Licence Overview

Residence Requirements

An applicant for a driving licence must be normally resident in Ireland. In this connection, you shall be regarded as having your normal residence in Ireland if, because of personal and occupational ties, you usually live here for at least 185 days in each calendar year. However, if you have personal ties in Ireland and occupational ties in another country which require absences from this country you may still be regarded as being normally resident in Ireland provided that you return here regularly. Working abroad on a specific task for a definite duration or attending a foreign University or College, shall not imply that you have transferred your normal residence to another country.

Driving licence application forms downloaded from the Internet are not acceptable when applying for your licence. An application form must be obtained from your Motor Tax office, Garda Station or Library. This is due to the applicant having to sign a label, which is then affixed to the new driver licence.

Accompaniment Requirements

All learner permit holders, with the exception of those who hold a learner permit in category A1, A, or M, are required to be accompanied by a qualified driver at all times while driving.

Holders of provisional licences for Categories B, C1, C, D, D1, EB, EC1, EC, ED1 and ED, as defined below, must be accompanied by a qualified driver at all times

A qualified driver is a person who holds a full licence for a continuous period of two years in respect of the vehicle category being driven by the learner permit holder. A person who holds a category W 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, a person who holds a full licence for the vehicle category for a period of two years