Learner permit rules for specific vehicle categories

To learn to drive on public roads in Ireland, you need to have a learner permit from the National Driver Licensing Service (NDLS). You must always have it with you when you are driving.

You cannot take driving lessons without a valid learner permit.

In most cases, you cannot take a driving test until you have had your first learner permit for at least 6 months.

Read more about how to arrange and prepare for a driving test in Ireland.

This page provides guidance about the learner permit rules for specific vehicle categories. It includes information on learner permits for:

• Cars
• Motorcycles
• Buses and trucks
• Trailers

You can read more about the steps you need to take to learn to drive in Ireland.

With a Category B learner permit, you can learn to drive a car on public roads in Ireland. However, it is not a full driving licence, and you must keep to certain restrictions.

You must:

• Always have someone with a full driving licence in the car with you when you are driving on a learner's permit. This person must have had their driving licence for at least 2 years. If the Gardaí stop you, and you are not accompanied by a qualified driver, they can take and keep your car.
• Display L-plates to the front and rear of the vehicle at all times while driving
• Keep to a reduced drink driving limit and penalty point disqualification threshold
• Not drive on a motorway
• Not draw a trailer
• Not act as an accompanying driver
• Not carry other people for reward

If you own a car, you will be guilty of an offence if you let someone drive it in a public place when they:

• Don’t have a driving licence or learner permit
• Have a learner's permit but drive your car without being accompanied by a qualified driver

For more information, see the learner permit section of the Road Safety Authority’s Rules of the Road handbook (pdf).

Essential Driver Training

For your first learner permit, you must do Essential Driver Training (EDT) with an RSA Approved Driving Instructor (ADI). You can get details of ADIs located across the country.

EDT is a training course that teaches fundamental driving skills to learner car drivers. The RSA has published a Learner driver information booklet on EDT (pdf). The course consists of 12 individual 1-hour sessions.

At each EDT session, your ADI will check your learner permit and record the session with a stamp and signature in your official EDT logbook and online in your MyEDT portal account.

You must show your completed EDT logbook (pdf) on the driving test day to the driving test examiner. You can also nominate a sponsor to accompany you during your EDT sessions. This is usually a family member or close friend. Your sponsor should be an experienced licence holder who can support you in preparing for your test.

If you have a licence from another country not recognised by Ireland

If you have a full driving licence from a country that does not have a licence exchange agreement with Ireland, you will only need to complete 6 EDT sessions before taking the Irish driving test.

The RSA have published a handbook on Reduced EDT (pdf).

To drive a motorcycle on a public road, you must hold at least a learner driving permit for the appropriate category of motorcycle.

See our table with the different categories of motorcycles, with the driver’s minimum age requirements.

Initial Basic Training

After you pass your theory test and receive a motorcycle learner permit, you need to complete your Initial Basic Training (IBT) before driving on public roads.

IBT is a 16-hour mandatory training course, broken into 4 separate modules. It teaches basic riding skills to learner motorcyclists. It is only available at RSA approved IBT training centres and may only be delivered by RSA approved IBT instructors.

You can read information about what IBT involves and how to enrol on a course near you on the RSA’s webpage.

Rules

When you get your IBT Certificate of Satisfactory Completion, you can drive unaccompanied on public roads.

However, a learner permit is not a full motorcycle driving licence and there are specific rules you must keep to until you pass your driving test:

• You must display L plates. The L plates for a motorcyclist are displayed on a yellow fluorescent Hi-Viz tabard (a bib or sleeveless top with open side-seams).
• You cannot drive on a motorway
• You cannot carry passengers on the back of your motorcycle
• You must keep to a reduced drink driving limit and penalty point disqualification threshold.

You can read more about how to arrange and prepare for a motorcycle driving test.

To get your first learner's permit to drive a bus or truck, you must have a full driving licence for a car (Category B) and a valid driver theory test certificate for:

• Category C if you want to drive a truck
• Category D if you want to drive a bus

Before driving on a public road, you must hold a learner permit appropriate to the category of bus or truck you wish to drive.

See our table with the different categories for buses and trucks, with the driver’s minimum age requirements.

More information is available in a bus and truck FAQ on the RSA website.

Bus and truck drivers with a learner permit must:

• Always be accompanied and under the supervision of someone with a current driving licence, for the same category of vehicle (and they must have had it for at least 2 years).
• Always display L plates to the front and rear of the vehicle they are driving.

Bus and truck drivers with a learner permit must not:

• Drive while pulling a trailer
• Drive on a motorway
• Act as an accompanying driver
• Carry other people for reward or payment

The driving limit for buses and trucks drivers with learner permits or full driving licences is 20 milligrams (mg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of blood. See our page about drink driving limits.

Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

You need a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) to work as a professional truck or bus driver.

To get a Driver CPC, you must:

• Have a full car licence (Category B or light van)
• Pass the ‘Bus and Truck’ theory test
• Get a Category C or D learner’s permit
• Be over 18 to get a truck Driver CPC
• Be over 21 to get a bus Driver CPC
• Be medically fit to drive a bus or truck

See our page about the becoming a professional bus or truck driver.

When you have qualified for Driver CPC, you have to maintain it over 5 years to continue to be Driver CPC certified.

To drive on a public road while pulling a trailer weighing more than 750kg when fully loaded, you must have at least a learner driver permit for both the vehicle and trailer.

You can read more about learner permits for trailers on the RSA website.

See our table with the different categories of vehicles and trailers, with the driver’s minimum age requirements.

You must hold a full driving licence for the category of vehicle before you can apply for a trailer learner permit.

The RSA have published videos on trailer licencing and safety, including a video of a trailer test. You can read more about how to book and prepare for a driving test.

You can also get a handbook on driver licensing rules for drawing light trailers (pdf) and read information on loading and load security.

While driving with a learner's permit, you must:

• Always be accompanied by someone with a current driving licence for the same category of drawing vehicle plus trailer (and they must have had their driving licence for at least 2 years).
• Always display L plates to the front and rear of the vehicle you are driving.

While driving with a learner permit, you must not:

• Drive on a motorway
• Act as an accompanying driver for that category
• Carry other people for reward or payment

The drink driving limit for drivers with trailers with learner permits or full driving licences is 20mg per 100ml of blood. Further information on drink driving limits is available from the RSA.

Finally, remember that the maximum speed limit for a vehicle towing a trailer is 80km/h, and this also applies on roads where the posted road sign speed limit is higher.

Read the Rules of the Road handbook (pdf) for more information.

You must apply for your first learner driver permit in person at one of the NDLS centres. You can book an appointment online.

You may be able to renew your driving licence online if you are eligible and have a PSC and MyGovID verified account. Alternatively, you can apply in person by booking an appointment.