The Boards.ie Quick and Dirty Guide to Driving Licences

trisha

well all of those options sound so appealing

imprezza

You must carry your licence at all times. If you apply for one, drive and cops stop you, you have 10days to produce a licence that is legal at the time you were stopped. So unless you ring the licensing board and find out that they've issued your licence, youre guilty of driving without a licence. Being caught without a fully licensed driver in the passenger set on a first provisional is taken very seriously by judges so you need to be very careful.

Supercell

imprezza wrote:

Being caught without a fully licensed driver in the passenger set on a first provisional is taken very seriously by judges so you need to be very careful.

:rolleyes: , if you ever see a judge for this, that is.....

fifth

How strict are they towards driving with a provisional license and not having a fully licensed driver in the car? I can't always have one with me!

I've heard of people getting away with it, I've heard of a guy challenging it in court and I've heard of others getting the hammered down on them.

Pretty concerned.

Jeanious

never known anyone to be caught to be honest, but i doubt youd be treated too kindly, especially with the hysteria about road deaths goin on at the minute.

i had my provos for about 2and a half years and when i felt decent enough to drive without a full driver, i just whipped down the L-plates. That was around the time they were changin the requirements for 2nd provisional/accompaniment etc, so i wanted to draw as little attention as possible to me as a first-provisional wielding little 17year old in the car on my own.
In fairness i wouldnt advise that way of doing things, i.e. youre decreasing the chance of bein caught, but increasing the list of offences if ya do end up gettin caught. Just be careful is all ill say to ya.


Anyway:
1) i have a full B licence now, and did the ABMW theory test in july2002. Do i need to do it again if i wanna get a provisional A licence? And i assume id need eyesight reports again etc yeah?

and

2) does anyone know if theres a minimum age requirement to be someones accompanying full-licence driver? (i heard that for a provo licence-holder to be legit, he has to be accompanied by a fully-licenced person whos ALSO 21 or older...true or not?)

thanks for any help

Wishbone Ash

coyle wrote:

does anyone know if theres a minimum age requirement to be someones accompanying full-licence driver? (i heard that for a provo licence-holder to be legit, he has to be accompanied by a fully-licenced person whos ALSO 21 or older...true or not?)

The accompaning driver must hold a full licence in the category of vehicle that he is the accompanying driver. Therefore they would have to have met the age criterion for that particular vehicle to pass the test in the first place eg. 17 for B,BE, 18 for C,C1,CE,C1E and 21 for D,D1,DE,D1E etc.

Jeanious

ah right cool, thanks. Make sense i suppose, dunno where i got 21 from! Anyone know about my first question? Ive read through the whole thread but couldnt find a definite answer.

Wishbone Ash

AFAIK you should not have to sit it again as the test included category A. (Not 100% sure on this).


(When I read the question first I thought you said that you did "a BMW theory test". I was confused. That's why I didn't answer.)

fifth

Think if I'm stopped with my prov. license that I'll get away with saying [when asked where my accompanying fully licensed driver is by a garda] "I just dropped him/her off home"?

Jeanious

worth a shot innit? Wont do ya any harm anyway!

shoutman

In June I was stopped at a checkpoint outside Heuston Station. The Garda told me to pull over to the side of the road which I did. My NCT was out of date so I thought that was the problem.

It turned out not only was my NCT out of date but the Insurance disk was too, now I knew my insurance was not out of date so I told him that this was the case and it was just a mistake. He asked to see my driving licence..... I was a provisional driver and had three friends in the car as we were on our way down to Athlone to work, he asked where my L plates were, I said my brother also drives the car and took them down, he asked if any of the other lads were fully licenced, they werent... then he said my licence is out of date.....

So I'm stuck there with no NCT no Insurance, No fully licenced driver, no L plates and an invalid driving licence.

A lot of Yes sir No sir three bags full sir and he obviously saw I was a decent lad who was up to no trouble and he said to produce the insurance disk at a garda station of my choice and nothing more shall come of it, but he said if i didnt do that he would throw the book at me...

I produced the insurance disk and nothing more became of it, not one single point on my licence...

Which brings me to my next question, my provisional licence has been out of date since last november, can i just appply for a new one by gettin the form from the garda station or what do i have to do....

cheers
Luke

seamus

All you need is the form - you can get it from www.oasis.gov.ie - they'll post it out to you. I'm assuming of course that it's your first provisional which has expired.

For the record, your licence having expired normally doesn't invalidate your insurance. Often on the insurance certificate, the first requirement states
"provided that the insured holds or has held a driving licence for the category of vehicle being insured". This doesn't mean however, that the Gardai won't do you for driving unlicenced.

shoutman

cheers seamus, its still my first provisional but ive been driving over two years so should be my second ya?

markb658

Quick question..

I'm starting to get kind of annoyed and worried about this now, I have a provisional license, and have been driving for about a year now, along with 40-ish lessons, so i'm well able to drive, and i've been lucky so far with not gettin stopped on the first prov license, But next year im drivin a 20 minute drive to college, on a road that the gaurds are known to be stalking!, My first prov license expires in january next year, so im wondering do i have to wait until then to apply for my second, so i can drive myself, or is there anyway way i can work around this?
The most annoying thing is im on the test waiting list nearly 7 months at this stage! :rolleyes:

seamus

markb658 wrote:

Quick question..

I'm starting to get kind of annoyed and worried about this now, I have a provisional license, and have been driving for about a year now, along with 40-ish lessons, so i'm well able to drive, and i've been lucky so far with not gettin stopped on the first prov license, But next year im drivin a 20 minute drive to college, on a road that the gaurds are known to be stalking!, My first prov license expires in january next year, so im wondering do i have to wait until then to apply for my second, so i can drive myself, or is there anyway way i can work around this?
The most annoying thing is im on the test waiting list nearly 7 months at this stage! :rolleyes:

It sucks, but you have to wait until your licence has expired. if you take the time, you can get your 2nd prov. immediately from the tax office

Supercell

Saw this linkied on another thread and thought it so useful for the newbie learning to drive that it should be here also, have many of the manouvers that are asked on the driving test all done in video.
http://www.2pass.co.uk/video.htm

nachos

I'm on my 2nd provisional licence and I've applied for my test. But in the meantime, I'm going to be needing to drive on the motorways as I'll be going from Dublin to Galway about twice a month.
How serious is it if I get caught driving on the motorways as a provisional driver?

dabbler2004

My second provisional is just about to expire and I'm about to apply for a driving test. I'll be issued with a one year provisional licence (as per Dept. of Transport website )http://www.transport.ie/roads/licensing/provisional/index.asp?lang=ENG&loc=1837#Provisional
Is this licence classified as an extension to my second provisional or as a third provisional licence?
Thanks.

seamus

It's classified as a third provisional.

Wishbone Ash

Anything I missed?

I don't think I've read this thread before. I've noticed a few things and hope you don't mind me pointing them out.

seamus wrote:

Only people who hold a full licence in cat. B may apply for a provisional licence in cats. C1, C, D1, or D.

According to the Rules of the Road, a person with no driving experience may get a provisional licence for category C1 provided that they are at least 18 years of age.

The only provisionally licenced drivers who may drive unaccompanied are those in cats. M, A1, A & drivers holding their second licence in cat. B.

And those in category W, and those in category B who have held the licence prior to the 15th August 1985.

3) To get a provisional/test in any 'trailer' category, you must hold a full licence in that category.

There are no facilities here for testing for category D+E. If you have a full licence for category D and wish to apply for a provisional licence in D+E, they are compelled to give you a full licence. That's how I got my D+E .


As always, I'm open to correction.

smoke

Hi, my 1st provisional (category expires in a months time. Can I apply now so that my second arrives in time for when my first expires?

Also do I have to include copies of the documents from when I applied for my first provisional, i.e. eye report and theory test?

Wishbone Ash

smoke wrote:

Hi, my 1st provisional (category expires in a months time. Can I apply now so that my second arrives in time for when my first expires?

Yes.

smoke wrote:

Also do I have to include copies of the documents from when I applied for my first provisional, i.e. eye report and theory test?

No (but you need to include photographs).

smoke

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Yes.

No (but you need to include photographs).

Thats great, thanks for the help Wishbone.

newtothis

Just wondering if anyone can answer these questons for me
I sent off for my second provisional license last week it expired in 2002 so i didn't have to do the theory cause it was within 5 years, do i need to have a fully licenced driver with me at all times and secondly could my insurance be a little cheaper on a second provisional. I haven't been insured before, i've just been getting lessons on and off!

Hal1

You can drive unaccompanied on a second provisional, but it wont affect your insurance.

Chardee MacDennis

right i let me provisional expire, i had done the theory test - do i need to do it again to get a new provisional? also what else do i need to renew it - ie medical/eyesight test etc.
thanks!!

Wishbone Ash

Call_me_al wrote:

right i let me provisional expire, i had done the theory test - do i need to do it again to get a new provisional? also what else do i need to renew it - ie medical/eyesight test etc.
thanks!!

You don't state the category so I'll assume it's B. If it has not expired by more than 5 years you do not need to do the theory test or any medical/eyesight tests. You will need photos and fee.

Tush

Sorry if this has been asked already,
I have a full B license and want to ge a provisional A license,do I need to sit a theory test before getting my prov A license???????

Supercell

Tush wrote:

Sorry if this has been asked already,
I have a full B license and want to ge a provisional A license,do I need to sit a theory test before getting my prov A license???????

Yes, but only if you never sat it before for the car test.

It has to be sat these days at least once for any new license (not renewals) if not sat before for any other license, 100% certain.

Its piss easy though, so wouldnt worry about it.

Tush

Thnx Longfield
Sat a theory test 3 years ago for my B lic and another 2 years ago for my C Lic,just cant see the point in sittin another for my A Loc.
So I will not have to sit another is what you say,tax office say different

Supercell

Tush wrote:

Thnx Longfield
Sat a theory test 3 years ago for my B lic and another 2 years ago for my C Lic,just cant see the point in sittin another for my A Loc.
So I will not have to sit another is what you say,tax office say different

The theory test for A and B is the same test, the person who told you that you need to sit it again is just plain wrong, do you have the original result sheet still that you can bring to get your A prov ?

FYI I did mine the otherway around..sat theory for A - got provisional A
Applied for prov B, didn't need to sit theory test as I'd already passed it for the bike already..

Now have full A and B and definately only had to sit the theory test once.

<edit>

Just checked the Oasis site http://www.oasis.gov.ie/transport/motoring/driver_theory_test.html

"you must submit your pass certificate to a Motor Tax Office with your application for a first provisional licence within two years of passing the theory test."

So it would appear that if you sat it for the car more than two years ago then you must indeed sit the same test again..bloody daft imho considering your have a full car license but seems to be no allowance for that.
Does make sense if you sat it two years ago and didn't drive for over two years..but when thats clearly not the case for a full B class holder then its a flaw someone didn't think about when they made the rules.
</edit>

Tush

Thats what I thought Longfield,and I dont have the result sheet,but I will go back to Tax office again tomorrow,surelythey have this on file.
Thnx again Longfield,just wanted to make sure before I go back to them.

Supercell

Sorry Tush, see my above edit, seems the pencil pushers are applying the word of the law and ignoring the meaning of it
Common sense goes out the window in cases like this .

Wishbone Ash

Longfield wrote:

So it would appear that if you sat it for the car more than two years ago then you must indeed sit the same test again..bloody daft imho considering your have a full car license but seems to be no allowance for that.

Prior to getting an A licence, I had a full licence in all the other categories. Before I could apply for a provisional in A, I had to do the theory test with all the newbies :rolleyes: even though I'm qualified to drive cars, rigid trucks, artic trucks, minibuses, large buses, buses with trailers etc. I felt a bit silly there and got through it in 4 minutes.

Supercell

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Prior to getting an A licence, I had a full licence in all the other categories. Before I could apply for a provisional in A, I had to do the theory test with all the newbies :rolleyes:

Heheh, this newbie is catching up, from the looks of things I'll probably have to sit the C/D class test a couple of times.

What a sensible system

FoXXy

Hi Guys,

I'm pretty sure this has been answered million of times so feel free to ignore me here!

I have a full licence for my motorbike, took the theory test bout 3 or 4 years ago now... but parents have been on at me to get going in a car instead.

Any ideas how i go about this whole thing?

I assume i'd have to do the theory test again since its a different category? then with that do i get a provisional license to learn to drive?? all bit confuddled about this , if anyone can help me out!!

Supercell

I was in a similar situation except was within two years of my full bike doing the car.

Unfortunately you will need to resit the theory test again - see above

Just checked the Oasis site http://www.oasis.gov.ie/transport/mo...eory_test.html

"you must submit your pass certificate to a Motor Tax Office with your application for a first provisional licence within two years of passing the theory test."

When you pass this you will be able to apply for a seperate provisional green car license.
When you pass the car driving test you bring both to the local motor tax office with a couple of photos and they will send you one overall license back for no additional charge.

FoXXy

Thanks for the help guys

af_thefragile

here, i had a lil question bout taking yer car to UK. Like what are the licence requirements u'ld need to take yer car and drive it in the UK and would you need any special insurance for it?

Hal1

af_thefragile wrote:

here, i had a lil question bout taking yer car to UK. Like what are the licence requirements u'ld need to take yer car and drive it in the UK and would you need any special insurance for it?

Not if your fully licenced. No special insurance either :rolleyes:.

af_thefragile

so all you need is a full driving licence to take yer car to the UK..?

Hal1

Yep, drive onto the ferry no problem.

cast_iron

Wishbone Ash wrote:

There are no facilities here for testing for category D+E. If you have a full licence for category D and wish to apply for a provisional licence in D+E, they are compelled to give you a full licence.

I find that astounding - the state requires you to pass a test that they cannot facilitate.
Were you told what exactly the "facilities" they didn't have were? I can't really think of any off hand. Except that they didn't actually devise a test for it!
It would be very similar to the regular bus test surely?

motormouthmable

As a holder of my first provisional license, can i drive alone in my car to the test centre (legally I always must have a holder of a full license always beside me if I drive)?

It would be a bit of a hassle to find another person to take a day off from work just to accompany me to the test centre...

Strange situation.

Seth Brundle

You are not allowed to drive yourself but as every other provisional driver is doing it, why don't you!

GreeBo

motormouthmable wrote:

As a holder of my first provisional license, can i drive alone in my car to the test centre (legally I always must have a holder of a full license always beside me if I drive)?

It would be a bit of a hassle to find another person to take a day off from work just to accompany me to the test centre...

Strange situation.

You should only need someone to drive you there.
If you think you are good enough to be driving alone then you will pass and be able to drive yourself home anyways!

thund3rbird_

originally posted in Com & transport

Hi, have googled this etc but cannot seem to find an answer.

I have a full licence, my partner is on her 3rd provisional.
As per the rules she has to be accompanied by a qualified driver at all times.

Ok, that's fine but...

what if we go to a pub, I have a few drinks (say 3 pints for argument) & she drives home with me in the passenger seat.
Now, she is accompanied by a qualified driver, but one that cannot drive the car due to consumption of alcohol.

If the Gardai stop her and ask to see her licence what is the position when she / I am asked about a full licence.

I cannot find anything to say the qualified driver should be in a fit state to drive the car.

On here it says that:
Car drivers with a provisional licence must be accompanied at all times by, and under the supervision of, a person with a current full driving licence to drive a car.

I cannot find anything to say you cannot supervise someone after having a few drinks (and yes I do realise that "common sense" may suggest otherwise) but having had the sense to have a designated driver is there any way that she could be charged for driving unaccompanied ?

BTW, this hasn't happened - I'm just throwing this out for discussion.

If anyone has more info on the above position please reply to this post.

thanks


PS - FYI for those of you on 1st / 3rd prov:
I was asked a few mths back (while driving on my own) whether I was on my 2nd prov (the actual question was "I assume you are on your 2nd prov?" )

When I said I had a full they asked why I had the L-plates so I said it was for the other half.
strange they didn't ask to see the full licence tho

Capt'n Midnight

motormouthmable wrote:

As a holder of my first provisional license, can i drive alone in my car to the test centre (legally I always must have a holder of a full license always beside me if I drive)?

It would be a bit of a hassle to find another person to take a day off from work just to accompany me to the test centre...

Strange situation.

Don't worry by the time your test is due you may be on your second provisional.

It's illegal on your 1st or 3rd.
But AFAIK it's not part of the test.

mountainyman

I have just lost my provisional and my test is next week.
It states on the letter that a receipt is NOT sufficient.

What can I do. Can I get a same day license?

MM

GreeBo

mountainyman wrote:

I have just lost my provisional and my test is next week.
It states on the letter that a receipt is NOT sufficient.

What can I do. Can I get a same day license?

MM

I got mine in about 4 hours (hadnt realised that it expired the day before my test)
Went down to the motor office in nutgrove with my proof of test date and they let me pick it up a few hours later.
If you let them know that its a rush job you should be ok...