Nomad Drivers Licence

Cruising Granny · Guru

Nomad Drivers Licence

twobob · Guru

Christine
I have a national heavy vehicle licence, but I too have to change it, from state to state, if I move residence.

There is no alternative that i know off

I will add though, for all, and that is to go get a 18 plus card. Place it elsewhere, and if your drivers licence is lost or stolen, use it to get a replacement quickly, and with the least amount of hassle

xina · Guru

Hi Bob,
What is an 18 plus Card?
Cheers,
xina.

mike and Judy · Guru

Hi Christene
I hold a Victorian heavy licence, and its for 10 years, even years ago when I held a Qld licence it was for 10 years, I know of no National licence, and at my age I hope to renew it once more using my sons address in Vic, as is the Registration for all my vehicles,
I work on the principal that the less the powers that want have, the better it is for me
Judy has a NSW licence and its for 7 yrs, she also held a Vic licence and had to change when moving to Qld, she was in the state for 18 months and had to change again to NSW when she moved again to Tweed Heads, about 1k in from the border
so will retain my Vic licence whereever I wander
I wonder what the other states are like
M&J

Enjoy your sunrises

Roostertales · Senior Member

Hi -I'm interested in the 18 plus card also -what is this ?

I agree with Mike -as long as you can nominate an address in your home state why change ?

chezgo · Senior Member

Hi Everyone you get these cards from motor registry offices I know they definitely have them in NSW and QLD have no idea about other states. They are also known as Proof of Age Cards just take your id in there that you would need if applying for a licence and they do them on the spot. My daughter had one before she had a licence. But I do remember there was something about getting one in Vic when she moved so not sure what they do but you would think they would be a national thing. chezgo confuse

Basil Faulty · Guru

An 18 plus card is for those who are over 18 but do not have a licence to produce as Identity, seniors cards, centrelink cards or a passport work equally as well.
I had a similar issue with my van registration expring when I was in Darwin in 2005 and no amount of sensible discussion with the ACT registry could get them to accept payment via credit card over the phone. I had no choice but to illeaglly drive home with an unregistered van untill I could personally front up to pay....

twobob · Guru

The 18+ card is as Sir Basil say's

It is a photo ID, same as your drivers licence, normally used for age identification.

Why I suggest it, as well, if you loose your drivers licence, it is accepted most places as proof of ID. Without it or your drivers licence, they will make you jump through hoops, for a replacement licence ie birth certificates, marriage licence, note from your mum, etc

On rego, in Qld, you can renew it via the net. They provide a Bpay number and you just log in and pay by card, jobs done!

For a drivers licence you have options to approx 7 years, but have to front up for renewal, Seems they believe we change with age - foolish buggers

tonyd · Guru

The chirpy, if incompetent, Asian bloke who runs my local post office recently told me that a passport was NOT proof of identity. Dunno what is!
Like more and more things in this country, it makes no sense at all.

twobob · Guru

Oh, forgot this little tit bit on 18+ cards

Got one for my mum, aged 70 plus, so she could fly (not broom) but for airport check in

Pam · Guru

How many "countries" do we live in anyway???
Should be one licence not state ones.

Basil Faulty · Guru

tonyd wrote:

The chirpy, if incompetent, Asian bloke who runs my local post office recently told me that a passport was NOT proof of identity. Dunno what is!
Like more and more things in this country, it makes no sense at all.

That's because he probably got his passport from a less than reliable source LOL

Basil Faulty · Guru

Pam wrote:

How many "countries" do we live in anyway???
Should be one licence not state ones.

Well Pam Dad Rudd has to get the hospitals sorted first then he has problems with discrepancies in railway gauges that still has to be dealt with; of course the Pensioners are always up in arms about the pittance they recieve. Of course he is still trying to reconcile the billions spent on the AUSTRALIA CARD that never was....Australia wide drivers licences are way down the list just before abolishing the states....

-- Edited by Basil Faulty at 19:11, 2009-02-04

Cruising Granny · Guru

I have perused the internet to learn 3 states in this country are actively pursuing the national drivers licence. NSW, WA and Qld. I don't know if the others are doing it, or why they're not considering it.
Maybe we who travel from state to state with varying lengths of stay, should put some pressure on the powers who want to be, to introduce it.
Interstate truck drivers have a national licence, but I believe there are conditions relating to their job, and their state of origin.
I still don't understand why the states want to claim "ownership" of their drivers. In my opinion a licence to drive is a licence to drive, no matter where it was issued.
Safe and happy driving. Stay upright. Cheers Granny

Wombat 280 · Guru

mike and Judy wrote:

Hi Christene
I hold a Victorian heavy licence, and its for 10 years, even years ago when I held a Qld licence it was for 10 years, I know of no National licence, and at my age I hope to renew it once more using my sons address in Vic, as is the Registration for all my vehicles,
I work on the principal that the less the powers that want have, the better it is for me
Judy has a NSW licence and its for 7 yrs, she also held a Vic licence and had to change when moving to Qld, she was in the state for 18 months and had to change again to NSW when she moved again to Tweed Heads, about 1k in from the border
so will retain my Vic licence whereever I wander
I wonder what the other states are like
M&J

Enjoy your sunrises

Be careful if you reside in one state but hold a licence in another , spent a long time in the ADF and have held a licence in every state in OZ . Only kept changing over because the issue was raised when one of our lads who was on posting in WA, hence deemed to be a resident of WA, had an accident at Broome while driving on a QLD licence. Typical of insurance companies they tried to wipe his cover classifying him as an unlicenced driver . To make it worse the WA coppers were about to charge him also for the same offence because he hadn't changed his licence over, same goes for rego transfers

It was sorted out eventually ( about 12 months) but caused a lot of agro for both him and the service.

-- Edited by Wombat 280 at 21:42, 2009-02-04

Bridgee · Senior Member

Hi Granny

Below in red is a paragraph copied from the S.A. Licensing web site. I interpret the regulation as meaning it only applies if you intend to become a permanent resident of the state and therefore should not apply to yourself or any other grey nomads or tourists.

Interstate Residents

What do you need to do?

If you have a driver's licence from another State or Territory of Australia and have moved to South Australia, you must surrender your interstate driver's licence and obtain a South Australian driver's licence within three months of becoming a resident.

I'm sure the under staffed and under rescourced licencing authorities in SA and the rest of the country have more serious issues to deal with than trivial technicalities like this.

If I was you I'd check this out thoroughly before loosing any sleep over it.

VK3FEMT · Senior Member

twobob wrote:
Christine
I have a national heavy vehicle licence, but I too have to change it, from state to state, if I move residence.

There is no alternative that i know off

Same here, what I plan to do is renew it for 10 years this time round before I go, and have my address at my mates place. 10 years is a long time and I have no clue where I will be then. At least it will mean I won't have to bugger around in Vic each year for renewal or worry about sending stuff off etc.

Anyway, I reckon with a 10 year licence like Mike has you are going to be pretty well right, at least until it expires :)

Cruising Granny · Guru

Thanks everyone for your input and advice.
The SA Licence mob told me I should have cancelled my SA Licence because I've been in Qld for more than 3 months, and to get a Qld licence.
The 3 months seems to apply in every state.
Years ago I was working on a prawn trawler in the Gulf, and I had a Qld address on my SA Licence, without anyone bucking.
My vehicles are registered in WA, I have an SA licence, with an SA postal address, but I've been stuck in Qld to attend to medical matters since last July.
I've explained it to SA licensing, and for now it has been noted, and I don't have to take any more action, for now.
Every state licensing office would certainly be swamped if all nomads attended the licensing offices to do the 3month changes, and to arrange for refunds of each 7 or 10 year licence being cancelled to accommodate the 3mth rule.
Imagine the postage and time factor to do all the paperwork, and to cross check with each state involved.
I'll keep my SA licence for now, as I will be returning to that state for a short time, before heading west, again.
Sometimes I wonder about this country and its states, and the administration there-of.
Cheers Granny

Pam · Guru

Pam wrote:

How many "countries" do we live in anyway???
Should be one licence not state ones.

I hope it is OK to quote myself.
Another incident re: states

My son works in hospitality. Holds a NSW RSA moved to Vic so had to get a Vic RSA. Now moved to QLD and guess what!!!! He needs a Qld RSA. Must be different alcohol in each state!!!

Each time it costs both time and money.

I wonder about all this state business too Cruisin Granny.

twobob · Guru

Pam, if I may, for the benefit of others, RSA = Responsible Service of Alcohol

mike and Judy · Guru

explain ,???? RSA, what does it entail

cito · Veteran Member

The reasoning for the 3 month changeover is not for the financial benefit of the respective States (as we may surmise) but rather so there is a local contact point in case of emergency. Yes, it is a legal requirement but in all honesty it is not a big deal for the majority of coppers out there. They recognise that your money is as good with an interstate address as it is with a local one. After all, they aren't afraid to give us a parking ticket or similar are they? No matter what the address.
I have been a copper for 36 years and will be for another 21 days (yippee). A short time after that we will also be on the road.
There have been many instances in my career where we have had huge problems trying to locate next of kin for people on the GN track.
So, if you are going to continue to use a home State address, at least ensure someone at that address knows you and can contact you or the one you are travelling with.

Pam · Guru

twobob wrote:

Pam, if I may, for the benefit of others, RSA = Responsible Service of Alcohol

Thanks Twobob.
I should have said what it was.

Pam · Guru

mike and Judy wrote:

explain ,???? RSA, what does it entail

RSA ( responsible service of alcohol ) is a certificate you need before you can work in licenced premises. It is usually a 6 hour TAFE course . All bar tenders are required to have it.

More acronyms TAFE = Technical and Further Education

-- Edited by Pam at 15:26, 2009-02-06

Roostertales · Senior Member

Unfortunately not travelling as a nomad as yet. Hopefully will be less complicated when I set off.

In a country such as ours should be no need to do anything.! that 's my take on it

Cruising Granny · Guru

Yes, I would have thought a current licence was the object of the exercise, no matter where it's issued.
As I don't have a residential address, other than the park my van is located at the time, the postal address is attended by my daughter who forwards my mail.
I think we GN's are too quick for the heirarchy of this country and its states.
All the best to the retiring police officer CITO. Enjoy your "freedom". Some of the happiest travellers I have met have been retired "coppers", who were so relieved to leave the job behind.
I wouldn't be a copper for quids. Training and dedication and commitment, to be let down and disappointed by the legal system. Police nab 'em, and the beak lets them loose with a slap on the wrist to do it all again.
I have great respect for most of them all around the country.
Safe and happy travels. Cheers Granny

twobob · Guru

I think the 3 months cutoff limit, is more to do with insurance than drivers licence

Our home insurer requires us to tell them when away for more than 90 days

Our motor car has Third Party Compulsary Insurance, issued by a state based insurer

As our soon to be ex copper said, the biggest problem is being contactable, but with mobile phones, this should be less of a problem

I suggest, if you are working your way round, do not take a job over 3 months, then the 3 months "permanent" status would not be concreted. Same for staying at a CP.

That way, you are on an extended holiday only

Wombat 280 · Guru

cito wrote:

The reasoning for the 3 month changeover is not for the financial benefit of the respective States (as we may surmise) but rather so there is a local contact point in case of emergency. Yes, it is a legal requirement but in all honesty it is not a big deal for the majority of coppers out there. They recognise that your money is as good with an interstate address as it is with a local one. After all, they aren't afraid to give us a parking ticket or similar are they? No matter what the address.
I have been a copper for 36 years and will be for another 21 days (yippee). A short time after that we will also be on the road.
There have been many instances in my career where we have had huge problems trying to locate next of kin for people on the GN track.
So, if you are going to continue to use a home State address, at least ensure someone at that address knows you and can contact you or the one you are travelling with.

Your from the school of common sense policing after 36 years, pity the younger ones aren't learning from you rather than the text book written by the chairborne division and bloody lawyers . Good luck on you retirement and travels

Sophie · Veteran Member

My God, how interesting is this topic. Good to get ones research in early. As with Nursing they make you re Register in every state if you travel. They don't test you or anything quite so elaborate, they just want your money - I mean nurses have got money to throw away!!

I am all for a National Licence. It is after all just one Country!

Basil Faulty · Guru

I think the problem is percieved drop of revenue by each state, after all motorists seem to wear the brunt of all state taxes and revenue raising after rate payers. It obvoiusly can be done after all private pilots licenses are federally administered, not that I'll need one for my micro light....