If you want to drive in Ireland you need to have a driving license or a learner’s permit. Both these documents are issued by the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS), a body whose primary objectives are safety and security.
It makes the entire process more convenient while ensuring that the unlicensed and illegal drivers stay off the road. For any application of license or a renewal process, you will have to opt for a face to face interaction in any of the 34 nationwide centres of the NDLS.
The licenses issued for various vehicles are related to the age of the driver and each vehicle type has a certain age-limit set for the drivers. The categories of vehicles that you are permitted to drive is listed in your license and you cannot drive a vehicle beyond that category. Keep in mind that it is a serious offense to drive a vehicle type that you are not permitted to.
There are 15 different categories of driving licenses and learner permits issued in Ireland which are valid for different types of vehicles. These categories deal with various aspects ranging from the age of the driver to the formal trainings required and further to the penalty points. So before applying for your license, it is important to go through these details so that you can make the application in the correct manner.
You can apply for any of the four motorcycle licenses by direct access, i.e. without having to hold a license of lower category at first. But one needs to pass the motorcycle theory test as well as the Initial Basic Training (IBT) course, which is designed to teach basic riding skills to learner motorcyclists. A certificate of successful completion will be issued by approved driving instructors which is needed along with the learner’s permit, when you drive your motorcycle. Get detailed lessons from best driving instructors Dublin has to support you with.
The following are the categories listed for motorcycle licenses.
The remaining elven categories deal with vehicles, including buses and trucks. Before you apply for a learner permit in any category, you need to appear for the driver theory test for that category. The tests are computer-based and user-friendly. Essential Driver Training (EDT) is a training course designed to teach the basic skills of driving to beginner car drivers and is necessary before appearing for a driving test conducted by the RSA.
A driver needs to have a car driving licence before applying for a truck or bus learner permit. One has to clear the truck or bus Driver Theory Test along with taking the Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) theory and practical tests in order to obtain the necessary Driver’s Certificate of Professional Competence. This CPC test has been designed for professional drivers throughout Europe for observing good driving and safety standards on roads.
The following are the types of vehicle driving licence categories in Ireland.
The section also includes a vehicle towing a trailer where the MAM of the trailer is not greater than 750 kg.
In case the trailer is heavier than 750 kg, the combined MAM of the towing vehicle and the trailer should not be greater than 3,500 kg. Heavier quadricycles are also included in this category. The minimum age requirement for this license is 17 years.
It also adds to the vehicle combination types of category B with the MAM of the trailer greater than 3500 kg and the combined MAM value of the drawing vehicle and trailer combined does not exceed 12000 kg.
The minimum age limit set for this category is 18 years.
So these are the driving licence categories in Ireland which are matched with the various vehicle types that you can chose from as per your requirement. A point to be noted is that a driving license or a learner permit can also refer to multiple codes that can restrict its use or place an obligation on the driver. You can check the NDLS website to get the list of all the codes and their meanings to clear any doubts about the same.
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