again" provide you with "another" document which verifies that the document and license that you have is authentic and can be used by the Roads & Transport department to provide you with a Permanent Drivers License. (The VFS Site has a good step-by-step guide to take you through the process, given at the above link)
The caveat in the above is that your existing license should be more than 3 years old, else you are back to getting a Provisional or even a Learners License from the Roads Department.
3. Once you have this letter with you. Go ahead and book your initial Drivers Knowledge Test (or DKT) on the respective states transport site:
a) New South Wales: http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/licensing/tests/index.html (http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/)
b) Victoria: https://billing.vicroads.vic.gov.au/bookings# (http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/)
c) Queensland: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Licensing/Getting-a-licence.aspx (http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/)
4. Most of the territories will have practice tests on their online sites and these should be given before going for the actual tests:
a) New South Wales: http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/licensing/tests/driverknowledgetest/demonstrationdriverknowledgetest/index.html
b) Victoria: http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/Licences/GetYourLs/PracticeLearnerandLicenceTests.htm
c) Queensland: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Licensing/Getting-a-licence/Licence-tests/Practical-driving-test.aspx
Most of the time getting your Drivers License authenticated, may not be required, as the Agency already has your License registered with them; and they just check that the License is in the correct format and allow you to give the DKT. But, it is a good thing to do the above in advance before approaching the Licensing Authority to provide you with an Australian License.
So, once you have your letter from the Embassy, stating that the Indian License is authentic, book your DKT on-line (links given above) and at the designated time and date, be sure to arrive atleast 15 minutes earlier with the following documents:
1. Passport Original
2. Original License
3. Original Authenticity letter
4. Proof of your address in Australia (Gas bill or Lease agreement)
5. The Printout of the Test booked Online
6. The Printout (details filled) of the RTA form, which has your details for giving the DKT
You could also get a Photo ID card created, which will save you the time and effort to carry most of the above documents. But, usually if you are sure of passing the DKT, it amounts to spending that amount extra, as it gets cancelled once you get a Learners, Provisional or Full License. (usually within a day of your passing the Tests).
1. Before you leave India, get a letter from your RTO validating and verifying the drivers license and all the details on it. It needs to be in a format where all the details of the license as well as your details need to be mentioned in a paper, which is certified by an official at the RTO.
2. You need to go on-line and make a booking for getting verification of the License done by the VFS Indian Consulate Offices, which are located, in Sydney, at: 64, Clarence Street, Sydney 2000 (very near to the Wynyard Station on the York St side). The Licensing Authority might provide you with a letter stating the Actual Embassy/Consulate address, but it is no use going there, as they will redirect you to the VFS address, and the VFS people will ask you to fill the form on-line. So, save yourself the trouble :-)
a) Main Site: http://www.vfs-in-au.net/
b) Offices in the various Territories: http://www.vfs-in-au.net/submityourapplication.html
c) Instructions to get your License Verified: http://www.vfs-in-au.net/indiadriverslicence.html
d) The Online Application: https://www.vfsglobalonline.com/IHCAUSOnline/
Once you have booked an appointment with them and submitted the required documents, they will "Again" provide you with "another" document which verifies that the document and license that you have is authentic and can be used by the Roads & Transport department to provide you with a Permanent Drivers License. (The VFS Site has a good step-by-step guide to take you through the process, given at the above link)
The caveat in the above is that your existing license should be more than 3 years old, else you are back to getting a Provisional or even a Learners License from the Roads Department.
3. Once you have this letter with you. Go ahead and book your initial Drivers Knowledge Test (or DKT) on the respective states transport site:
a) New South Wales: http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/licensing/tests/index.html (http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/)
b) Victoria: https://billing.vicroads.vic.gov.au/bookings# (http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/)
c) Queensland: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Licensing/Getting-a-licence.aspx (http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/)
4. Most of the territories will have practice tests on their online sites and these should be given before going for the actual tests:
a) New South Wales: http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/licensing/tests/driverknowledgetest/demonstrationdriverknowledgetest/index.html
b) Victoria: http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/Licences/GetYourLs/PracticeLearnerandLicenceTests.htm
c) Queensland: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Licensing/Getting-a-licence/Licence-tests/Practical-driving-test.aspx
Most of the time getting your Drivers License authenticated, may not be required, as the Agency already has your License registered with them; and they just check that the License is in the correct format and allow you to give the DKT. But, it is a good thing to do the above in advance before approaching the Licensing Authority to provide you with an Australian License.
So, once you have your letter from the Embassy, stating that the Indian License is authentic, book your DKT on-line (links given above) and at the designated time and date, be sure to arrive atleast 15 minutes earlier with the following documents:
1. Passport Original
2. Original License
3. Original Authenticity letter
4. Proof of your address in Australia (Gas bill or Lease agreement)
5. The Printout of the Test booked Online
6. The Printout (details filled) of the RTA form, which has your details for giving the DKT
You could also get a Photo ID card created, which will save you the time and effort to carry most of the above documents. But, usually if you are sure of passing the DKT, it amounts to spending that amount extra, as it gets cancelled once you get a Learners, Provisional or Full License. (usually within a day of your passing the Tests).
