Ireland Driving License Application
Ireland is an island country with not particularly developed public transportation, and its cities are also quite small. Having a car is very important for improving long-term quality of life. This is especially true if you plan to build a family; without a car, it is definitely very inconvenient. So not long after I came to Ireland, I began my driving license application journey.
Unlike in China, where you sign up for a driving school, pay once, and get a complete service package, Ireland’s driving license application process is fairly complicated and requires handling everything step by step yourself.
This blog post records the application process and guide, for the convenience of Chinese people in Ireland.
Using a Chinese Driving License in Ireland
A mainland Chinese driving license can be used to drive in Ireland for one year; a translation is enough. Before going abroad I deliberately had it notarized as well, which was safer. After that, you need to take the local driving license test. Many countries and regions can directly exchange their licenses in Ireland, such as the Taiwan region, but unfortunately mainland China is not included. EU or UK licenses can also continue to be used seamlessly in Ireland. You can refer here for the requirements for using licenses from different countries in Ireland.
Ireland Driving License Application Process
Official steps: theory test, eyesight report, apply for a Learner Permit, foreign license reduction, driving lessons, road test, apply for a full license.
Theory Test
Similar to China’s Subject 1 and Subject 4.
Theory test booking link. The registration fee is 45 euros.
The exam is 30 minutes, 40 questions, and passing requires 35 correct answers. After passing, it is valid for two years.
Same as in China, just grind the question bank. It is easy for young people or small-town exam takers. The question bank has 700+ questions. There is an official app: Official Car/Bike DTT Ireland, available directly on Google Play or Apple App Store. It costs 15 euros.
I used an unofficial question-practice website myself. It is free and many people recommend it: theory-tester.com.
Although its functionality is limited, it is enough for most people.
I basically went through all the questions once, then screenshotted wrong questions into Notion and reviewed them several more times.
Then I did three mock exams and passed all of them.
Preparing about one week in advance is enough. If you start too early, it is easy to forget after finishing the question bank.
In the end I passed with a high score of 39. Full score is 40, and 35 is passing.
After finishing the exam, you wait on site for five minutes and can get the result and score report.
Eyesight Test Report
I went to the Specsavers near my home to book an eyesight test for the next month. Because the driving-license eyesight test is different from an ordinary test, there is only one slot per day. I recommend booking at least one month in advance. Also, Specsavers requires in-person booking for this; ordinary appointments can be booked directly online. After passing the theory test, when applying for the Learner Permit, you also need an eyesight test form from within the past month. The eyesight requirement is actually not high: corrected vision above 0.5 is enough. No need to be especially nervous. I am also highly myopic. You can download the eyesight test form from here and print it in advance before going to the store. The store also has the form. At the time, the store provided it for me, so I did not use my own printout. But I still recommend printing it yourself to be safer.
As for cost, it varies by store. Mine was 40 euros, and they also sold me an OCT retinal examination for 25 euros. The private insurance Laya bought by the company reimbursed 35 euros.
If you have worked for a long time, for example more than two years, PRSI contributions give you a discount for a 10-euro exam. But I had only been here half a year and did not have this discount. You can ask the staff when booking. They will use your PPSN to check, and a few days later you will receive a letter saying whether you qualify.
The eyesight test content is similar to China. As expected, they recommended new glasses, but because my glasses were made not long before going abroad, I did not accept.
The special part is a machine specifically for driving tests. You need to stare at a red dot, and when white dots appear elsewhere on the screen, press the button in your hand. It feels like a test of reaction ability. Normal people should all be able to pass.
The eyesight test form is valid for only three months, so you need to apply for the Learner Permit as soon as possible.
Apply for a Learner Permit
Note that you should choose “Apply for first time learner permit,” not “with foreign license,” because mainland Chinese licenses are not supported. Later it will ask whether you have a foreign license; there you can select Yes, country Other, and the license number is your domestic ID number.
There are also some health questions. Except for wearing glasses, choose No for everything else. Because of glasses, the license will print a 01, meaning glasses are required.
There is also a question asking whether you voluntarily donate organs. If you choose Yes, the license will have an additional 25. If you unfortunately die in a car accident, usable organs will be donated. But I chose No.
Then upload the IRP and eyesight test form, pay 35 euros, and wait for delivery.
You will receive a card valid for two years, which is the Learner Permit.
Then you can drive under certain conditions:
- You need a Full License holder accompanying you.
- You need to display an L sign on the car.
However, many local people drive around for a long time with only an L license, and nobody checks on the road. Thinking about it, this is quite dangerous. I am relatively law-abiding, so naturally I would not do that.
Foreign License Reduction: Reduced Essential Driver Training (EDT)
Holding a Chinese license for at least two years can reduce lessons from 12 hours to 6 hours. Each hour costs about 50 euros, so this can save quite a bit of money.
Holding a Chinese license for six months can remove the restriction that you must wait six months after obtaining the Learner Permit before taking the road test.
The license also must not have expired for more than six months.
Required materials:
- Reduced EDT instructions and application form
- Original Chinese driving license
- Safe driving record. You can apply and download it on the “Traffic Management 12123” app, but you need to VPN back to China. Ireland seems unable to access it. I VPNed to Hong Kong before I could log in and download it. You may also need to try several times. If it is inconvenient to VPN back inside the wall, you can ask relatives or friends in China to help download it. After applying, you need to wait one working day before downloading.
- Translation of the driving license and safe driving record. It needs to be translated by a translator certified by the Irish Translators Association. For Chinese to English, only one person qualified: Lichao. Email contact is enough. The fee is 45 euros.
- I also mailed my domestic notarization certificate, but it seems it was not useful.
I mailed it from the company and chose the cheapest option: 2.85 euros.
Mailing address is in the Reduced EDT instructions and application form: Reduced EDT, National Driver Licence Service, PO Box 858, Southside Delivery Office, Cork.
The next step is to contact an ADI instructor.
Driving Lessons
On Xiaohongshu, I found a Chinese instructor called “Ren Zai Lu Tu” / Jun, but he only had an automatic car. I wanted to learn manual because it gives more choices. Same as in China, a manual license can drive both automatic and manual cars, but an automatic license can only drive automatic cars.
Later, through Jun’s recommendation, I found an instructor from National Driving School named Keith. Contact:
+353 85 151 4076
Fee: 55 euros per hour.
After completing six hours of lessons, you can register for the road test.
Road Test
Register for the road test on rsa.ie. I recommend registering as soon as possible after finishing the six hours of lessons, because many people are queuing and you can only join the waiting list. It takes roughly half a year to get a slot. I registered on September 14.
I live in south Dublin, and the best test center for me is Dun Laoghaire/Deansgrange.
While waiting for the road test, you can buy a second-hand car and practice more yourself. Although in theory an L license requires a passenger with a full license for two years to accompany you on the road, in practice there is basically no problem buying a car and driving on the road. If you have acquaintances in Ireland, it is even better if they can lend you a car to practice. They can also sit in the passenger seat, satisfying the legal requirement. Of course, you can also spend more money booking lessons with an instructor.
Although booking an instructor is quite expensive, 55 euros per hour, buying a car yourself is not cheap either when counting the car price plus insurance. It depends on your own needs and plans.
After the test date is confirmed, you can book a pre-test with the instructor. Based on the date, the instructor will know the test routes and can help you go through them to improve the passing rate.