Passed Test, Can I now drive alone?

pjjk90

Hi, I just passed my test today, am delighted!!
Now that I have passed it, I haven't applied for the full license yet, am I allowed to drive alone now, or do I have to wait for the Full license?
My parents are away next week, and I have to go into college, what should I do? Hold on to the Cert of Competency or apply for the full and hope it comes soon?
I just don't want to get caught out.
Thanks in advance,
Patrick

Alanstrainor

In short no. You must still drive with a fully licensed driver who has held his/her license for at least 2 years.
This was taken from the sticky:

Does the Certificate of competancy entitle you to drive unaccompanied?

A.
Dear Alan,



I refer to your query regarding the a certificate of competency.



A person driving while they hold a certificate of competency must be accompanied by a qualified driver. When they have this certificate exchanged for a full driving licence they do not need to be accompanied.



Regards,

Once you have made your application, from what i have been told by my local motor tax office, the receipt they give you entitles you to drive unaccomp, while waiting for your full pink license. It might be worth your while however, having another form of id with you once you've applied.

doubtfir3

I passed my test today also, but just have a question regarding the L plates.

I have a cert of competency, and have applied for my full licence (here in North Tipp they won't do this on the spot and post them out) but I'm wondering if I should still display the L plates until I get the full licence?

Thanks

Enda
--

Tech3

I took them off but yes your meant to leave them on until you have the full license in your hands. If your requested by gardai to show your license all you have is the provisional/ permit.

Just pop down to your local tax office or post it off

Wacko

I finally put my forms in for my license on Monday arrived on Wednesday, (that was Nutgrove) so they are quick getting them out if you can do without the car for a few days. Sorry to go a little off topic but what happened to the P or D or whatever those plates they wanted for newly passed drivers are they scrapped ?

Alanstrainor

The R plates are in the pipeline to be introduced at some stage, but as of yet, no such requirement exists. It'll be a while yet before such a system would be introduced.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Wishbone Ash

pjjk90 wrote: »

what should I do? Hold on to the Cert of Competency or apply for the full

Why on earth would you want to hold onto the Cert of Competency? Apply immediately for a Driving Licence and photocopy the cert if you need to have it.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Wishbone Ash

donegalfella wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

If the OP retains the C of C he/she will at some point have to apply for a Driving Licence anyway. Why not apply asap? Photocopy the C of C and in the event that the OP finds an accompanied driver, he/she may legally drive in the interim with the prospect that, as the Driving Licence has been applied for, it should arrive sooner than later. Holding on to the C of C only prolongs the agony!

donegalfella wrote:

This post has been deleted.

From what I hear on this forum, it appears that this is a local policy rather than one done on individual merit.

paul larry

well done to that man taht passedhis test. i hope that u adhere to wat was taught to u in the build up to that and that u dont immediately put ur seat back as far as it goes, and 'lie on' as the sayin goes. haha:) as for l plates, keep em up til ya are in possession of that pink licence, that's technically when u become a fully licenced driver. also, i think im right in saying that its a further 2 years experience that u need before u can sit on with a provisional permit holder.
another and final point, bring on the r-plates. having been trained and licenced in the six counties, i have found this to be a great idea. if brought in her (in the next 100 years ) it will have to be enforced by the gardai, and any breaches dealt with by the courts firmly, to cut them out with immediate effect.
all in all what im saying is congratulations and well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

SeanW

Yes, you are not licensed to drive unaccompanied (technically) until your new pink license comes into force. Be careful, if it takes your local MTO any significant time to issue a license, you could get pulled bny the guards any time and be asked for your license - your reciept should be fine but they might ask you to bring your license in to them within (say) 10 days, you might find that when the license comes, it was not in force on that day.

One point of confusion is that in the most recent rule changes, a previous entitlement to drive unaccompanied (off motorways, with L Plates) on any provisional+CoC, was removed. In other words, any provisional+CoC gave you the same on-road rights as the old 2nd Provisional.

another and final point, bring on the r-plates. having been trained and licenced in the six counties, i have found this to be a great idea.

>_<

John Mason

paul larry wrote: »

well done to that man taht passedhis test. i hope that u adhere to wat was taught to u in the build up to that and that u dont immediately put ur seat back as far as it goes, and 'lie on' as the sayin goes. haha:) as for l plates, keep em up til ya are in possession of that pink licence, that's technically when u become a fully licenced driver. also, i think im right in saying that its a further 2 years experience that u need before u can sit on with a provisional permit holder.
another and final point, bring on the r-plates. having been trained and licenced in the six counties, i have found this to be a great idea. if brought in her (in the next 100 years ) it will have to be enforced by the gardai, and any breaches dealt with by the courts firmly, to cut them out with immediate effect.
all in all what im saying is congratulations and well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

pjjk90

Wow thanks everyone for the amount of replies!!!
I didn't know you get a receipt from the tax office, I just thought you hand in the cert and your provisional(do you have to hand it in?) and that was it.
So what I've decided to do is get a copy of the cert(to leave in the car), take my passport with me and the receipt the tax office give me, and try to have someone with me until I get the full.
Thanks again for all the replies!

Cuddlesworth

paul larry wrote: »

well done to that man taht passedhis test. i hope that u adhere to wat was taught to u in the build up to that and that u dont immediately put ur seat back as far as it goes, and 'lie on' as the sayin goes. haha:) as for l plates, keep em up til ya are in possession of that pink licence, that's technically when u become a fully licenced driver. also, i think im right in saying that its a further 2 years experience that u need before u can sit on with a provisional permit holder.
another and final point, bring on the r-plates. having been trained and licenced in the six counties, i have found this to be a great idea. if brought in her (in the next 100 years ) it will have to be enforced by the gardai, and any breaches dealt with by the courts firmly, to cut them out with immediate effect.
all in all what im saying is congratulations and well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

The receipt from the Tax office is proof of license. I find it hard to believe that any Gardai would even try to pull you up on charges.

Wishbone Ash

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

The receipt from the Tax office is proof of license

It is not proof of a licence. It merely shows that one has applied for a licence. The licence may not be processed/dated for some time after applying.

Cuddlesworth wrote:

I find it hard to believe that any Gardai would even try to pull you up on charges.

True but that's not the point. The OP was asking if it was legal - not whether a Garda would mind or not.