Chicken Or The Egg

[skippybangkok]

According to Vic Road, if you live overseas, you cannot renew your driver license any more. If you are long term here, and need to drive in other countries using the international license, you cant get one for your thai license ( not sure now, but it used to be the case ).

So, if u follow the rules, you end up with no license, not sure if you can renew your local license if original is not valid any more( suppose you can ), and will never be able to legall drive in another country other than Thailand.

If you can have a freaking Passport, whats to special about a license ( wake up burocrats )

So how does one manage this? Currently " i live in Australia" but am on a "business trip".

[Sing_Sling]

Same situation - my renewal is coming up in February and it simply doesn't make sense to spend $1000 to fly down to renew it.

What to do?!

[tropo]

According to Vic Road, if you live overseas, you cannot renew your driver license any more. If you are long term here, and need to drive in other countries using the international license, you cant get one for your thai license ( not sure now, but it used to be the case ).

So, if u follow the rules, you end up with no license, not sure if you can renew your local license if original is not valid any more( suppose you can ), and will never be able to legall drive in another country other than Thailand.

If you can have a freaking Passport, whats to special about a license ( wake up burocrats )

So how does one manage this? Currently " i live in Australia" but am on a "business trip".

I don't know about Victoria, but I've just filled out my renewal forms for my Queensland driver's licence and I'll be heading to the Australian Embassy to have them notarised tomorrow. It expired back in July this year, and you can renew it up until 2 years after expiry date.

It is necessary to have a resisdential address in Australia to do this. I'll just use my old address that is still on my licence because you are permitted to give a mailing address for correspondence.

I suppose if you tell them you have left to live overseas, strictly speaking you cannot do it...but you guys need to be more imaginative to get round these complications.

PS. For the Queensland licence renewal, I need to fill out a standard "Temporary Residence Statement Interstate or Overseas". On this form the ask about my reaons for being overseas and it must be witnessed (notarised).

Edited November 1, 2006 by tropo

[skippybangkok]

Thx.

Yes, Gave my parents a letter of authority to pick up my licence for me "cause i was ona business trip".

They seemed to think it was ok, real test will see in 2 weeks. At the end of the day, its a stupid policy, and just begs for people to find slightly less stupid ways around it.

So if you are a diplomat, on many over sea's posting, I assume they would all loose their licences?

[samran]

Are you sure?

Just checked out the relevant pagehere:

Renewing your licence while overseas

If you are overseas and need to renew your licence, you can do this by Bpay, telephone or by mail if VicRoads holds a recent digitalised image of you. This will be indicated on your renewal licence. If you do not know whether VicRoads has a recent photo of you on its database, you can find this and more information by calling 613 9854 2666.

Your licence will be mailed to the current address on your licence. Please allow two to four weeks for delivery if you have requested your new licence to be mailed overseas.

If you do not renew your licence on time, your licence will expire. Depending on your licence status, different requirements will apply for renewing an expired licence.

When I changed over from a old type of licence to a new style digitised one, I was asked to send two passport photos with the application which the digitised. Was sent in the mail to me here in BKK. This was about 18 months ago though.

[Tornado]

Mine had also run out and when I went to motor reg in S.A. this year, they said it had been more than 5 years and I would have resit my test. yeah right.

Motor Reg man did say, that if you translate your Thai licence into English, you can use that..

[Nawtilus]

I had no problem renewing mine from here, they had my digital image and just paid by c/c and it was sent to me.

What so hard about dat ?

[Douggie Style]

I had an Australian friend who took advantage of the differences between states to get a higher motorcycle license that what he was entitled to.

He travelled to another state, while there got the license, then returned some time later.

I can't remember all the details but he used a friends address for all mail relating to that license.

On another point there are lots post box services of the residential address type 'Suite A/ 123 Road' ....

Edited November 1, 2006 by Douggie Style

[sibeymai]

The RTA website for NSW has a form to download for people overseas to renew their licenses.

Edited November 2, 2006 by sibeymai

[udon]

I had an Australian friend who took advantage of the differences between states to get a higher motorcycle license that what he was entitled to.

He travelled to another state, while there got the license, then returned some time later.

Douggie, could you elaborate a bit please.

Upped to a higher (?) m/c license?

Which state did he go to?

thanks.

[Jockstar]

According to Vic Road, if you live overseas, you cannot renew your driver license any more. If you are long term here, and need to drive in other countries using the international license, you cant get one for your thai license ( not sure now, but it used to be the case ).

So, if u follow the rules, you end up with no license, not sure if you can renew your local license if original is not valid any more( suppose you can ), and will never be able to legall drive in another country other than Thailand.

If you can have a freaking Passport, whats to special about a license ( wake up burocrats )

So how does one manage this? Currently " i live in Australia" but am on a "business trip".

And some people think that LOS is bad. Oz can be just as bad. Beaurocrats in every country.

[jamescollister]

According to Vic Road, if you live overseas, you cannot renew your driver license any more. If you are long term here, and need to drive in other countries using the international license, you cant get one for your thai license ( not sure now, but it used to be the case ).

So, if u follow the rules, you end up with no license, not sure if you can renew your local license if original is not valid any more( suppose you can ), and will never be able to legall drive in another country other than Thailand.

If you can have a freaking Passport, whats to special about a license ( wake up burocrats )

So how does one manage this? Currently " i live in Australia" but am on a "business trip".

According to Vic roads you are not allowed to hold any other llicense if you have a Vic. license. I took my wife down to get her a Vic. license and they said she would have to hand over her Thai license, needless to say we spend most of our time in LOS so no Vic. license.

And some people think that LOS is bad. Oz can be just as bad. Beaurocrats in every country.

[Simmo]

i just renewed my NSW license last month. Sent my brother the application forms, passport photo and money and he popped into an RTA and had it done in a few minutes.

[chatette]

Every state is different and not all allow on-line or embassy renewal. My SA license had to be renewed in person. Ridiculous but that's their rule. You do, tho, have several years to renew after expiry.

[Jai Dee]

What do you folk think I should do?

I currently have a WA drivers licence. It expires in December 2006.

But my mailing address is my brother's place in Victoria.

I no longer have any property in WA, and am a non-resident for tax paying purposes.

I reckon I've got buckley's chance of a renewal...

[skippybangkok]

Oz is strange to say the least. If its a VIC one, you have 5 years after expiry till renewal. Going to WA in the next 5 years?. Even if so, if you go to another country, cant get international licence based on your thai one.

Recon best to contact them and pretend to be in vic or traveling. You would need to call them to find out the procedure ( i.e can it be mailed to you ).