Australia traffic rules and self driving car rental tips

Speed Limit and Traffic Signs

Driving is on the left-hand side of the road. Do not overtake on the left-hand side and do not overtake if there are solid white lines. At roundabouts, you must give way to vehicles already on the roundabout and select your lane early.

Speed Limit

There are speed limits of 100-130 km/h on freeways and 50 km/h in built-up areas.

Traffic Signs

These are some specific signs you may encounter and be unfamiliar with when driving in Australia. Even though most of them are self-explanatory, it is strongly advised to make sure you can understand them before taking the road.

Australian regulatory signs have different shapes.

Give Way

Stop

No U-turn

50 km/h Speed Limit

Speed Derestriction

Warning signs are diamond-shaped and mostly with a yellow background.

Speed Limit Ahead (Used in Western Australia)

Steep Descent

Two-way Traffic Ahead

Pedestrians

Railway Level Crossing on Road Ahead

Railway Level Crossing on Road Ahead (Skewed) (Left)

Railway Level Crossing on Road Ahead (Skewed) (Right)

Information signs are rectangular with red or green backgrounds.

Exit	Reduce Speed Now

For a complete traffic and road signs, you may refer to this Australia road user handbook.

Seatbelt and Child Safety

Seatbelt Laws

All passengers are required to have their seatbelt fastened at all times when the vehicle is moving. Failure to do so can result in a fine of AU$250.

Booster Seat Laws

Babies up to 6 months must be installed on a rear-facing car seat, and children from 6 months to 4 years are allowed on both forward and rear-facing seats.

Please be aware that children up to 4 years old cannot travel on the front seat unless the car is a two-seater.

Finally, a booster seat or forward facing seat must be used for children between 4 and 7 years old. A child of this age is only allowed on the front seat if there is no other seat available for them.

Parking, Fuel and Toll

Parking

· Forbidden Parking

Cars are not allowed to be parked on the following spots as doing so can result in a fine:

- On the footpath or nature strip as these places are for people.

- On a yellow line.

- In a way that blocks other cars from entering or exiting the driveway. In an emergency, the car may be towed away.

- Less than10 metres (approximately 2 large car lengths) from an intersection so that other cars can safely pass without causing danger.

- In a place that has been marked with ‘No Stopping’ or ‘No Standing’. A ‘No Standing’ sign indicates motorist may not park a car unless they remain in the vehicle and for no more than three minutes.

· Parking Signs

Parking signs in Australia may specify multiple times, places, durations, restrictions and vehicle categories in a condensed form on a single sign. Letter P signs are 'permissive' parking signs where parking is permitted for the time specified. A guide to the most common parking signs is below:

- '1/2P', '1P', '3P': Vehicles can be parked here for half an hour, one hour, or three hours.

- '630AM-730 PM Mon-Fri': Vehicles may be parked here only at the specified times - in this case, between 06:30 and 19:30 from Monday to Friday.

- 'P'(no number): Permissive parking zone

- '15 minute', '20 minute', '45 minute': Vehicles may be parked here only for the specified number of minutes

· Paid Parking

There are municipal parking garages and lots, metered parking alongside the road and ticket machine parking in most towns and cities.

Australia Parking Metre (Image from alphaairportparking.com.au)

Fuel Prices

The average value for Australia gasoline price during July to October 2017 is AU$1.26, while diesel is 3 cents higher.

Toll

Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne are the only three cities in Australia featuring toll roads. Toll roads in Australia use free-flowing tolling, with no toll booth along the entire length of the system to optimize traffic flow. An electronic toll collection system is usually used instead.

If you plan to use toll roads in Australia, we suggest you rent an e-toll/e-pass device from the car hire company, enabling an automatic payment of the toll fee directly from your credit card. Please note that e-toll/e-pass devices are subject to availability at the rental desk. Australia E-Toll Device (Image from australiahereandnow.com)

If you have any question related to your toll fee billing, feel free to contact QEEQ' 24/7 customer service team for assistance.

Traffic Violation

DUI Laws

In all states of Australia, the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for drivers is below 0.05%. Drink driving is treated as a major offence and any person driving a vehicle over the legal limit may face penalties ranging from the suspension, disqualification or cancellation of their licence, fines to imprisonment, depending on the gravity of the offence.

Traffic Fines

Failure to pay the road or parking violation fines can have some long-term consequences, especially for international travellers. Not paying fines could affect your next visit to Australia as infringement notice are inserted into the Police Central Names Index (CNI) and the National Names Index (NNI).

However, paying fines is not a challenge for renters since the car hire company will pass on the offence information to the authorities and a post or email notification will be sent to you if some traffic laws have been breached. Note that the fine usually comes with a service/administration fee as well.

It is advisable for you to contact EasryRentCars' 24/7 customer service team if you have any question on this matter.

Driving Licence and Age Requirements

Foreigners on short-term visit may rent a car and drive with a valid foreign driving licence for up to 3 months in Australia. Longer than that, you need to get an Australian driving licence from an Australian state. To drive in Australia, the licence should be a full driving licence held for at least 2 years with no major endorsements.

To hire a car in Australia you must be at least 21 years old (age may vary by car category). If you are 21-25, you are likely to have to pay a young driver fee. There is no maximum driving age in Australia.

Guest reviews

1 /

Phoenix Barnard

April 29, 2025

Destination: Melbourne

10Excellent

Friendly and attentive service

Thera Jeames

Destination: Hobart

The entire process was simple and smooth, creating a great experience.

Joanne Spencer

Destination: Sydney

2Poor

During the rental period, there was a traffic violation, and they transferred it to my name, charging a 55 AUD handling fee! Very unreasonable, as many companies don't charge this fee.

Arthur Norton

April 27, 2025

Destination: Gold Coast

It’s very convenient to pick up directly at the airport.

Erin Cissie

The pick-up and drop-off process was very smooth.

Gale Stone

April 26, 2025

Paid in full, but couldn't pick up the car at the store as it was rented to someone else.

Maud Lynd

8Very good

Fair enough.

Elsa Camp

Destination: Perth

The car was in good condition, and the customer service was very convenient and friendly.

Steven Leopold

Very convenient, and the car is in great condition.

Marlon Gosse

April 25, 2025

Very satisfied.

Natalie Springhall

The overall service was very satisfying, and the staff were extremely attentive.

Todd Southey

An amazing car rental experience! We needed an additional driver, and they directly added one for us without any extra charge. They even let us choose the car we preferred, which usually costs extra at other places. Their work efficiency was incredible, and there was no line at all.

Gustave Gold

Many locations and highly efficient.

Michelle

Steven Bush

April 24, 2025

Excellent

Beck Maggie

Very satisfied, the staff were very patient, much better than my experience with Hertz. I've decided to stick with YesRentalCar for future rentals. Compared to Hertz, which charged me random fees (even though I returned the car with a full tank, they charged me a fee for not refueling fully), YesRentalCar treats customers with respect.

Gene Bell

Good service, but they promote insurance.

Claude Kipling

April 23, 2025

Destination: Brisbane

Satisfied

Kristin Paul

Good experience.

S.Lim

9Excellent

Not easy to locate the car after getting the car key

Xavier Sweet

The efficiency needs improvement, the queue was quite long.

Ursula Partridge

April 22, 2025

QEEQ's service is excellent. The online customer support responds very promptly, resolves issues efficiently, and follows up patiently. Highly recommended!

Pag Christiana

Very satisfied with the car rental experience! The rental company is located at Perth Airport, making both pickup and drop-off very convenient and efficient. The car we rented exceeded our expectations—it was brand new, in excellent condition, and very comfortable to drive. The entire process was transparent with no hidden fees. Although there was a slight misunderstanding during the car return due to a language barrier, the rental company responded quickly and resolved the issue perfectly. QEEQ customer service also actively assisted, which was very thoughtful. I will definitely choose this company again for my next trip. Highly recommended!

Sandra Edison

April 21, 2025

Destination: Alice Springs

The counter pickup process was simple and efficient. Great service, easy car pickup and drop-off at the parking lot. The self-service car condition inspection and upload were very effective. Highly commendable!

Ivan Keppel

Very satisfied

Nelly Johnny

Destination: Adelaide

Virginia Alerander

The process is very simple, and the car is in good condition.

Kevin MacPherson

April 20, 2025

The service was very attentive, and the experience was highly satisfying.

Miranda III.

It's a small company, but the service is pretty good, and the car is excellent.

Denise Robin

Maureen Ruskin

Roberta Walton

April 19, 2025

The shuttle driver was very nice!

Frank Milton

Pretty good.

Angela Felton

Olive Baker

Very good service, all communication was in English. If something wasn't understood, the staff used Google Translate to help. The Kia Carnival 8-seater was excellent, and its screen could connect to Google Maps on the phone. Getting in and out of the car was slightly inconvenient.

Susie Hudson

April 18, 2025

Destination: Launceston

Cathy Whit

Very considerate and well-arranged.

Chasel Martha

April 17, 2025

4Average

Stop sending me emails asking for reviews.

Ellis Abbot(t)

April 16, 2025

Barry Bobby

I booked a hybrid Toyota car, but they gave me a Hyundai gas car instead. The selection of rental locations is also quite limited.

Aaron Ricardo

Great service attitude, refused to accept tips.

Mamie Jonah

It's been a week since the car was returned, and the deposit hasn't been refunded yet. Other than that, no issues.

Carter Parker

Myrna Monroe

April 15, 2025

Destination: Ayers Rock

There is a mileage limit, which was informed at the time of pickup.

Blithe Petty

The Melbourne Airport branch is located outside the airport. The counter staff do not speak Chinese, and we waited a long time for the shuttle bus. When we arrived at the branch, we showed them the printed booking confirmation. We were renting the car for eight days, and the quoted cost at the branch was 826 AUD. However, they wanted to charge 1122 AUD. We questioned this, and the staff said it was because we hadn't paid the one-way rental fee. Confused, we signed the paperwork. When returning the car, we realized they had calculated the rental as nine days and added the one-way fee. After arguing our case, they acknowledged it and promised a refund upon vehicle return. Luckily, everything went smoothly. When we returned the car at Adelaide Airport, they were quite good—checked the car's condition, printed the bill immediately, and handed it to us. Overall, a positive experience.

Mignon Archibald

Hale Benson

Fast and efficient

Hiram Gresham

April 14, 2025

This company is absolutely terrible! Be very cautious when choosing them! On the day we arrived, we landed in the afternoon and finished collecting our luggage by 4 PM. We called them to arrange a pickup, and they kept saying 'Got it, got it, we've sent the car.' In the end, we waited outside for almost two hours! Nobody came to pick us up, and I had to keep calling to hurry them up one by one! When we finally got the car, they told us we had been given a half tank of fuel and should return the car with the same amount. We didn't take photos because we’ve rented cars abroad many times and are accustomed to mutual agreements and trust between parties. In the end, this rental company charged me for fuel and a refueling service fee! I asked why, and they said I didn’t return the car with a full tank! Absolutely disgusting!

Osborn Nico(l)

Very good, convenient and efficient.

Jack Yeates

April 13, 2025

Overall, this rental company is fine.

Australia Car Rentals

The Complete Australia Driving and Rental Guide