Driving Licence Ireland

Introduction

When you pass a drivingtest, you can apply for a driving licence for the categoryof vehicle which you were tested for. This document explains how to applyfor your driving licence after you have passed a driving test. In otherdocuments you will find information on:

A new driving licence will not be issued to you. You can only apply for a renewal of a driving licence if it is within three months of its expiry date. You can check the expiry date and earliest renewal date of your current licence on expiry date calculator here. Full Press Release on new Extension for Driving Licences. Driving Licence Extensions Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton TD announced on the 2 July 2021 details of a further 10-month extension to the validity period of Driving Licences in response to the level 5 restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Converting your driving licence to an Irish driving licence; To apply for a driving licence, you must be normally resident in Ireland. You are considered to be normally resident in Ireland if, because of personal and occupational ties, you usually live here for at least 185 days in each calendar year.

To apply for a driving licence, you must be normally resident in Ireland.You are considered to be normally resident in Ireland if, because of personaland occupational ties, you usually live here for at least 185 days in eachcalendar year.

You are required to carry your driving licence with you at all times whendriving. The rulesof the road are available at rulesoftheroad.ie.

The Road Safety Authority has responsibility for driver licensing and theNational Driver Licence Service (NDLS) manages licence applications andrenewals. You can apply to renew your licence online or in person at an NDLSoffice.

NDLS services during COVID-19

NDLSCentres are open byappointment to all customers. There is no walk-in service available. If youhave a Public Services Card or MyGovID, you can apply online at ndls.ie.

Restrictions on novice drivers

Novice plates

You must display N-plates on your vehicle when you are driving for 2 yearsfrom the date your first licence was issued. Motorcycle riders must wear anN-tabard. The novice period only applies once. So if you get a licence to drivea different category of vehicle, you don't have to display N-plates again.Further information is available on the RoadSafety Authority website.

Disqualification threshold

If you accumulate 12 penalty points in a 3-year period, you will bedisqualified from driving for 6 months. This is reduced to 7 penalty points ifyou have a learner permit. This lower threshold remains in place while youdrive on a learner permit and for the first two years you drive under yourfirst driving licence. Further information is available on the RoadSafety Authority website.

Drink driving limit

For drivers who have learner permits, or have had a full driving licence forless than 2 years, the drink driving limit is reduced to 20mg per 100ml ofblood, 27mg per 100ml of urine and 9mg per 100ml of breath.

Rules

You are entitled to apply for a driving licence if you have passed thedriving test for that category of vehicle within the previous 2 years. If theCertificate of Competency you were issued for passing the test is over 2 yearsold, you will have to pass the driving test again.

Duration of licence

The period of time a driving licence is issued for depends on the age of theapplicant.

If you are under 60 years of age, you may apply for a 10-year licence or a 3-year (on medical grounds)
If you are older than 60 but younger than 67 years of age, you may apply for a licence that will expire the day before your 70th birthday
If you are older than 67 but under 70 years of age, you may apply for a 3-year licence
If you are over the age of 70, you will need a certification of fitness to drive from your doctor to apply for a 3-year or a one-year licence

A bus or truck driving licence is issued for a maximum of 5 years.

Categories of vehicles

Motor vehicles are divided into different categories for driver licensingpurposes. You can read more in our document on categoriesof vehicles and minimum ages of drivers.

Your category of driving licence may give you entitlement to a drivinglicence for certain other categories of driving licence. See ‘Furtherinformation’ below.

Rates

The cost of driving licences is:

Ten-year driving licence — €55
Five-year bus or truck driving licence — €55
Three-year driving licence — €35
One-year driving licence (medical grounds) — Free

Adding a new category to your current driving licence costs €35.

Motorists over the age of 70 can get their driving licence for free.

Information on acceptable forms of payment is available on the applicationform.

Any required eyesight tests or medical examinations are notfree of charge.

How to apply

There are 2 ways that you can apply for your driving licence: online at NDLS.ie, or in person by booking an appointment atan NDLScentre.

Applying online

To apply for your driving licence online, you will need to have thefollowing:

A Public Services Card and verified MyGovID
Proof of your address if your address is different to the one you provided when you got your Public Services Card
Proof that you are normally resident in Ireland if you are not an EU or EEA citizen
A medical report form if required
Application fee of €55 (unless you are 70 or over)
Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) for professional drivers

If you apply online, you do not have to provide your Certificate ofCompetence (the document that proves that you passed the driving test).

Read more about the online application process on the NDLSwebsite.

Applying in person

You can apply for your driving licence in person by booking an appointment atone of 34NDLS centres nationwide. There is no walk-in service available.

You will need to bring appropriate:

Identification,
Supporting documentation, and
The fee (see ‘Rates’ above)

Unless you wish to make yourapplication in Irish, you are no longer required to submit an applicationform. However, you do need to prove your identity. Your photograph andsignature will be captured at the NDLS centre.

Identification

In most cases, a PublicService Card (PSC) provides all the evidence required to verify yourdetails in order to process your application. However, if you don’t hold aPSC you will need to submit the following 4 pieces of documentary evidence:

Photo ID
Evidence of your address
Evidence of your PPS number
Evidence of your normal residence

You can read more about the types of documents the NDLS will accept asevidence in respect of each of these criteria intheir guidance notes (pdf).

Supporting documentation

Additionally, to support your application, you will be required to submityour:

Current or most recently issued learner permit, or
Current driving licence, if you are adding a category to your driving licence or applying to exchange a foreign licence

Depending on the nature of your application, you may also require a:

Driving Licence Medical Report Form (see below)
Driving Licence Eyesight Report Form (see below)
Completed Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) (for professional drivers)
Initial Basic Training Certificate of Satisfactory Completion (for motorcyclists)
Completed Garda Declaration form (when applying to replace a lost, stolen or damaged licence)
Evidence of new address (if your address has changed since your last application)

Medical report form

You will require a Driving Licence Medical Report Form if you are applyingfor driving licence categories C, C1, D, D1, CE, C1E, DE or D1E (buses andtrucks), unless you previously provided a medical report which is stillapplicable.

You will not require a Driving Licence Medical Report Form if you areapplying for driving licence categories AM, A1, A2, A, B, BE or W (motorcycles,cars and work vehicles) unless you have a specificdisability or condition.

You can downloadthe medical report form (pdf) (it must be printed back to back on onepage). It is also available from NDLS centres. A registered medicalpractitioner should carry out your medical examination and then complete theform. You must sign the declaration on the medical report form in the presenceof the registered medical practitioner. It must be submitted within 1 month ofthe medical examination.

Eyesight report form

Generally any eyesight issues will be reported in the Driving Licence MedicalReport Form. But, you will require a Driving Licence Eyesight Report Form ifyou no longer need glasses or contact lenses to drive (for example if you'vehad laser eye surgery). You can downloadthe eyesight report form (pdf) (pages 1 and 2 should be printed back toback on one page). It is also available from NDLS centres. It must be submittedwithin 1 month of completion.

Where to apply

An application for a driving licence should be made online or in person toone of the National DriverLicence Service (NDLS) centres - see 'How to apply' above. You can book an appointmentonline.

The National Driver Licence Service provides information on applying for adriving licence on its website.

Introduction