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My heavy vehicle licence

Overseas licence holders

Do you have an overseas heavy vehicle licence from a country other than New Zealand? To apply for a Multi Combination (MC) licence, you must first have an Australian Heavy Rigid (HR) or Heavy Combination (HC) licence for at least 1 year.

Different countries have different vehicle standards and road conditions. This is especially true for complex vehicles like road trains and B-doubles.

Applying for different licence classes

As an overseas licence holder, you can apply for Light Rigid (LR) to HC licences based on your overseas driving experience. You must have the required driving experience for the licence class you wish to apply for.

If you are applying for an HC licence and have a South Australian car licence, you can get an HC learner’s permit. This will let you drive an HC vehicle and complete training and assessments.

If you are applying for an LR, Medium Rigid (MR) or HR licence and have a South Australian car licence, you do not need a learner's permit.

Overseas learners' permits are not recognised as driving experience.

Driving assessments and temporary driving

You must pass a driving assessment, if you have either:

  • an overseas licence equal to an Australian heavy vehicle class
  • the required driving experience.

You can still drive heavy vehicles temporarily with your overseas licence.

Exemption for New Zealand licence holders

The change applies to all countries, except New Zealand. This is because New Zealand’s training and driving conditions are similar to Australia's.

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