License Requirements

Here is a brief run down on Licenses and factors that affect them.

1.     You May sit the Driver Theory Test before your 17 Th Birthday since the Test Pass certificate is valid for two Years. So you can get a head start on achieving your First Provisional License and be actually having lessons on your 17^th Birthday if you are sufficiently well organised!

2.     A Provisional License is needed in order to take to the Road and can be obtained form your Local Motor Taxation Office. It’s valid for two Years.

3.     In order to achieve a Full Driving License the Driving Test has to be passed. You can and should apply for your Driving Test as soon as you get your Provisional License since the waiting list is approximately 12 months to get an appointment.

4.     Recent Legislative changes now mean that you cannot drive forever and a day any more on a Provisional License.

5.     In order to renew a Provisional License at the end of the second term (4 years) you will either have sat the Driving Test or have a Test Appointment letter for a Test in the near future.

6.     After passing the Driving Test you should immediately visit the Motor Tax office and exchange your Provisional License for a full Driving License. If you do not obtain your Full Driving License you will not be legally allowed to Drive on a Motorway. In the event of you not obtaining your Full License inside of two years from the date of the Driving Test you will be required to sit the Test again!

7.     It is a legal requirement to carry your Driving License with you at all times when driving.

8.     New Standard format Driving Licenses are to be introduced throughout the E.U and will come into force in 6 years time in 2012.These will be highly secure and will enable drivers to be monitored for offences when driving in any E.U State. This will include Penalty Points allocations and any other endorsements. A driver banned in one Country will not be able to secretly achieve a Driving License in another E.U. country.

9.     It is expected that the long awaited introduction of automatic penalty points on Licenses will be effected before the end of 2006 in Ireland. The Computer systems running this activity are being synchronised at present. This will mean that Drivers who reach the maximum of 12 Penalty Points will be immediately put off the Road without any long winded progress through the Courts.

10.  E.U Citizens with full Driving Licenses from their respective Countries will be able easily to exchange their License for one that is issued by their new Country of Domicile.

11. There are a few Countries worldwide where a Driving License may be exchanged for a European License where those drivers are relocating to an E.U Country. Drivers from most of the rest of the World relocating to Ireland will be required to undergo the full Learner Driver Procedure of Theory Test / Provisional License/ Driving Test. in order to achieve a full Irish License and be allowed on Irish Roads.

12. Licenses are valuable and should be kept under close observation. If a License is lost or stolen this should be reported immediately and a replacement License issued.

13. Provisional Licenses from any Country, including the E.U States cannot be exchanged for an Irish Provisional License. The full Theory Test, Provisional License and driving Test procedures must be undertaken if a Driver wishes to take to the road in Ireland.

Visit the Government Web Sites...    www.drivingtest.ie

                                                  www.motortax.ie