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Print this page DRIVING LICENCES

Irish Driving Licence Before driving any motor vehicle in a public place a person must hold a current driving licence or a provisional licence. Under regulations made in 1989 implementing EC Directive 80/1263/EEC vehicles are categorised for driver licensing purposes and the minimum age of the licensee is prescribed.

The following table summarises the age requirements for driving licences of different categories of vehicles:

Description of Vehicle	Without Trailer	With Trailer	Minimum Age
Motorcycles	A	-	18
Cars	B	EB	17
Trucks	C	EC	18
Buses	D	ED	21
Motorcyles not over 125 cc	A1	-	16
Trucks not over 7500 kg laden	C1	EC1	18
Minibuses	D1	ED1	21
Work Vehicles/Tractors	W	W	16

Detailed Description of Vehicle Categories

A1	Motorcycles not over 125cc, with or without sidecar	D	Vehicles with passenger accommodation for more than 8 persons
A	Motorcycles with or without a sidecar	EB	Vehicles in category B with a trailer attached
B	Vehicles with passenger accommodation for 8 persons or less and with a design GVW not over 3500kg	EC1	Vehicles in category C1 with a trailer attached
C1	Vehicles with passenger accommodation for 8 persons or less and with a design GVW over 3500kg but not over 7500 kg	EC	Vehicles in category C with a trailer attached
C	Vehicles with passenger accommodation for 8 persons or less and with a design GVW over 3500kg	ED1	Vehicles in category D1 with a trailer attached
D1	Vehicles with passenger accommodation for more than 8 persons but not more than 16 persons	ED	Vehicles in category D with a trailer attached
W	Work vehicles and tractors, with or without a trailer attached	M	Mopeds

"Passenger accommodation" means seating accommodation for passengers in addition to the driver. Design GVW means design gross vehicle weight (ie design laden weight).

The following points should however be noted:-
• A driving licence or provisional licence entities a person to drive only vehicle(s) of the category or categories for which the licence is issued.

• A provisional licence holder must, while driving any vehicle -
  (i) with the exception of categories A1, A and W, have displayed on the   vehicle "L" signs to the front and rear and
  (ii) be accompanied by a person holding a driving licence for the category of   vehicle being driven. This condition does not apply -
  (a) to a person who held a provisional licence in respect of "old" class C (i.e.   a car) prior to 12 August, 1985, or
  (b) to the holder of a second provisional licence in respect of category B,   © To holders of provisional licences in respect of categories A, Al & W   referred to above.
• The owner of a vehicle may not employ or allow a person to drive that vehicle unless the person is licensed to drive the category of vehicle in question.

In relation to provisional licences the following additional points should be noted:-
• A first application for a provisional licence must be accompanied by a birth certificate and an eyesight report.
• A provisional licence is valid for two years.
• A person without any driving experience may apply for a provisional licence for categories A1, B, C1 or W only.
• A provisional licence for category A will be granted only to a person 14 o holds a driving licence for category Al (motorcycle not over 125cc) and who has held such a licence for at least two years. This restriction does not apply to persons of 25 years of age or over.
• A provisional licence for category C, D1 or D will be granted only to a person who already holds a driving licence for category B or C1.
• A provisional licence for a vehicle and trailer will be granted only where the person already possesses a licence for the drawing vehicle in question (except categories A and W).
• Any person wishing to obtain a third or subsequent-provisional licence must have undergone a driving test within the previous two years and must produce evidence to that effect to the licensing authority.

A1

D

A

EB

B

EC1

C1

EC

C

ED1

D1

ED

W

M