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Learner Drivers

FAQs about the driving test

Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the driving test. 

Your driver number is unique to you for all your licence records. It can be found at 4d on a plastic permit or licence or 5 on a paper permit or licence. More information about your learner permit and driving licence is available from NDLS

You require your driver number to book your driving test. 

If you have a problem registering or logging in to MyRoadSafety.ie read our MyRoadSafety FAQs for help.

These are some common issues:

Driver number

  • Your driver number is the nine-digit number that appears at number 4d (on a plastic permit or 5 on a paper permit) on your learner permit. Your driver number is unique to you for all your licence records.
  • Please ensure that you enter your name and date of birth exactly as they appear on your learner permit. While not case sensitive, please ensure that you enter apostrophes, spaces and fadas.
  • While you can make a booking for a driving test if your learner permit is out of date, you will need a valid learner permit when you attend for your test.
  • In the case of first-time learner permit holders, you may make a booking for a driving test before the statutory six-month period expires. However, you cannot sit a driving test until the six-month period expires

Instances where you cannot apply online

  • You do not have an Irish driver number.
  • You already have a valid driving test booking in the same vehicle category.
  • Your learner permit has expired by over five years so you will need to take a driver theory test before applying for a new learner permit.
  • If you have recently applied for a learner permit it takes seven days to update on our system.

PPSN number not accepted

If you’re having problems with your PPSN you will have to contact mygovid.ie to verify your PPSN details.

Line 2 of your address required

If you do not have a line 2 in your address, please repeat line 1 of your address into line 2 and save these changes.

Error message: “You have a booking for a driving test”

This can occur if you already have a driving test booking for the category of test for which you are trying to make a new booking.

 

If none of the above apply to you


If none of the above apply to you and you are unable to book a test online, you can download a RSA Driving Test Application Form


Complete the driving test booking form, including your driver number and post it to:


Driver Testing Section


Road Safety Authority


Moy Valley Business Park


Primrose Hill


Ballina


Co. Mayo F26 V6E4

We are currently delivering driving tests to all customers, however emergency appointments can only be offered to critical frontline workers. 

Increased demand has caused a large backlog of people waiting for a test, so if there are no appointments available when you're applying, you can add yourself to the waiting list and we'll email you a booking invitation when slots open up. Please note that we operate a fair and transparent process for scheduling tests.

If you meet all of the criteria of a critical frontline worker you can request an emergency test

If you’re a critical frontline worker who has not yet applied for a driving test, you must: 


  1. Sign up or log in to MyRoadSafety.ie
  2. Apply for a driving test and add yourself to the waiting list
  3. Request an emergency test 

Test slots are very limited and so it's important to pick a date and time that suits you when booking your appointment.

However, we understand that unforeseen events occur so, once your test date is more than 10 days away, you can cancel or reschedule twice without losing your fee.   

You can do this directly on your MyRoadSafety account.

Anyone who got their first car learner permit on or after 4 April 2011 must complete Essential Driver Training (EDT). We cannot schedule you for a driving test until all 12 EDT sessions have been completed and uploaded to our database by your Approved Driving Instructor (ADI). You can track your progress by logging into MyEDT.ie

If there are sessions missing, please contact your ADI directly. If your instructor is no longer on the ADI register, you should try to make contact with them. Otherwise, you will have to complete the EDT session/s again. However, if you have your EDT logbook and it was signed, stamped and dated by the ADI for each completed session, please  complete this form and we will arrange a logbook inspection by an RSA ADI Examiner. Make sure to include your driver number and your nearest driving test centre. Once your logbook is verified, we can upload the session/s. 

Self-scheduling

We are experiencing higher demand for our service than usual. In the interest of fairness, we are prioritising tests based on when a customer applied and is eligible.

When you register with MyRoadSafety.ie, you can set your driving goal. If no suitable test dates are available you will be presented with a facility to be placed on a waiting list. When new driving test slots become available you will be contacted to advise you of this and invite you to log onto MyRoadSafety.ie to make your driving test booking. Please note there is no need to contact us to schedule a test as we are unable to schedule a test over the phone or by email request.

Appointment slots are limited to those who have been invited to book a driving test so we will email you directly when we reach your application in the queue.

 

You must be eligible to sit your driving test: 

To be eligible to sit your driving test you must have held your first learner permit for at least 6 months and completed all of your driver training - that is, Essential Driver Training (EDT) for cars or Initial Basic Training (IBT) for motorbikes. 


You can check the validity of your learner permit in your MyRoadSafety account under the learner permit step in ‘My Goals’. 


To see the status of your driver training please log in to MyEDT (cars only). All EDT sessions must be uploaded by your instructor before we can send you an invitation to book a test.

 

From time to time we experience some disruption to our driving tests due to adverse weather conditions.  

Increased demand caused a large backlog of customers waiting for a driving test and unfortunately this means that it may be some time before we can offer you an appointment. 

We have developed a new online tool that offers an estimated date of when you'll be invited to book a car driving test. If you're already on the waiting list and eligible to sit your test, just click on the link below and enter your date of birth and driver number. If you're not yet eligible to sit the test, you can also view the current general estimated waiting times by test centre. 

Driving test waiting time estimator

No. We operate a fair and transparent appointment scheduling process and it's only fair that those who are eligible and have been waiting the longest would be offered a test first. If you are employed by the HSE, a private hospital or the emergency services and need to drive as part of your job (not including commuting to your place of work) you can complete an emergency driving test request form and we will review your application.
You are required to bring a vehicle to the test centre on the day of your driving test. We do not provide a vehicle for your driving test. You must be insured to drive the vehicle you present to test with. The vehicle must display a current valid original insurance disc, current valid motor tax disc and NCT/CVRT disc if required. Vehicles may be hired from an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI).
You are not required to notify us that you will be sitting your driving test in an automatic vehicle. You can take your driving test in an automatic vehicle. However, if you pass the driving test in a vehicle with automatic transmission, your driving licence will only allow you to drive a vehicle with automatic transmission. If you pass your driving test in a manual vehicle you will be licensed to drive both automatic transmission and manual vehicles in that category.
You can update your personal details by logging on our customer portal MyRoadSafety

On 21 January 2019 we introduced a shorter EDT programme for foreign license holders whose full licence from another country (jurisdiction) with which Ireland does not have an exchange agreement may qualify for exemption from EDT lessons 2,3,4,8,11 and 12. 

Please note that if you have made an application for reduced EDT and you have a booking for a driving test, you cannot sit this test until you have proof that your application for reduced EDT has been approved.

You can now upload documents on your  MyRoadSafety account

If you do not have access to a MyRoadSafety account and need to send documents, these can be sent by post to:

Driver Testing Section

Road Safety Authority

Moy Valley Business Park

Primrose Hill

Ballina

Co. Mayo, F26 V6E4