Driving School Galway, Driving Instructor Limerick

The learner will be able to take the lessons at any point during the learning process and can practice with an accompanying driver during the time while taking lessons. Evidence of completing the lessons will be signed off in a learner's logbook by the Approved Driving Instructor. Evidence of having taken the lessons will have to be presented before taking a driving test.

In addition, a number of penal offences have been introduced for learner drivers. These include driving unaccompanied (see above), not displaying 'L' plates when driving, and the carrying of a passenger by a learner motorcyclist.

These offences are punishable by a minimum €1,000 fine for a first offence.

Other requirements

Age

There are legal restrictions on what types of vehicle you can drive at what age. For example, you have to be 16 to ride a moped, 17 to drive a standard car, 18 to drive a truck and 21 to drive a bus.

'L' plates

All learner permit holders, with the exception of those who hold learner permits in category W (work vehicles/land tractors), must display 'L' plates while they are driving. Vehicles in categories B, C1, C, D1, D, EB, EC1, EC, ED1 or ED must display L plates at all times. The letter L should be at least 15cm high and appear as red on a white background, in clearly visible vertical positions to the front and rear of the vehicle.

Accompaniment

All learner permit holders, with the exception of those who hold a learner permit in category A1 (Motorcycles), A(Motorcycle, no greater than 125cc), or M(Mopeds), must be accompanied by a qualified driver at all times while driving. A qualified driver is one who holds a full license for a continuous period of two years in respect of the vehicle category being driven by the learner permit holder.

A person holding a category W(work vehicles/land tractors) learner permit is not permitted to carry a passenger unless the vehicle is constructed or adapted to carry a passenger and the passenger is a qualified driver - i.e., a person who has held a full license for the vehicle category for at least two years.

Restrictions

A person who holds a learner permit in:

• Vehicle categories A1/A and M (motorcycles/mopeds) is not permitted to carry a passenger
• Any vehicle category is not allowed to carry any passenger for reward
• Vehicle category W (work vehicles/land tractors) shall not carry a passenger unless the vehicle is constructed to carry a passenger and the passenger is a full license holder for a continuous period of two years
• Vehicle categories B, C1, C, D1 or D (cars, buses and trucks) shall not be driven while towing a trailer

Note: if you are granted a learner permit for vehicles in category A, A1, M, W, B or EB and have not held a learner permit in the five-year period prior to the granting of a permit in any of these categories you cannot sit a driving test within six months of your permit coming into force, although you may apply for a test within this period. The code 991 will be printed on your license opposite the vehicle category in the column headed 'restrictions/information.'

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Note: you will be treated as a first-time applicant in relation to a particular vehicle category if you have not held a learner permit in that category within the preceding five years. A first time permit holder will have code 991 on the learner permit in the column marked 'restrictions/information' opposite the license category.'

What your application or renewal should include

• A completed application form (D201), which can be obtained from your local Motor Tax Office, Library or Garda station.
• Two passport-type photographs (signed on back)
• Your current or most recent driving license (if you hold a driving license or held one within the previous 10 years) and/or:
• Your current/most recent learner permit (if you hold a current learner permit or held one within the previous five years - unless your most recent learner permit has been superseded by the issue of a driving license)
• The appropriate fee

The following may also be required:

• An original birth certificate/passport
• An original certificate of registration
• An medical report D501 form (if you are downloading the Medical Report form you must print it back to back)
• An eyesight D502 form
• Evidence that you underwent a driving test in the last two years if applying for a third or subsequent learner permit
• Evidence of a forthcoming driving test if applying for a third or subsequent learner permit and you have not sat a driving set in the last two years
• Lost license declaration
• Theory test certificate

You can't apply for a learner permit if you:

• Are disqualified from driving due to age or ill health
• Do not have your normal residence in Ireland (see below: 'Normal residence in Ireland')
• Already hold a full driving license for the category in which the application will be made, which has been issued by the competent authority in a member state of the European Union or European Economic Area.

Normal residence in Ireland

Being 'normally resident' in Ireland means you live here for at least 185 days in each calendar year. Even where you work or study abroad for lengthy periods you may still be regarded as being normally resident in Ireland provided that you have personal ties in Ireland and return here regularly.

Birth certificate/passport

Your application must be accompanied by an original birth certificate or passport unless you:

• Hold a current driving license or learner permit
• Held a driving license within the last ten years or a learner permit within the last five
• Hold a current valid driving license issued by another EU member state or another "recognised country".
• In certain instances, a certificate of registration may be submitted with a learner permit application instead of a birth certificate or passport.

ID

The licensing authority may ask you to provide personal identification as part of the application process. You are advised to bring ID with you if applying in person.

Acceptable ID includes:

• Passport
• Employee or student identity card

Medical requirements

Eyesight Report - D502 (PDF)

A first-time application for a learner permit must be accompanied by a satisfactory eyesight report. This report may be completed by a registered opthalmic optician or medical practitioner. You must sign the eyesight report form in the presence of the optician or doctor.

Eyesight Report - D501 (PDF)

Your application must be accompanied by a medical report if you:

• Are applying for a learner permit in any of the categories C1, C, D1, D, EC1, EC, ED1 or ED.
• Will be 70 years of age or more on the first day of the period for which the license is being granted.
• Suffer from certain disabilities or diseases
• Have ever suffered from alcoholism or epilepsy
• Are taking, on a regular basis, drugs or medication which would be likely to make you an unsafe driver

The medical report must be completed by a registered medical practitioner and you must sign the declaration in his/her presence.

Important notes:

• Anyone suffering from serious arrhythmia which has at any stage resulted in loss of consciousness should consult his/her doctor before applying for a license.
• Anyone dependent on or regularly abuses a psychotropic substance is disqualified from holding any learner permit or driving license. If you have any doubts about your physical or mental fitness to drive you should consult a doctor.

Medical report and eyesight report forms may be obtained from your local motor taxation office or downloaded from this webpage.

If you are downloading the Medical Report form you must print it back to back.

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There are separate theory tests for driving instructors and for professional bus and truck drivers:

Approved Driving Instructor (ADI)
Driver CPC (Certificate in Professional Competency)

Latest version

A significant revision of the driver theory test came into effect on 30 May 2009. Approximately 10% of question bank was refreshed and updated across all licence categories.

All exams for car, motorcycle, bus and truck categories contain new and amended questions.

These include:

• A number of legislative changes to licensing regulations, the introduction of digital tachographs, and changes to speed limit rules
• New stopping distance information
• Updates to hazard perception questions, which test a candidate's ability to analyse a potentially hazardous situation and pick the correct course of action

The complete list of updated questions is published in the Official Driver Theory Test Book (4th edition, May 2009) and CD-Rom. These are available to purchase online at www.theorytest.ie and in book shops nationwide.

Test categories

There are four categories of theory test (see table below). Each test category corresponds to a driver-license or learner-permit category. If you take a test listed in the first column, you are covered for all the licenses or learner permits in the corresponding column.

Theory test certificate	Driver licence or learner-permit category
B and W	Covers cars, land tractors and work vehicles B, EB and W
A and M	Covers motorcycles and mopeds A, A1 and M
C	Covers vans and trucks over 3,500kg C1, C, EC and EC1
D	Minibuses and buses D, D1, Ed and ED1

If you are applying for your first learner permit you must:

• Include a theory test certificate for the relevant category along with your learner-permit application, unless the certificate has already been submitted
• Present the certificate within two years of the date of issue (date of passing the test)

Note: you will be regarded as an applicant for a first learner permit in respect of a particular vehicle category if you have not held such a license in the preceding five years.

Cost

A driver theory test for motorcycles and mopeds (category AM), cars, work vehicles and land tractors (category BW), heavy goods vehicles (category C) and buses (category D) costs €35.60.

Booking a test

The theory test is managed on behalf of the RSA by a test partner, which operates a number of lo-call helplines to answer queries about the test and take test bookings:

1890 606 106 (English language)
1890 606 806 (Irish language)
1890 616 216 (text phone - for the hearing-impaired)
The postal address of the testing service is:
PO Box 788
Togher
Cork

Application forms are available from the testing service and from all local motor taxation offices.

Tests are held in 41 driving test centres around the country.

The test is offered in both Irish and English and candidates with special requirements can be accommodated. A Polish voiceover is available for the category BW, AM, C and D test on request.

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