Will a Receipt do as a license?

smemon · 01-06-2007 2:48pm #1

I passed my test there on tuesday, went into the tax office yesterday and handed in certificate of competency, provisional license and all that stuff..

I got a receipt back and was told it would arrive today in the post - surprise surprise no sign of it.

It being the bank holiday weekend, guards will be all over the place as usual so the chances of me getting stopped are high. (young male)..

anyway, will this receipt do as a license? it's a piece of paper stamped by the tax office saying i've paid for a full license.

whassupp2 · 01-06-2007 2:51pm

not sure. What i did was photocopy the cert and keep the copy in the car just in case. Anyhow I'm sure the Gardaí will understand if you are stopped.
Alternatively call in to your tax office and say you need it for work or something. I'm sure they'll either givie it to you there and then or say that its in the post.

craichoe · 01-06-2007 2:51pm

The Garda will as you to present your license within 10 days at a station of your choice if you get stopped

smemon · 01-06-2007 2:58pm

yeah suppose i should have copied the cert, i do have a photo of me holding it though

i'll take my passport with me anyway as proof of ID.. (my name is on the receipt).

i went in to the tax office earlier and they said it was in the post :rolleyes: so i'll probably not have it until tuesday

gandalf · 01-06-2007 3:23pm

You should be fine. As stated above you will be asked to produce the license at a Garda station in 10 days. If you are not confident give the local station a call and ask them what the situation is.

caesar · 01-06-2007 3:26pm

smemon wrote:

yeah suppose i should have copied the cert, i do have a photo of me holding it though

i'll take my passport with me anyway as proof of ID.. (my name is on the receipt).

i went in to the tax office earlier and they said it was in the post :rolleyes: so i'll probably not have it until tuesday

Ya you probably should have photo copied your provisional license and the cert, but I think the receipt should cover you along with your passport. Oh ya have the photo with you too....Im sure it'll put a smile on their face if you get stopped:D

Gran Hermano · 01-06-2007 3:27pm

I'd also check with the local station whether you can drive on a motorway
with just the receipt. I know that when you pass your test the slip they
give you to present for getting your license covers you for driving on your
own but does not cover motorway driving until you get your actual license.

Fey! · 01-06-2007 3:28pm

The last time I renewed my license I was told by the tax office that the receipt would be enough if I got stopped.

caesar · 01-06-2007 3:40pm

Gran Hermano wrote:

I'd also check with the local station whether you can drive on a motorway
with just the receipt. I know that when you pass your test the slip they
give you to present for getting your license covers you for driving on your
own but does not cover motorway driving until you get your actual license.

Yeah its the same as if you wanted to drive outside of the Republic, the slip means nothing in that sense nor does the certificate of competency. I'm not sure what the situation would be if you were renewing your full license though as opposed to applying for one.

Fey! · 01-06-2007 3:45pm

When I was getting mine renewed, I was heading to Antrim, and was told by the tax office that I'd be fine with the receipt.

As for driving on the motorway, the receipt will be for a full drivers license regardless of just passed the test or renewal. The certificate of competency is, IIRC, equivalent to a full license.

Stark · 01-06-2007 3:46pm

Your chances of being stopped and asked for your licence are slim anyway. Last time I travelled on a bank holiday weekend, there was a checkpoint but they were only checking tax and insurance discs. In fact, I've never been asked for my licence personally and only once I've been in a car when the driver was asked for his licence.

Fey! wrote:

The certificate of competency is, IIRC, equivalent to a full license.

Actually I remember reading something before where it was explicitly stated that provisional+cert of competency does not equal full licence. Not sure if it was in the Rules of the road or elsewhere.

jhegarty · 01-06-2007 3:49pm

I got stopped while I had a license in for renewal... did it by post so didn't even have a receipt , but they took my word for it , didn't even have to produce in 10 days.....

caesar · 01-06-2007 3:51pm

Stark wrote:

Your chances of being stopped and asked for your licence are slim anyway. Last time I travelled on a bank holiday weekend, there was a checkpoint but they were only checking tax and insurance discs. In fact, I've never been asked for my licence personally and only once I've been in a car when the driver was asked for his licence.

Actually I remember reading something before where it was explicitly stated that provisional+cert of competency does not equal full licence. Not sure if it was in the Rules of the road or elsewhere.

I read the very same thing

Somehow I don't think they would be accepted outside of this island anyway whatever about up th North.

Mr. Presentable · 01-06-2007 3:51pm

Stark wrote:

Actually I remember reading something before where it was explicitly stated that provisional+cert of competency does not equal full licence. Not sure if it was in the Rules of the road or elsewhere.

Correct!

Also you are required to produce your licence on the spot if stopped. The Local Authority told me it would be a harsh Garda that wrote me up for not having a licence if I could show the receipt, but strictly I should not be driving :eek:

jhegarty · 01-06-2007 4:02pm

http://www.drivingtest.ie/preparing.html wrote:

Accompaniment:
You are required to be accompanied by a person holding a full driving licence for the category of vehicle being driven. The only exceptions to this are when:

* driving a car on the basis of a second provisional licence;
* driving a work vehicle, e.g. agricultural tractor;
* riding a motorcycle;
* you hold a current certificate of competency to drive for the category of vehicle being driven.

You may not act as an accompanying driver, i.e. holder of a full licence, for a person driving with a provisional licence. It is not sufficient to have a certificate of competency to drive.

Motorways:
You may not drive on a motorway on the basis of a provisional licence even if you possess a certificate of competency.

.

Alun · 01-06-2007 4:08pm

What a wonderfully bizarre rule! You've either passed your test or you haven't, what difference does actually having the licence in your sticky mits make? Very strange indeed.

caesar · 01-06-2007 4:14pm

Alun wrote:

what difference does actually having the licence in your sticky mits make? Very strange indeed.

I would think it just there to push people to actually apply for the full licence and get rather than driving around with the certificate of competency and provisional licence. It wouldn't do if you were going abroad and planning to drive there.

fasty · 01-06-2007 4:16pm

Once you've put in the application, fee and certificate of competancy you should be fine. Likewise if you renew your license and are temporarily without, wtf should you do? Stop driving?

smemon · 01-06-2007 4:26pm

fasty wrote:

Once you've put in the application, fee and certificate of competancy you should be fine. Likewise if you renew your license and are temporarily without, wtf should you do? Stop driving?

yeah, it's a gray area it seems..

most people would just crumple up the receipt into the back pocket or lose it.. and technically you'd be driving without a license or ID..

if i was a garda, that would look dodgy. Anyway, i'll print out that photo with me in it, leave my passport in the car along with the receipt.

I know the chances of being stopped are slim, but then again i've been stopped 3 times in the past 6 months and asked for license twice, breathalized once.

Mind you i did have the 'L' plates up so that probably didn't help.

Stark · 01-06-2007 4:50pm

Driving on an expired licence is a less serious offence than driving without a licence. If you had just exchanged your provisional for a full licence, or tried driving with a provisional where you weren't allowed, despite having the competency cert, then it could be argued that you're driving without a licence. If you were just renewing your licence, then it would probably be argued that you were driving on an expired licence. The argument could then be rebuked because the licence wasn't actually expired, just in the post.

Anyway, it's all just technicalities. Once you're driving in the Republic, you're not going to have any hassle. I wouldn't go up North with just a receipt though, the PSNI are far stricter when it comes to licences and if you don't present a valid full Irish driving licence, then they'll assume you're uninsured.

Will a Receipt do as a license?

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