Learner Permit

General Information

A Learner Permit is a licence issued to enable a person to learn to drive and to apply for a driving test. New regulations regarding learner permits were announced in October 2007 to take effect in July 2008.

Learner Permit Licences were introduced on 30 October 2007 by S.I. No. 719 of 2007 – Road Traffic (Licensing of Learner Drivers) Regulations 2007. The Learner Permit replaced the Provisional driver licences, which are no longer being issued since the introduction of the Learner Permit. Existing Provisional licences will continue to be valid until their expiry date. On renewal the person will be issued with a learner permit.

Driving with a Learner Permit is subject to certain conditions in the interests of the safety of the driver and other road users. You must hold a licence for the category of vehicle you are driving and comply with the conditions attached to the licence while you are driving.

After June 30th, 2008 all Learner permit holders in respect of the categories B, EB, C1, C, D1, D, EC, EC1, ED & ED1 must be accompanied at all times by a person who holds a full driving licence in the category for a continuous period of two years.

As from the 30 October 2007 persons who are granted a learner permit for vehicles in category A, A1, M, W, B or EB and have not previously held a learner permit in the five year period prior to the granting of such a permit in any of these categories may not apply for a driving test within the period of 6 months from the day the permit comes into force.

Who may apply for a Learner Permit?

You may apply for your first Learner Permit for vehicles in:-

• Category A1, A, B, M or W without any previous driving experience
• Category C1, C, D1 or D after you have been granted a driving licence for category B
• Category EB, EC1, EC, ED1 or ED after you have been granted a driving licence for the appropriate drawing vehicle e.g. you must hold a driving licence for category C in order to apply for a Learner Permit licence for EC

If you have previously held, or are currently the holder of, a learner permit licence in relation to a category of vehicle and if such licence was, or is, your first such Learner Permit, you may apply to have a second Learner Permit issued in relation to that vehicle category

A person shall be regarded as an applicant for a first Learner Permit in respect of a particular vehicle category if she/he has not held such a licence in the preceding five years.

In addition, you may not apply for a Learner Permit if you are disqualified by age, ill health or otherwise or if you do not have your normal residence in Ireland.

You may not apply for a learner permit in respect of a particular vehicle category if you already hold a full driving licence in respect of that category which was issued by the competent authority in a Member State of the European Union or of the European Economic Area.

To apply for a first learner permit you require the following

• A fully completed and signed learner permit application form D201. All question must be answered
• Two recent identical passport sized photographs (signed on reverse)
• A fee of €15.00 for a 2 year learner permit
• Valid Theory Certificate. Please note that the theory test certificate is only valid for two years from date of issue and must be presented within that period Once submitted it is considered valid indefinitely for the relevant category
• Birth Certificate/ Valid Passport/Certificate of Registration. Please note that Baptismal certificates are NOT acceptable. If the name on the application form differs from that on the birth certificate or passport e.g. passport in m name, deed poll or marriage certificate must accompany the application
• An eyesight report (Form D502) for classes A, A1, B, EB and W. Please note that the eyesight report is only valid for one month from issue. Eyesight report must be completed by an optician or doctor. An eyesight report not required if person also submitting a medical report
• A Medical Report Form D501 completed by a registered doctor if you have answered yes to any of the disability/illnesses questions on the application form other than questions 16 and 17. Please note medical report is only valid for one month from issue
• A medical report is also required if you are applying for a leaner permit in the higher categories i.e classes C, C1, D, D1, EC, EC1, ED and ED1. The length of time that a medical is valid for is at the discretion of the doctor completing the medical report

To apply for a second learner permit you need the following:

• A fully completed and signed learner permit application form D201. All question must be answered
• Two recent identical passport sized photographs (signed on reverse)
• Current or most recent provisional licence/learner permit. If this is not available the applicant must submit a duplicate permit application form D401. This form must be stamped and signed at at a Garda Station.
• A fee of €15.00 for a 2 year learner permit
• Marriage certificate. If name has changed since last licence issued e.g. now married, must submit copy of
• If last provisional licence is out of date for more than five years, the application will be treated as a first time learners permit application again, e.g. theory test required, eyesight report etc. follow the procedure for a 1st leaner permit
• A medical report, if deemed necessary

To apply for a third or subsequent learner permit you need the following:

• A fully completed and signed learner permit application form D201. All question must be answered
• Two recent identical passport sized photographs (signed on reverse)
• Current or most recent provisional licence/learner permit. If this is not available the applicant must submit a duplicate permit application form D401. This form must be stamped and signed at at a Garda Station
• A fee of €15.00
• Evidence of having undergone a driving test in the vehicle category in question in the two year period prior to the application i.e. failure certificate. Please note that a failure certificate is only valid for two years. If a test has not been sat within the last two years the applicant must submit either a driving test acknowledgement letter or a driving test appointment letter from the Road Safety Authority. These letters can also be accepted if received in the form of an email from the RSA. The acknowledgement or appointment letter must be for the same vehicle category as the permit application.
• A medical report, if deemed necessary

Note:

If the applicant submits a failure certificate they are entitled to learner permit valid for two years, however, if they submit a driving test acknowledgement letter or a driving test appointment letter they will receive a permit valid for one year.

Additional Notes

Current/Last licence to accompany application

If you hold a driving licence or held one within the previous 10 years, this licence must accompany your application for learner permit.

If you hold a current learner permit or held one within the previous five years it must also be submitted with your leaner permit application.

When applying for either a Learner Permit or a Drivers Licence the applicants must surrender any permit or licence held.

Fee
The fee for all Learner Permits is €15.00. No fee applies where the applicant is 70 years of age or more on the first day of the period for which the licence is being issued.