Irish Driving Licence is considered one of the toughest programs in the world. The pass rate is just above 50% and the process is long and expensive. I got my Irish Driving Licence for Car in just 2 months’ time in the Reduced EDT program from start to end. The steps are:

• Theory Test
• Eye Test
• Learners Permit
• Reduced EDT Program
• Driving Lessons
• Driving Test
• Driving Licence

I have documented the steps in detail below. The Driving Lessons and the Driving Test have many things to be done in parallel. I would suggest you read through the entire article for getting the complete picture.

PSC/PPS card is a prerequisite for this process.

Theory Test

The theory test is a set of 40 questions. It is necessary to answer correctly 35 out of 40 questions in order to obtain a pass certificate. More details can be found here. I prepared for the test from the official app called Official Car/Bike DTT Ireland on Android. The link for the app on Android and iOS.

I would suggest booking the theory test on the Driver Theory Test. The test centers for the theory test can be found here. These test centers are different than the actual driving test locations. The cost of the test is 45 euros. The test Sponsor is Road Safety Authority and the program is Driver Theory Test Ireland on the first screen.

I would suggest getting a date first so that you are working with a time frame.

Once you have booked the test, the secret to preparing for the test is taking a lot of mock tests. I found studying each and every question is time-consuming and not that helpful, whereas mock tests are quick and easier to work with. The average time for me was 8 minutes against the time limit of 45 minutes for the actual test. These 8 minutes can be easily done during lunchtime or a break during office hours. I gave 19 mock tests during my preparation.

Reach 15 minutes early on the day of the test and carry your PPS/PSC card. I was on time for the test but the test center invigilator was not happy with that. Other than that, they are very nice and helpful.

You get the results on the spot and they issue a certificate with the pass marks.

Eye Test

This eye test is for checking your vision and if you are capable of driving a car. This again is a prerequisite for the learner’s permit. According to their websites, Specsavers and Vision Express do this test but the wait time with them is a minimum of 2 weeks. I found a place called Keensight in Cabinteely which does walk-ins for the same and I was done in 10 minutes after I reached there. They charge 20 euros for the test and certificate.

Learners Permit

Once you have the two certificates (Theory Test and Eye), you can go to the nearest National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) center to get your Learners Permit. Other documents to be carried include the GNIB card. The locations for the NDLS can be found here. You have to book an appointment with them but I found their walk-in service also useful. Use your PPS Number to book the same. They open at 9 a.m. but the line for walk-ins generally starts at 8:30 a.m. A form has to be filled out on the spot for the learner’s permit. The fees are 35 euros for the process.

Once the learner’s permit is applied for, the card reaches your address in 5–10 working days.

Remember your all previous licences from other countries including International Driving Permits (IDP) become invalid in this country, even though 12 months are not up; after getting your learners permit.

There are restrictions when driving with learner’s permit. You cannot drive on motorways and always needs to have a driving sponsor with you. A driving sponsor is a person who is an Irish Driving Licence holder for 2 years. You also need to show an ‘L’ sign on your car.

Reduced EDT Program

EDT stands for Essential Driving Training and consists of 12 driving lessons that have to be taken along with Approved Driving Instructors (ADI). The Reduced EDT program is a mandatory driver training program for drivers from outside of Ireland who currently hold a valid full-car license but come from a country that does not have a license exchange agreement with Ireland. Under the Reduced EDT program, you only have to take 6 lessons (Lesson Numbers: 1,5,6,7,9, and 10) and are also given an exemption from the six months wait time for Driving Test.

To apply for the same, you would your original license which has been held for a minimum of two years, a letter of entitlement (Driving Licence Extract would also work) from the driving license issuing authority, and a filled Reduced EDT form. A Letter of Entitlement/Driver Statement is a copy of a driver’s record/history. You must send them the original Letter of Entitlement as well as the original foreign driver’s license. They will also accept an email or online printout.

• This process is online, free, and has no waiting time.
  https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan/
• Click on: Drivers/ Learners License registration at your fingertips. It will take you Sarathi page https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in/sarathiservice/stateSelection.do
• Select your State from the drop-down menu
• On the next page, click on DL Extract
• Provide your Driving License Number and Date of birth and click on Get DL Details.
• Right-click on the page and click print when you get the license details.
• Or Can use digilocker

These three documents have to be sent via post to Reduced EDT, National Driver Licence Service, PO Box 858, Southside Delivery Office, Cork.

You have to wait for the actual learner’s permit to apply for Reduced EDT. They will send you back the originals along with a letter stating that you have been a successful applicant.

I would recommend that you take all the 12 lessons if you haven’t driven in a long time or not that confident with your driving skills. You can still apply only for the 6 months wait time exemption to speed up the process.

Driving Lessons

You have to complete the driving lessons along with a certified ADI instructor. The list of qualified instructors can be found here. They generally charge 35–40 euros for each class of one hour. I paid 40 euros for each lesson, so the total cost for me came to 240 euros for 6 lessons. I chose to pay a little more for the availability of the instructor. If you are doing the 12 classes, they generally have a package with discounts.

Choosing the right ADI instructor is also important for the time taken to complete the required number of lessons. Every instructor has to provide you with a logbook and upload the same on the portal. For Reduced EDT, the portal will show 6 lessons else it will show 12. You can only book your driving test only if the instructor has uploaded the logs online, so keep track of the same.

I contacted 4 ADI instructors near my home asking for their availability. All of them except Alan had a two-month waiting list. I found Alan at AD Driving School to be really helpful and professional. The best part is he will schedule all your classes during the first meeting so that you know the dates and can work your schedule around that. He is always on time and picks you up from your home. If you have a test center in mind, do let him know so that he can help you practice around the roads of the test center where the driving test will take place.

You can also practice with a person who has been a holder of an Irish Driving Licence for a minimum of two years. Note that these are not counted towards the official driving lessons i.e. EDT lessons.

Driving Test

The Driving Test is the final test. It is an hour-long test and involves driving for around 40 minutes under various conditions. The main points where they will test you are Normal driving on the road, 3 points reverse maneuver, and reversing on a turn. The test centers can be found here and the cost is 85 euros. I would suggest that you choose the nearest available date after you are finishing your lessons and book the test. The average wait time is 6 weeks but I will highlight a faster way. You can pay and book the test without finishing your driving lessons.

At this stage, you have paid for your test and have a date, and also are taking your driving lessons. Once your lessons are finished, call the Road Safety Authority to get on the Short Notice Option list. Short Notice Option are the slots that have been canceled that are available for a person who can take a test with a notice from a few hours to a few days. During the call, they might tell you if they have a canceled slot for you. Do remember to check with your ADI instructor because you will need a car for the test.

Book a car for hire for taking the test with your ADI instructor. You cannot take a hired car for the test. There are many more conditions and I thought it was best to take an ADI’s car for the same. There is a 2 hours package available and the cost is 135 euros for the same. The first hour is a refresher lesson and the second hour is the actual test.

On the day of the test, do remember to carry your learner’s permit, stamped logbook, and Reduced EDT letter if available. Be present at the test center 15 minutes before the test. First, the tester will verify all the documents. Then there will be a small test for knowing the roadsigns and common questions about driving. I would suggest you brush up on the theory test questions for the same. I saw a youtube video just before my test to familiarize myself with the process and luckily I was asked to identify all the same signs. This video was also helpful for calming the nerves before the test.

After this, you will be asked to move to the car. Once there, the tester will ask you to open the bonnet and ask about checking the levels of engine oil, coolant, braking fluid, etc. The brake lights, and turn indicators are also checked during the same time. You will cover this in the refresher class as well, so don’t worry about this.

Now the tester will ask you to drive off onto the main road. Sometimes, there might be an additional tester in the car, but don’t let that distract you. For my test, I had two testers in the car. I will not be getting into the details of the test as that is out of scope. I found the testers very calm and helpful. The marking scheme of the test looks daunting but the tester has to worry about it, not you.

The results of the test are given once the test is over. Upon passing the test, the tester will issue you a Certificate of Competency.

Driving Licence

After passing the test, visit NDLS again with your Certificate of Competency and Learners Permit. The driving license costs €55 and arrives in 5–10 days.