Australia's licensing authorities have agreed to recognise driver licences from twelve more overseas jurisdictions, including South Korea, allowing eligible holders to convert to an Australian licence without sitting further tests.
Austroads, which manages the overseas licence recognition process for every state and territory, confirmed the twelve are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea and Taiwan. The additions bring the number of recognised jurisdictions to 40, not counting New Zealand, which sits under separate trans Tasman arrangements.
What It Means for South Korean Drivers
For South Korean drivers in particular this is a reversal. Until recently, drivers aged 25 and over from these countries could swap their licence without testing under the old Experienced Driver Recognition scheme. That scheme was retired across every state and territory between April 2025 and early 2026, after which Korean, Taiwanese, Hong Kong and South African drivers had to pass both a knowledge test and a practical driving test to convert. This decision puts South Korea and Taiwan back on the no test pathway, this time under the rebuilt Recognised Overseas Licences Scheme.
The Change Is Not Yet Live
There is one important catch. The change is not yet in force. Austroads has said each state and territory will introduce it progressively over the coming months, with recognition expected to begin from late 2026 and start dates varying by jurisdiction. Recognition also does not hand you a licence automatically. You still have to meet the requirements of the state you are applying in, and the scheme covers light vehicle licences only.
Worth noting too is who did not make the list. Hong Kong and South Africa were also part of the old Experienced Driver Recognition scheme, but neither appears among these twelve. For now their drivers still face the full testing requirement.
Austroads chief executive Dr Geoff Allan said the twelve were approved after an extensive review, using an evidence based framework that assessed each jurisdiction against road safety and licence integrity standards.
What to Check Before You Count on It
For any Korean or Taiwanese driver weighing this up right now, the practical point is simple. The exemption is not live yet, so depending on your state and how soon you need to be licensed, you may still have to sit the tests in the meantime. If your deadline to convert falls before your state switches the change on, waiting is not really an option. Check your own state's timing before you count on skipping the test.
The recognised list is expected to keep growing as more jurisdictions are assessed, so further additions through 2026 and beyond are likely.
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