International driver’s licenses are often a useful and important addition to many overseas trips. An international driver’s license allows you to drive internationally without further testing, provided your domestic Australian driver’s licence is also valid. It also allows you to rent vehicles in many countries, as well as providing another form of identification during your travels.

International Driving Permits (IDP) can only be issued to holders of a current Australia state/territory driving license who are over 18, and are not  stand alone documents or substitutes for a valid driving licence,  you must carry your Australian state/territory licence with your IDP at all times.

International driving licenses are also officially sanctioned by the United Nations and accepted worldwide (in over 150 countries) as a recognisable form of identification, and carry your identification details in nine languages (Spanish, English, Russian, Italian, German, Arabic, French, Swedish, Chinese), in case you need to communicate with foreign authorities.

To apply for an International Driving Permit, you need a passport size black and white or coloured photograph, showing your full face without any dark glasses or obscuring your facial features (photocopies or fax copies are not acceptable) as well as a current drivers licence.

To obtain an International Driving Permit visit your local transport authority, such as RACQ in Queensland.

After completing your 100 hours of supervised on-road driving experience (recorded in an applicable Department of Transport learner logbook) and passing your practical driving test, you will gain a provisional license. Provisional licenses are the next step in the Australian driving licensing system, and are designed to create safer conditions for younger and inexperienced drivers.

Under the graduated licensing system, the type of provisional licence you receive will depend on how old you are. If you are under 25, you will get a P1 provisional licence. If you are 25 or older, you will get a P2 provisional licence. Both the P1 and P2 license have certain requirements that must be adhered to throughout the length of each licensing length.

If you hold a P1 provisional licence and you are under 25, you:

• Must display red P plates at the front and rear of your car when driving
• Must not use your mobile phone when driving, including hands-free functions or Bluetooth accessories (Passengers are also banned from using mobile phones on the loudspeaker function)
• May only carry one peer passenger under 21 years (excluding immediate family members) between 11.00 pm and 5.00 am
• Are not allowed to drive high-powered vehicles
• Must drive with a zero blood alcohol concentration
• Must always carry your licence when you are driving.

In order to obtain your P2 provisional license, all P1 license holders must pass a hazard perception test. This additional test complements the road rules and practical driving tests, and assesses whether your perception skills are advanced enough to permit you to upgrade your license. Once obtained, a P2 provisional license has its own additional requirements.

If you hold a P2 provisional licence and you are under 25, you must:

• Display green P plates at the front and rear of your car when driving
• Not drive high-powered vehicles
• Drive with a zero blood alcohol concentration
• Always carry your licence when you are driving.

If you are aged 25 or over, you must:

• Display green P plates at the front and rear of your car when driving.

If you obtained your provisional licence before 1 July 2007, you must:

• drive with a zero blood alcohol concentration if you are under 25, or a blood alcohol concentration below 0.05 if you are 25 or older
• Always carry your licence when you are driving.

More information about provisional licenses can be found at www.roadtrip.qld.gov.au