Driving Licences
Important
Please note that as from 30th June 2008 some important changes have been made to the Learner Permit (formerly Provisional Licence) system. To view these changes, please click the link below.
- Changes to the Driver Licencing system Effective 30th June 2008 (Word Document, 102 KB)
Important CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence)
Please note that as from 10th September 2008 (Bus/Coach) and 10th September 2009 (Truck) some important changes are being made regarding Professional Drivers. To view these changes, please click the link below.
- Certificate of Professional Competence for Professional Truck and Bus/Coach Drivers (Word Document, 9 KB)
Driving Licence Forms
Please note that due to the nature of application forms D.401 (Driving Licence Application,) D.201 (Learner Permit Application) and D.800 (Duplicate Licence Application) , these forms CANNOT be obtained from the internet!
Full Licence
Learner Permit
Exchange of Driving Licence
Duplicate Licence
International Licences
Full Driving Licence
To apply for a Full Licence you will need:
- Completed Application form D.401 (Driving Licence Application form.) Please ensure your P.P.S. Number (R.S.I. No.) is included on your application. Applications will not be processed without it.
- Two Photos (signed on the back).
- Previous Licence (if this is not available you will need to submit a Lost Licence Declaration Form D8a stamped at the Garda Station).
- The Appropriate Fee of €15.00 for a three year licence or €25.00 for a 10 year licence.
- Certificate of Competency if converting from a Provisional to a Full licence.
- Medical report for:
- categories C1, C, D1, D, EC1, EC, ED1, ED (regardless of age) or
- any applicant aged 70 years and over. - n.b. medical report is only valid for one month from date of issue.
Learner Permit
The Provisional Licence has been replaced by a learner permit to emphasise the fact that the holder is a probationary driver and is learning to drive. Learner Permits have been issued with effect from 30th October 2007. The layout of the learner permit is the same as that of the provisional licence with the words “Learner Permit” replacing “Provisional Licence”.
Uses of a Learner Permit
The purpose of a Learner Permit is to allow a person to legally drive on public roads for the purpose of learning to drive. The holder of a learner permit (provisional licence) for vehicles of category B, C1, C, D1, D, EB, EC1, EC, ED1 or ED, shall not drive such a vehicle unless he or she is accompanied by and is under the supervision of a qualified person (a person who holds a driving licence which has been held by him or her without disqualification for a continuous period of 2 years in respect of the vehicle category being driven).
For more information see the document “Introduction of Learner Permit and changes to Driving Licence System” at http://www.rsa.ie/publiction/publication.
To apply for a Learner Permit you will need:
- Completed Application Form D.201 (Learner Permit Application form.) Please ensure your P.P.S. Number (formerly R.S.I. No.) is included on your application. Applications will not be processed without it.
- Theory Test Certificate.
- Original Birth Certificate or Passport.
- Original Marriage Certificate for change of surname (or Separation/Divorce papers,) if appropriate.
- Medical report for:
- categories C1, C, D1, D, EC1, EC, ED1, ED (regardless of age.) or
- any applicant aged 70 years and over. - n.b. medical report is only valid for one month from date of issue.
- An eyesight report for classes A, A1, B, EB and W - n.b. eyesight report is only valid for one month from date of issue.
- Fee for 2 years - € 15.00 .
- Two photos (signed on the back).
To apply for a Second Learner Permit you will need:
- Completed Application Form D.201 (Learner Permit Application form.) Please ensure your P.P.S. Number (formerly R.S.I. No.) is included on your application. Applications will not be processed without it.
- Two photos (signed on the back).
- Previous Licence/Permit (if this is not available, a Lost Licence Declaration Form D8a stamped at the Garda Station is required).
- Fee of € 15.00.
To apply for a Third or Subsequent Learner Permit you will need:
- Completed Application Form D.201 (Learner Permit Application form.) Please ensure your P.P.S. Number (formerly R.S.I. No.) is included on your application. Applications will not be processed without it.
- Two photos (signed on back).
- Test Failure Cert. (valid for two years only) or an acknowledgement of receipt of a driving test application. (Please note that if you have mislaid your Test Failure Cert., you must contact the Driver Testing Section to obtain a letter of confirmation of test failure.) If a test application acknowledgement is submitted, only a one-year licence can be granted.
- Previous Licence/Permit (if this is not available, a Lost Licence Declaration Form D8a stamped at the Garda Station is required)..
- Appropriate Fee.
- If you have not sat a test in the last two years, you must submit an acknowledgement of receipt of a driving test application from Driving Test Section, Moy Valley Business Park, Primrose Hill, Dublin Road, Ballina, Co Mayo. (Lo Call 1890 406040* . Fax. (096) 78290 .Email drivingtest@rsa.ie . Web. www.drivingtest.ie .) In this case, only a one year licence will be granted.
*Note that the rates charged for the use of 1890 (LoCall) numbers may vary among different service providers.
No fee shall apply in respect of an application for a provisional licence or full driving licence where the applicant is 70 years of age or more on the commencement day of the licence.
Duplicate Licence:
A Duplicate Licence should be applied for when your licence is lost while still in date. To apply for a Duplicate Licence\Learner Permit you will need:
- Application Form D800 - Duplicate Licence Application. Please ensure your P.P.S. Number (R.S.I. No.) is included on your application.
- Two photos (signed on back).
- € 10 Fee.
Free-in-lieu licences are issued in the following cases:
- Extra category added.
- Change of name/address.
- Removal of endorsement.
- If an error has been made in the issue of licence (e.g. incorrect date of birth).
Exchange of Driving Licence:
Requirements:
- Full licence from other country (see list of exchange countries below).
- Full application form. Please ensure your P.P.S. Number (R.S.I. No.) is included on your application. Applications will not be processed without it.
- Exchange of Driver's Licence form D900.
- 2 photos (signed on back).
- Appropriate fee.
- Medical report for:
- categories C1, C, D1, D, EC1, EC, ED1, ED (regardless of age.) or
- any applicant aged 70 years and over. - n.b. medical report is only valid for one month from date of issue.
Recognised Exchange Countries | ||
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Person from EU countries can drive on their national licence as long as it is valid. All other countries listed above must exchange their national licence for an Irish licence 1 year after taking up residence.
Persons from countries NOT LISTED ABOVE can drive on their national licence for a period of 1 year from arrival in Ireland. If they plan to stay longer than 1 year, it will be necessary to start the process of applying for an Irish Learner Permit.
International Drivier Permits:
- An International Driver Permit is a permit granted to enable the holder to drive in foreign countries with their full licence ONLY while on holiday!
- An International Driver Permit is NOT a licence. It only enables the use of your own licence in foriegn countries.
- Not all countries require an International Driver Permit, but in some countries, you cannot drive without it.
- Foreign nationals holding an International Driver Permit, are NOT entitled to drive on this permit if they become resident in Ireland, once the intial 1 year period allowed for international licences has elapsed (see exchenge licence above,) as it is not a licence, and is only valid for use while on holidays.
- International Driver Permits are NOT exchangeable for a full Irish licence as they are not licences and can only be used in conjunction with an existing full licence. (for more information on foreign exchanges, see Exchange of Driving Licences above.)
Applications for International Driver Permits should be made to:
Automobile Association, Dublin. Tel. (01) 2833555
Click on AAIreland.ie for more details.
