Converting an Australian Driver Licence in the US

There is no national licence exchange in the United States: each state issues its own licences and sets its own rules. Most states let a visitor drive on a valid Australian licence, but once you become a resident, you apply for that state's licence and usually sit its tests. California, for example, requires knowledge, vision and driving tests.

Key takeaways

• Driver licences in the US are issued by each state, so the rules depend on where you live.
• Visitors can generally drive on a valid foreign licence; the obligation to get a local licence starts when you become a resident of the state.
• California requires a holder of a licence from another country to pass the vision, knowledge and driving tests.
• New York requires a written test, a five-hour pre-licensing course and a road test, and keeps your foreign licence when you pass.
• Kentucky exempts only licences from its reciprocity countries, Taiwan and South Korea, from written and road tests. No notarised copy or apostille changes any of this.

Why there is no single answer

In Australia, licences are issued by the states and territories, and in the United States the same is true: each state's motor vehicle agency sets its own rules for drivers from other countries. Some states have reciprocity arrangements with particular countries; many have none. So the question is not whether the US accepts Australian licences, but whether the state you are moving to does.

Three large or representative states show the range. Check your own state's motor vehicle agency before you move; the details below are for comparison, not a substitute for your state's rules.

State	Driving on an Australian licence	Getting the state licence
California	Allowed for visitors; residents need a California licence	Vision, knowledge and driving tests
New York	Allowed until you become a New York resident	Written test, five-hour course, road test; foreign licence surrendered
Kentucky	With an IDP, up to one year from admission, for Geneva Convention countries	Tests depend on the country; only Taiwan and South Korea are reciprocity countries

California

The California DMV says all California residents need a valid California licence to drive. For someone who holds a licence issued by another country, it applies the same process as for another US state's licence, plus a driving test:

1. Complete the application, online or at a DMV office, and pay the fee.
2. Visit a DMV office with your Social Security number, an acceptable identity document and, for a first California licence, residency documents.
3. Have your thumbprint and photo taken, and pass a vision exam.
4. Pass the knowledge test. You have three attempts per test.
5. Book and pass the driving test, with proof of insurance. The DMV says a holder of a licence from another country needs an accompanying driver to and from the test. You have three attempts.

The DMV also notes that a 16- or 17-year-old with a valid licence from another country may drive in California for only ten days unless they obtain a nonresident minor's certificate and file proof of financial responsibility.

New York

The New York DMV says you can drive in New York with a valid licence from another country, and you do not need a New York licence unless you become a New York resident. To get one, you must:

• Pass a written test.
• Complete a five-hour pre-licensing course.
• Pass a road test. When you pass, you give your foreign licence to the road test examiner.

Two practical points from the DMV: your valid foreign licence lets you drive without a supervising driver while you work through the process, except in a DMV road test area; and if a licence is printed in a language other than English, you need an IDP or a certified translation at the road test. An Australian licence is in English, so that does not apply. You do not need to be a US citizen to get a New York licence.

Because New York keeps the foreign licence at the road test, think about when you surrender your Australian card. If you will still need to drive in Australia, check with your state or territory licensing authority whether you can obtain a replacement card or keep your Australian licence current from overseas before you hand it over.

Kentucky

Kentucky's Division of Driver Licensing shows how states can grade foreign licences. It says non-US citizens may drive in the US with a valid foreign licence and an International Driving Permit for up to one year from the date of admission, if their home country is a party to the Geneva Convention. Someone who becomes a Kentucky resident must apply for a Kentucky licence within 30 days. Testing then depends on the licence:

• A licence from a reciprocity country, which Kentucky lists as Taiwan and South Korea: vision test only.
• A licence from a country whose licences the US accepts, with an IDP: vision and written tests.
• A licence from a country not accepted: vision, written and road tests, starting with a permit.

Australia is not a Kentucky reciprocity country. Ask the Division which of the other groups it places an Australian licence in before you book, because the difference between a vision and written test and a full set of tests, starting on a permit, is significant.

Identity, residency and visa status

The tests are only half of the application. Each state also checks who you are and that you live there. California asks for an acceptable identity document, residency documents for a first California licence, and your Social Security number, and offers both REAL ID compliant and federal non-compliant cards. New York says you do not need to be a US citizen to get a licence: non-citizens are eligible for standard licences, and those who can prove lawful presence for REAL ID. For a temporary visitor with a REAL ID, New York marks the card TEMPORARY VISITOR and ties its expiry to the date on the Department of Homeland Security documents. Bring your passport, visa documents and proof of address to the first appointment.

Before you become resident: the IDP

An International Driving Permit is not a licence on its own; it is a translation of your Australian licence that you carry with it. Kentucky's rule shows why it can matter: there, a non-citizen from a Geneva Convention country drives on a foreign licence with an IDP for up to a year from admission. Other states, such as New York, accept the foreign licence without one for an English-language licence. Get an IDP in Australia before you leave; an IDP is generally issued by the country that issued your licence, so it is not something you can get once you are in the US.

Do you need a notary or an apostille?

No. A US motor vehicle agency tests your driving and checks your identity and residency documents; it does not ask for a notarised copy of your Australian licence or an apostille on it. A notarised copy would not reduce the tests, and there is no exchange file for an apostille to support. What does need attention is your identity and residency evidence, which each state defines, and for California your Social Security number.

A notary can help with other paperwork for a US move, such as powers of attorney or certified copies for a bank. Our guide to US visa documents covers those, our guide to apostilles for the USA explains when an apostille is needed, and our guide to notarising a driver licence explains when a certified licence copy genuinely helps.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming a national rule: every state is different.
• Driving on the Australian licence long after becoming resident, past your state's deadline.
• Surrendering your only Australian card in New York without a plan to keep your Australian licence.
• Arriving without an IDP where your state expects one.
• Turning up to a California driving test alone, without an accompanying driver.
• Paying for a notarised copy or apostille no DMV has asked for.

An illustration

This is an illustration, not a real case. An Australian engineer moves to San Diego on a work visa. She arrives with an IDP and her NSW licence, and drives a hire car for the first weeks. Once she has a lease and her Social Security number, she books a DMV appointment, brings her passport, visa documents and lease as residency evidence, passes the vision exam and knowledge test, and returns with a colleague as her accompanying driver to pass the driving test.

In short

The US has no national exchange for Australian licences; each state sets its own rules. California requires vision, knowledge and driving tests; New York a written test, a five-hour course and a road test, keeping your foreign licence; Kentucky's rules depend on the country, and Australia is not one of its reciprocity countries. Visitors can generally drive on a valid Australian licence, with an IDP where a state expects one. No notary or apostille is involved. Our notarisation service covers documents that do need one.

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If a US office has asked for a document from Australia, send us what it asked for, and we will explain each step before you book.