NDLS - National Driver Licence Service centres (Qs, waiting times, etc)

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Headshot

Hi Guys.

Just a quick question.

My car license expired yesterday, I went down to NDLS office to get it renewed but I forgot to ask since my license will have expired today, am I allowed to drive until my new license is comes in the post?

CiniO

Headshot wrote: »

Hi Guys.

Just a quick question.

My car license expired yesterday, I went down to NDLS office to get it renewed but I forgot to ask since my license will have expired today, am I allowed to drive until my new license is comes in the post?

Legally no - you're not allowed.
I'd still chance it though.

punisher5112

If it's a full licence you will be grand in most circumstances but can be in trouble if Garda checks you for it.

They have discretion so usually ok.

You have 5 years if it's a learner permit and 10 years for a full licence before you must start from scratch.

ron_darrell

Hi guys, sorry if this is the wrong thread. I'm just wondering, do I need a PSC to renew my license now or not. There's nothing on the NDLS site about it (or on their checklist) but I remember hearing something about it recently and just want to be sure. Anyone had to renew a license recently?

Wishbone Ash

I renewed mine a few months ago and wasn't asked for it. (I don't have one anyway).

biko

Ring and ask

Because according to this from May 2017 you need it "soon", whatever that means

Anyone applying for a driving licence will also soon be required to have a PSC.

http://www.thejournal.ie/public-services-card-passport-3402471-May2017/

Edit, I just realised you are renewing yours, not applying for one..
Best ring and ask anyway.

CiniO

I'm sure someone had experience with it.

It's stated you can renew your licence up to 3 months in advance (before expiry date).
What I wonder is - if you do it as early as possible, will new licence be valid for 5/10 years from date you applied for it, or for 5/10 years from date previous licence expires?

I.e. let's say my licence expired 15th May 2018. Renewal is for 5 years.
If I renew it on 20th February 2018, will my new licence be valid till 20th February 2023 or 15th May 2023 ?

Thanks.

cantdecide

The short answer is that if you renew, say, 1 month early, you effectively lose that 1 month and you receive a new licence starting that day you applied with no allowance for the lost month.

When you say a 5 year licence, do you mean that you have group 2 categories that expire in 5 years time? I ask because full licences are only issued on 1, 3 or 10 year basis.

If I have that right, you should receive a '10 year licence' containing a combination of 10 year 'group 1 categories' and 5 year 'group 2 categories' (because medical certificates expire in 5 years max). If you no longer wish to hold 'group 2 categories' after 5 years, you do nothing, just make sure you don't sit behind the wheel of a truck or bus and simply use your licence for your car for 5 more years before renewing it. If after 5 years you still wish to drive 'group 2' categories, you have to go back to the NDLS with a fresh 5 year medical report and apply for a fresh '10 year licence' under the same circumstances.

GavRedKing

I renewed miune last Wednesday, it was out of date by about 10 days between the time it expired and by the time I eventually got an appointment to renew and got the letter from the NDLS to say I have applied for one and was waiting for it to be sent out.

Few days before I renewed it, I was stopped at a checkpoint and was asked to produce the license, I told the Guard it was out of date be a few days and showed him the txt from the NDLS showing I had an appointment booked, he said I shouldnt be driving technically, but because it was booked for a few days time and I hadproof at hand it was alright and he just waved me through.

I think it would vary by circumstance though but once I went into renew at my appointment date, I was in and out within 10mins, people walking in off the street were waiting for up to and over 30mins.

Wishbone Ash

cantdecide wrote: »

...If I have that right, you should receive a '10 year licence' containing a combination of 10 year 'group 1 categories' and 5 year 'group 2 categories' (because medical certificates expire in 5 years max). ....

I'd didn't realise that until they explained it to me when I renewed so my licence is effectively only for 5 years now.

cantdecide

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I'd didn't realise that until they explained it to me when I renewed so my licence is effectively only for 5 years now.

In 2013, the rules changed to harmonise with the EU and the possibility to get a 10 year medical for truck and bus drivers went out the window.

CiniO

cantdecide wrote: »

The short answer is that if you renew, say, 1 month early, you effectively lose that 1 month and you receive a new licence starting that day you applied with no allowance for the lost month.

Thanks.
I wasn't sure about that.
So it's better to wait close to renewal date then.

When you say a 5 year licence, do you mean that you have group 2 categories that expire in 5 years time? I ask because full licences are only issued on 1, 3 or 10 year basis.

Yes, I have categories B, C and D.

If I have that right, you should receive a '10 year licence' containing a combination of 10 year 'group 1 categories' and 5 year 'group 2 categories' (because medical certificates expire in 5 years max). If you no longer wish to hold 'group 2 categories' after 5 years, you do nothing, just make sure you don't sit behind the wheel of a truck or bus and simply use your licence for your car for 5 more years before renewing it. If after 5 years you still wish to drive 'group 2' categories, you have to go back to the NDLS with a fresh 5 year medical report and apply for a fresh '10 year licence' under the same circumstances.

Thanks for explaining that.
I actually thought that you only receive 5 years on all categories if you hold any of group 2 categories. It's handy to still get B category for 10 years even though C and D will be only for 5 years.
In general though, I'll probably need to renew after 5 years anyway, as I use D quite reguraley

glaswegian

Hi all,apologies if this is in the wrong section.
i need to apply for a new licence as the one i have (the old style paper one)isn't recognised as proof of i.d. in some places anymore. i'll have to apply for the new plastic card one, will it be a case of swapping one licence for another,or is there a drawn out system to go through before my old licence is replaced and does it take long to get.
cheers.

cantdecide

You haven't mentioned whether your current paper licence is due for renewal at this point. If it isn't within 3 months of renewal you can't elect to renew early. If that's the case, the only way a new licence can be issued to you is if something fundamentally has changed such as personal details like address or name or licence categories being added or removed. The only other way that a new licence can be issued to someone in your circumstances is if you've found your licence lost or stolen.

If you are within range to renew it, it's straight forward enough process. You need to go to the NDLS with your old licence, app form, proof of PPSN, any documents supporting changes you wish to make (eg address) and pay the cash. They will take your photo at the centre. If the old licence is still in date, they'll give it back to you. If it's a straight forward renewal, you should receive your new one in the post pretty quickly.

glaswegian

cantdecide wrote: »

You haven't mentioned whether your current paper licence is due for renewal at this point. If it isn't within 3 months of renewal you can't elect to renew early. If that's the case, the only way a new licence can be issued to you is if something fundamentally has changed such as personal details like address or name or licence categories being added or removed. The only other way that a new licence can be issued to someone in your circumstances is if you've found your licence lost or stolen.

If you are within range to renew it, it's straight forward enough process. You need to go to the NDLS with your old licence, app form, proof of PPSN, any documents supporting changes you wish to make (eg address) and pay the cash. They will take your photo at the centre. If the old licence is still in date, they'll give it back to you. If it's a straight forward renewal, you should receive your new one in the post pretty quickly.

Thanks for your info,if my license was lost,who do I report it to, the guards or the NDLS ?

punisher5112

glaswegian wrote: »

Thanks for your info,if my license was lost,who do I report it to, the guards or the NDLS ?

You will need to fill out form at Garda station to say it was lost or stolen.

glaswegian

punisher5112 wrote: »

You will need to fill out form at Garda station to say it was lost or stolen.

Thanks ðŸ‘

cantdecide

punisher5112 wrote: »

You will need to fill out form at Garda station to say it was lost or stolen.

It's actually the very same application form as a standard renewal (D401) just the section relating to declaring it lost needs to be stamped and signed by the Garda.

glaswegian

Thanks folks for all your info,form filled, stamped by guard and processed by NDLS.

JamesBond2010

Lads can I ask when they send u a txt msg saying your licence has being dispatched is it 5 days from then u receive it or would u get it before then. Tmw Fri would be a wk gone (Applied last Fri). Only got the txt msg today.

shinikins

It says on the text, 2-3 days. I imagine you'll have it in those 2-3 days.

JamesBond2010

Guess what the bunch of tw**** managed to screw up my address .how hard is it copy it from my licence. Expect me to send it back & wait nearly 2 wks for it to come back then.again

cantdecide

JamesBond2010 wrote: »

Guess what the bunch of tw**** managed to screw up my address .how hard is it copy it from my licence. Expect me to send it back & wait nearly 2 wks for it to come back then.again

It could be the case that there was a discrepancy between the format you put your address on the form and your previous address on your licence and/ or another supporting document. Addresses are the biggest fcuk up. For example, if you added or omitted a superfluous line line to your address and it was supported by, say, a P60 you submitted to establish your PPSN, then they would have no choice but to follow your 'altered' address as it was supported by a document.

Address fcuk ups are the responsibility of the NDLS centre itself. The central processing unit eventually stopped checking addresses as they were so problematic. Even if the processing unit spots that a customer has applied for a new address and given evidence, if the agent in the centre fails to spot the change, the processing unit have no choice but to dispatch it to the wrong address knowing that in a couple of weeks it will prompt the customer to call looking for it. Only then can the processing unit update the address. Yay, outsourcing.

JamesBond2010

cantdecide wrote: »

It could be the case that there was a discrepancy between the format you put your address on the form and your previous address on your licence and/ or another supporting document. Addresses are the biggest fcuk up. For example, if you added or omitted a superfluous line line to your address and it was supported by, say, a P60 you submitted to establish your PPSN, then they would have no choice but to follow your 'altered' address as it was supported by a document.

Address fcuk ups are the responsibility of the NDLS centre itself. The central processing unit eventually stopped checking addresses as they were so problematic. Even if the processing unit spots that a customer has applied for a new address and given evidence, if the agent in the centre fails to spot the change, the processing unit have no choice but to dispatch it to the wrong address knowing that in a couple of weeks it will prompt the customer to call looking for it. Only then can the processing unit update the address. Yay, outsourcing.

It was the same address that was printed on my licence & p60 & form. i even spelt it out for them.. i am not bothered changing it leaving it off. i am already complained to them this morn. It is like me calling you candecide when you name is actually Cantdecide. if they want me they know where to get me ( my phone number)

c6ysaphjvqw41k

This post has been deleted.

biko

There is a bunch of videos here to explain process
https://www.ndls.ie/booking-service.html

If I'm not mistaken there is a ticket machine. You get a number and wait to be called, or perhaps they will call you by name.
This could vary from centre to centre

somefeen

Hello
In a bit of a pickle at the moment.

I've been offered a job starting Monday which requires a full B licence.
I just had a look at my licence for the first time in ages and realised it expired in January.

I'm heading in first thing in the morning to get it renewed just wondering if theyll be able to give me something to say that my licence is in the post?
Unbelievably annoyed with myself for not spotting this sooner.

biko

They will give you a receipt when you call in to renew.
This is not a licence in itself, but may placate your new employer.

Read through these and bring the necessary things
https://www.ndls.ie/how-to-apply.html#renew-a-driving-licence

somefeen

biko wrote: »

They will give you a receipt when you call in to renew.
This is not a licence in itself, but may placate your new employer.

Read through these and bring the necessary things
https://www.ndls.ie/how-to-apply.html#renew-a-driving-licence

Thanks very much that eases my stress a little bit. I'm just going to take a photocopy of my licence beforehand and hopefully if I have that and the receipt it will be enough.