[Hack] How to Pay Less on Your SA, ACT Driver's License Renewal Cost & General Comparison of Driver's Licence Costs in Australia

USER DC on 10/09/2022 - 22:28
Last edited 10/09/2022 - 22:56 by 1 other user

Was a bit hesitant in posting this, delete if not its allowed or something.

So we live in AUSTRALIA (federation of states), and something to be happy about, while some stuff to be sad about too.

This is relating to full class license only, and for those people who aren't eligible for discounted license fees, and who like to travel (or are willing to travel)
Before anything here's a quick overview of cost of driver's license Australian's renewal in different states

Before you start saying stuff like its not legal to get another state's licence etc. read the thing, only requirement is IF YOU ARE GOING TO MOVE TO INTERSTATE FROM YOUR HOME STATE, (and intend to drive) then YOU MUST CONVERT YOUR HOME STATE LICENCE TO NEW STATE LICENCE WITHIN X MONTHS. No where is a rule which says YOU CANNOT CONVERT YOUR HOME STATE LICENCE TO THE NEW STATE LICENCE UNLESS YOU LIVE IN NEW STATE FOR X days.

ACT
Full licence valid for 5 years $210.50
Full licence valid for 10 years $391.50
Interstate licence

NSW
1 year: $62
3 years: $144
5 years: $194
10 years: $362
Good behavior discount
Applying for Photo Card at the same time as applying for NSW driver licence 5 years: $5, 10 years: $5
Interstate licence

NT
1 year $34
2 years $52
5 years $104
10 years $179
Interstate licence conversion, You don't have to pay a fee to transfer your current interstate driver licence to the NT.

QLD
1 year driver licence $85.65
2 year driver licence $119.40
3 year driver licence $147.70
4 year driver licence $170.90
5 year driver licence $191.80
Interstate licence transfer—if your interstate licence is current $78.75

SA

$49/year + a $20 transaction administration fee)
Administration fee for issue or renewal of driver's or provisional licence $20
An additional fee is payable if you are applying for a driver's licence more than six months after your old licence has expired (payable in addition to the licence fee) $31

TAS

1 year $35.29
2 years $57.39
3 years $79.49
4 years $101.59
5 years $121.99
Interstate licence transfer
Fees for out of state and overseas licence renewals and duplicates - Renewal (one year maximum) $35.29

VIC

3 years $85.50
10 years $292.80
Appointment fee (for transferring interstate licence) $19.60
Interstate licence traveller
Good behavior discount - Safe Driver Discount program

WA

1 year $46.85
5 years $163.50
Overseas or (expired) Interstate driver's licence transfer application (if no driving test is required) $56.30

Given the high cost of licence conversion, in QLD, WA $78.75, it doesn't make sense to go to another state to convert licence.
For ACT residents, I couldn't find out cost of converting your interstate licence to ACT one, website doesn't mention one. If there's no fee then its great for you guys, to travel and get another state's licence and convert that to ACT one later UPTO 6 months from coming back interstate licence.
FOR SA residents, The cost is essentially same as administration fee that you'd pay if you were doing a renewal of licence. So a great opportunity to travel and get another state's licence and convert that to ACT one later UPTO 6 months from coming back interstate licence.

Now best place to get your home state licence converted to, depends on your circumstances, e.g. if you were already going to TAS, then just do that time and save on fuel/trip cost. Otherwise VIC seems to be the best option, only a $19.6 appointment fee to convert your home state licence to VIC one. If you were doing a 10 year renewal for an example,

SA people pay $510 for 10 years (in home state), or pay (trip cost + $292.80 + $19.6 + $20 aka trip cost +$332.4). Hence save money given your trip cost is < $177.6.
ACT people pay 10 years $391.50 (in home state), or pay (trip cost + $292.80 + $19.6 + any interstate conversion cost(I didn't find any). Hence if no interstate licence conversion cost, then save money given your trip cost is < $79.1.

Ofcourse best scenario is still for the people living in VIC, and NSW getting the good behavior discount, or the next best being people getting some other discount in their home state. And since it is going to be a new driver licence being issued in the new state, you would need a new address in the new state. So either friends, or like Auspost parcel collect/locker etc type options. I did make a call to VIC road once to ask em about this, the lady did say that sending licence to parcel collect etc. type is okay. But that's only words of her.

Let me know what you think about it, especially you people in BODERTOWN, man a golden hack for ya, who travel to VIC regularly anyway.

Automotive Driver's Licence

Comments

  • dylanando on 10/09/2022 - 22:37
    +8

    Is Tasmania so cheap because they have family discount?

    • USER DC on 10/09/2022 - 22:48

      no clue, but can tell ya from the website that, in Tasmania, A person who is 65 years or older is exempt from paying a licence fee but pay a fee of $11.49 for the licence card.

      • JoeBogan on 10/09/2022 - 23:02
        +6

        OP I think @dylanando is saying that all people from Tasmania are inbred

      • Jugganautx on 11/09/2022 - 08:19

        Wooooosh

    • JoeBogan on 10/09/2022 - 23:01
      +2

      This is the most underrated comment on here, gold! HAHAHAHA

      • dylanando on 10/09/2022 - 23:03
        +2

        Ty sir haha

    • Clear on 11/09/2022 - 00:11
      +1

      A few years ago I renewed mine for 5 years for about $100. It's so expensive now. We make up for it with expensive fuel.

  • Benoffie on 10/09/2022 - 22:38

    On the application on SA it clearly states evidence of age, identity and residency required in point 2.

    In point 2, it basically says that Service SA or SAPOL will check these.

    I presume every state is the same

    • USER DC on 10/09/2022 - 22:44

      If that(SA) is you home state why would it even matter??

      What matters is a new state willing to issue a licence @ discounted price, and then you can come to your home state, continue driving with the new state licence for X months, and then convert it back to the Home state licence (and have saved money)

      SAPOL would have no role in VIC, in terms of going to VIC to get a VIC licence.

      • Benoffie on 11/09/2022 - 09:04

        The whole premise of this post is people can aplly for licences interstate without proof of residency.

        I am suggesting due diligence has not been completed in this suggested hack. Otherwise, we'd essentially have a national licence and yet, we dont.

        • avoidfullprice on 11/09/2022 - 12:02
          +1

          The whole premise of this post is people can apply for licences interstate without proof of residency.

          More like OP doesn’t think is illegal (see cap locked text), makes assumptions on different states processes and therefore claim a legitimate hack. Like if you read the ACT link OP provided as an example, there is a paragraph saying

          proof of residency in the ACT must be provided as a fourth document if not already satisfied by other proof of identity documents (this is not required to register a vehicle in the ACT - you must simply provide notification of the vehicle's ACT garaging address)

          But like OP’s post, the point is not made clear. But hey, if it worked for OP so it will work for others who are willing to travel a bit etc BS

          • Lachy2437 on 22/09/2022 - 09:36

            @avoidfullprice: All you need for proof of residency is a letter from the government. When I moved to the ACT I ordered a new Medicare card so I had proof of residency (I'd moved into an established rental so didn't have bills etc).

  • lgacb08 on 10/09/2022 - 22:45

    well I have thought about it when converting my old NSW licence to Vic one but it's not that easy unless you live near border town, the savings will not be worth it and in many case they'll need to proof of your new residential address, so no it's not simply turning up at Vicroads and tell them you want to swap that nice looking waratah flower to a boring Vic licence witthout anything else, you'll need to give them some piece of utility bills to prove that you're moving.
    Probably worth it for SA resident but it's definitely not worth it for someone in ACT doing the 8 hours drive to Wodonga.

    • USER DC on 10/09/2022 - 22:49

      Yea definitely worth it for Bordertown or nearby SA residents. As far as process of VIC roads converting interstate licence to VIC, needing any proof, i think you are right, unfortunately https://billing.vicroads.vic.gov.au/bookings/Interstate/Term…

      But work around is Victorian residence declaration

    • lgacb08 on 10/09/2022 - 22:51
      +1

      And in case you miss, the top end licence is cheapest in the country, only $179 for a 10 year one so if you can hitch-hike to Alice Spring you might score a bargain of the year.

      Also NT also give free full licence for P-plate if they don't commit any offence within the previous 12 months so depending on timing you can score a bargain of the century :)

      • USER DC on 10/09/2022 - 22:53

        damm totally forget about NT in comparison. Now you making me explore NT instead of VIC. Good job NT government for promoting visitors.👌

  • avoidfullprice on 10/09/2022 - 23:34

    Are you mixing up car rego and car licence with all the cap locks text?

    • USER DC on 10/09/2022 - 23:35

      Ahh for me, its currently under someone else's name so not a big deal for me even if I get licence converted

      • avoidfullprice on 10/09/2022 - 23:53

        I just think all the effort writing up this post so someone may save an opportunistic <$20pa on driver licence renewal. It is a selfless act I must say

        • USER DC on 10/09/2022 - 23:55

          no that's not the point,

          the point is you get to travel + save money.

  • pegaxs on 11/09/2022 - 12:35
    +1

    Yeah, more than half of these are not going to work because you need to show proof of residency, as in some form of rental agreement or bills from land rates or utilities in your name.

    The information is interesting on the differences in licenses and costs, but ultimately, pointless. The piffling amount I would save on a license renewal is far outweighed by traveling to another state and spending the required time and/or money to live there long enough to transfer your license over.

  • bobbified on 11/09/2022 - 14:55
    +1

    So how much would someone each year? Less than $20? Is it really worth it for the time and effort?

    • USER DC on 11/09/2022 - 15:05

      for someone who wants to travel anyway, definitely well worth it

      • bobbified on 11/09/2022 - 15:09
        +2

        The wait at RMS/Vicroads or whatever equivalent sucks! haha

  • randomusername2017 on 11/09/2022 - 15:11

    When did the NSW discount one change to 1 /3/5/10?

    Was only on 10 last time so not eligible.. not eligible this time either😂

  • Euphemistic on 22/09/2022 - 09:54

    Another reason that arbitrary state borders and individual state licences and road rules are an antiquated idea. We need a standard set of rules, licences and licence fees across the country.

    Must be frustrating for those living in border towns when two blocks away it’s cheaper/easier to get a licence.

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