What happens when your test is finished?
If you pass, the tester will give you a Certificate of Competency to drive. You should exchange it for your full driving licence as soon as possible and you must do this within two years of your cert date.
If you are a novice driver (that is, you are a first-time holder of a full driving licence), you must display N-plates on your vehicle for 2 years. N-plates must be displayed on any vehicle you get a licence to drive during that 2-year period. This novice period applies only once. For example, if you hold a driving licence for a category of vehicle and after two years you get a licence to drive another category of vehicle, you do not become a ‘novice driver’ in respect of the new category. You can get further information about the N-plate
Your Certificate of Competency will list any restrictions to be applied to your licence. Any restrictions will be shown on your driving licence by using a particular code. Further information on potential restrictions on a driving licence is available on the RSA website, www.rsa.ie. If you are not successful in your driving test, you will receive a detailed report on the faults that occurred during the test. When you are preparing for your next test, pay particular attention to these faults while continuing to work on other areas of your driving.
What to do if you are not happy with your test result
If you were not successful and believe that your driving test was not conducted properly or fairly, you may appeal the tester’s decision to the District Court. The District Court may either refuse the appeal or, if it finds that the test was not test free of charge.
For more information on the driving test, please read the leaflet Preparing for your Driving Test. This is available at www.rsa.ie.
In certain circumstances, it may be possible to progress to a higher category of driving licence for motorcycles without having to take an additional driving test. This is known as ‘progressive access’.
At the age of 24 years, a rider may also proceed directly to a large unrestricted motorcycle. This is known as ‘direct access’.