Title: I've got my Driving Licence!!!
Description: ...but boy was it expensive :-(
Description: ...but boy was it expensive :-(
Elaine - February 16, 2004 04:55 AM (GMT)
Hi
I thought I ought to do the right thing and go and sort my licence out, seeing as we've been here just about 3 months now and you're supposed to do it within 3 months.
I've been practising away on the RAA website, which is absolutely brilliant. So I did the theory test - and yes, the questions are EXACTLY the same as the ones on the RAA site, so no problem there. Only problem was, there was a power cut as I was doing it, so they weren't able to issue my licence there and then...
Under the recent change of regs, no practical test to do - thank heavens! So I went to the counter (later, when the power was back on) to exchange my piece of paper for a licence only to find it was gonna cost me dear at $241 :<!--emo&cry baby:-->
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Which makes the $21 for the theory test pale into insignificance.
I've just looked on the transport site and it took me ages to find the fees page, it's at http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/fees/drive_lic_permit.asp.
When the guy asked me how long I wanted the licence for I asked what the difference in fees was and he told me it was the same apart from an $11 fee to get it renewed later. So I went for the full 10 years. Now I see this chart it seems you pay $23 per year, so I should have just gone for the 2 years I expect to be here in Oz and saved myself a fortune. :doh:
Elaine
I thought I ought to do the right thing and go and sort my licence out, seeing as we've been here just about 3 months now and you're supposed to do it within 3 months.
I've been practising away on the RAA website, which is absolutely brilliant. So I did the theory test - and yes, the questions are EXACTLY the same as the ones on the RAA site, so no problem there. Only problem was, there was a power cut as I was doing it, so they weren't able to issue my licence there and then...
Under the recent change of regs, no practical test to do - thank heavens! So I went to the counter (later, when the power was back on) to exchange my piece of paper for a licence only to find it was gonna cost me dear at $241 :<!--emo&cry baby:-->
<!--endemo--> Which makes the $21 for the theory test pale into insignificance.
I've just looked on the transport site and it took me ages to find the fees page, it's at http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/fees/drive_lic_permit.asp.
When the guy asked me how long I wanted the licence for I asked what the difference in fees was and he told me it was the same apart from an $11 fee to get it renewed later. So I went for the full 10 years. Now I see this chart it seems you pay $23 per year, so I should have just gone for the 2 years I expect to be here in Oz and saved myself a fortune. :doh:
Elaine
juls - February 16, 2004 08:00 AM (GMT)
Gee's Elaine $241 to just exchange the license over, we did our tests last April and had to take the practical at a cost of $50 odd dollars then $21 dollars for each year you wanted the license to run for up to 10 yrs. Ok so now you don't have to do the practical but bet they'll find some other way of making a quick buck though !
Our rego is due next month and looking at the costing of the bill there's tax on tax does it make sense ???
Yep you should have just done the license card for 2 years would have only cost $48. Never mind perhaps it'll be an incentive to stay longer ???
Juls :mr man:
Our rego is due next month and looking at the costing of the bill there's tax on tax does it make sense ???
Yep you should have just done the license card for 2 years would have only cost $48. Never mind perhaps it'll be an incentive to stay longer ???
Juls :mr man:
Elaine - February 16, 2004 12:17 PM (GMT)
Happy ending I am pleased to report....
I went back to the transport office later this afternoon and they were kind enough to swap it for a 2 yr licence and refund me $187.
I must admit, all my experiences of Aussie bureaucracy have been pretty good, right from the time we took our kids' passport application forms up to the High Commission in London and arrived 10 mins after they closed - a kind doorman took the forms up and got us all sorted. Bet that would never have happened with the Civil Service!!
Feeling happier now!
Elaine
I went back to the transport office later this afternoon and they were kind enough to swap it for a 2 yr licence and refund me $187.
I must admit, all my experiences of Aussie bureaucracy have been pretty good, right from the time we took our kids' passport application forms up to the High Commission in London and arrived 10 mins after they closed - a kind doorman took the forms up and got us all sorted. Bet that would never have happened with the Civil Service!!
Feeling happier now!
Elaine
Snappy - February 16, 2004 06:37 PM (GMT)
Can I please ask when you get your Australian licence did you have to surrender your UK licence? If so how do you go about driving if you ever return for a visit in the UK? :medium smiley: or is it a case that the UK will accept the Australian licence but not visa versa?
Sasha
Sasha
lynsteve - February 17, 2004 01:33 AM (GMT)
I may be wrong, but if you come from the UK and bring a International Drivers licence with you , that licence is valid for 1 year. If you are asked in Australia, to produce a drivers licence, the international one is ok. The 3 month rule to get a South Australian does not get enforced, what happens if you decide to go back to the UK or move interstate, get my meaning.
This is what Lynsie and i did, we went for our South Australian licences after 10 months of being here. B)
This is what Lynsie and i did, we went for our South Australian licences after 10 months of being here. B)
Elaine - February 17, 2004 07:11 AM (GMT)
OK, let's see what I can offer in the way of answers!
Firstly, no-one asked me how long I'd been here so there was no need to cover up for the fact I was just outside my 3 months.
When I asked about the necessity of handing in my uk licence I was told that as an alternative they could punch a hole through the uk licence, just so that if I ever showed it to an officer he would be aware I held another licence too. Since we're only here for 2 years I didn't want to hand it over if I could help it.
In the event, they had a power cut as I was doing the theory test so I had to go back later to get the licence. No-one asked me for my uk licence then so they didn't get it!!
When they say International Licence I found they mean 'overseas' licence of whatever description. Had I been here on a temporary visa my uk licence would have been valid until it expired. Since I am an Oz citizen and hubby is here on a permanent visa we are both required to get the SA licence within 3 months.
What I did find though, was that they were pretty clued up and had put a reminder notice on my car rego to get my SA driver's licence number added to the record next time, so I guess they would have challenged me at some point when I next renewed the rego. As it happened, I had planned to do both the rego and the test while I was in the office to save myself another trip - haha, between the power cut and querying the cost I was there 4 times that day!
Oh, and make sure you've prettied yourself up when you go to get your licence as they take your photo. And you don't get to see it until you get the licence posted to you a week or so later..... :o hmm, can't wait, bet it's dreadful.
Can I reassure you all that it really isn't that bad doing the theory test. I'd read the book, not as thoroughly as perhaps I ought, and done the RAA test online half a dozen times and I only got one question wrong. If I can do it anyone can. I am just SO glad they dropped the requirement to do the practical test too :P
Hope this helps,
Elaine
Firstly, no-one asked me how long I'd been here so there was no need to cover up for the fact I was just outside my 3 months.
When I asked about the necessity of handing in my uk licence I was told that as an alternative they could punch a hole through the uk licence, just so that if I ever showed it to an officer he would be aware I held another licence too. Since we're only here for 2 years I didn't want to hand it over if I could help it.
In the event, they had a power cut as I was doing the theory test so I had to go back later to get the licence. No-one asked me for my uk licence then so they didn't get it!!
When they say International Licence I found they mean 'overseas' licence of whatever description. Had I been here on a temporary visa my uk licence would have been valid until it expired. Since I am an Oz citizen and hubby is here on a permanent visa we are both required to get the SA licence within 3 months.
What I did find though, was that they were pretty clued up and had put a reminder notice on my car rego to get my SA driver's licence number added to the record next time, so I guess they would have challenged me at some point when I next renewed the rego. As it happened, I had planned to do both the rego and the test while I was in the office to save myself another trip - haha, between the power cut and querying the cost I was there 4 times that day!
Oh, and make sure you've prettied yourself up when you go to get your licence as they take your photo. And you don't get to see it until you get the licence posted to you a week or so later..... :o hmm, can't wait, bet it's dreadful.
Can I reassure you all that it really isn't that bad doing the theory test. I'd read the book, not as thoroughly as perhaps I ought, and done the RAA test online half a dozen times and I only got one question wrong. If I can do it anyone can. I am just SO glad they dropped the requirement to do the practical test too :P
Hope this helps,
Elaine
juls - February 17, 2004 09:34 AM (GMT)
| QUOTE (Snappy @ Feb 17 2004, 03:37 AM) |
| Can I please ask when you get your Australian licence did you have to surrender your UK licence? If so how do you go about driving if you ever return for a visit in the UK? :medium smiley: or is it a case that the UK will accept the Australian licence but not visa versa? Sasha |
Yes we got hole punches through our UK licenses so in the event of being pulled over by the police you can't use the UK one because they'll know you have a Aussie one.
We were talking to some of Darren's work mates and they couldn't believe that a UK license last until your 70 yrs young ! Just shows how they make the money don't it <_< .....
Juls
Elaine - February 17, 2004 11:59 PM (GMT)
Hi Juls
You can get Darren to tell his workmates that it's actually changed in England now. Once you get a photocard licence they're only valid for 10 years. They obviously spotted the opportunity after all :rolleyes:
They are phasing out the old licences now for anyone with change of address etc, and presumably at some point they will require everyone to have photocards.
Elaine
You can get Darren to tell his workmates that it's actually changed in England now. Once you get a photocard licence they're only valid for 10 years. They obviously spotted the opportunity after all :rolleyes:
They are phasing out the old licences now for anyone with change of address etc, and presumably at some point they will require everyone to have photocards.
Elaine
rach_red2003 - February 18, 2004 08:53 PM (GMT)
Hi there, just thought I'd add my bit.
Daz didn't have to hand his over as he has PCV and HGV on his and they said he could keep his for moment and with me they forgot to ask me for my uk licence and I have mine still tucked away in my purse!!! I wasn't going to remind them.
Rach :medium smiley:
Daz didn't have to hand his over as he has PCV and HGV on his and they said he could keep his for moment and with me they forgot to ask me for my uk licence and I have mine still tucked away in my purse!!! I wasn't going to remind them.
Rach :medium smiley: