Driving in Australia

• Note that the urban speed limit in New South Wales was decreased to 50 kilometres per hour from November 1, 2003. See Australian Traffic Rules. Many other cities and towns also now impose a 50km/h limit.

Thinking of driving in Australia? Well, fine.

If you’re a visitor and hold a valid driver’s licence (in English) from your own country, fine, you’re allowed to drive throughout all of Australia. (But an international driver's licence, if you have one, does not by itself give you the right to drive in Australia.)

If your driver's licence is not in English, a translation may be necessary and you may also need to have an international driver's licence.

If you come from a country where motorists drive on the left-hand side of the road, there’s not much more to know, and you should easily adjust to driving in Australia by following local driving customs and laws.

Be a leftist, man

If you come from the US, or from another country where people drive on the right-hand side of the road, there’ll be a bit to get used to, the main thing being that you drive on the left-hand side of the road in Australia; and that if you turn left or right, you must remember to go, as you complete your turn, into the left-hand side of the road you are turning into, instead of to the right as you’re used to.

Okay so far?