It is a statutory requirement that you must hold at least a learner driving permit (previously known as a provisional licence) for the appropriate category of vehicle if you want to drive a bus or truck in a public place. You are required to carry your learner permit with you at all times when driving.
The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has overall responsibility for driver licensing. However, the principal local authorities are licensing authorities and issue driving licences and learning permits through their Motor Taxation Offices. You should make your application to the nearest Motor Taxation Office to where you live.
To apply for a learner permit, you must be normally resident in Ireland. If you usually live here for at least 185 days in each calendar year (because of personal and occupational ties), you are considered to be normally resident in Ireland.
Before you begin to learn to drive on public roads in Ireland, you must hold a learner permit covering the category of bus or truck you wish to drive. A learner permit to drive a bus or truck is usually valid for 2 years.
Bus and truck drivers with a learner permit must be accompanied at all times by, and be under the supervision of, someone with a current driving licence for the same type of vehicle. Also, the person accompanying you must have had the driving licence for at least 2 years.
If you hold a learner permit for a bus or truck, you are not allowed to drive while drawing a trailer, drive on a motorway, act as an accompanying driver or carry other people for reward.
Learner permit holders must display L-plates to the front and rear of the vehicle they are driving at all times. The plate should be a red ‘L’ on a white background and should not be less than 15cm high with a border of at least 2cm.
Since October 2011 the drink driving limit for drivers of buses and trucks with learner permits or full driving licences is reduced to 20mg/100ml of blood. Information on other proposed measures to protect learner and inexperienced drivers is available on the Road Safety Authority's website.
You can read the rules of the road at rotr.ie.
The categories and driver's minimum age for buses and trucks are as follows:
| Category | Vehicle type | Minimum age of driver |
| C1 | Goods vehicles between 3,500kg and 7,500kg | 18 years |
| C | Goods vehicles over 3,500kg | 18 years |
| D1 | Passenger vehicles with accommodation for more than 8 and up to 16 people | 21 years |
| D | Passenger vehicles with accommodation for more than 8 people | 21 years |
Since the Driver Theory Testing Service started in 2001, you must get a theory test certificate for category C if you wish to drive a truck and category D if you want to drive a bus, before a first learner permit will be granted. If your provisional licence or learner permit expired 5 years ago, then you must pass the theory test again before a learner permit will be issued.
You must also be the holder of a driving licence for category B (car) before a first learner permit for a bus or truck will be issued.
You may not apply for a third or subsequent learner permit unless you can provide:
or
Since September 2008 for bus drivers and September 2009 for truck drivers, you need a Driver Certificate in Professional Competence (CPC) to be a professional truck or bus driver. To get a Driver CPC you first have to pass the driver theory test and get your learner driver permit. You must then pass all of the following:
If you had your full driving licence for a bus before 10 September 2008 and a truck before 10 September 2009, you automatically get the Driver CPC without doing the CPC theory tests and practical test.
To keep your Driver CPC you have to undergo 7 hours training each year.
The Road Safety Authority's website provides information on the Driver CPC.
While you are required to carry your learner permit with you at all times when driving, you are not required by law to change your permit if you change your name or address. However, it is advisable. You are required to show evidence of your permit if requested to by An Garda Siochana, so your permit should contain up-to-date information.
Exchanging your permit to amend your name or address is a free service. It is also free to have an endorsement removed, a category added or an error on your permit corrected.
You must send a completed application form, 2 passport type photographs (signed on the back) and any required supporting documents, such as, an original marriage certificate. Contact your Motor Tax Office for more information
If you already hold a learner permit for category C, you can add category C1 without submitting a theory test certificate. Similarly, if you hold a category D learner permit you can add category D1.
If your current learner permit is lost, stolen, damaged or defaced, you should apply to your local Motor Taxation Office for a replacement. The replacement permit is a duplicate or exact copy of your original learner permit.
If your learner permit has expired and is no longer valid, you can only apply for a new learner permit.
You can find out more in our document on replacing a lost or stolen Irish learner permit.
Learner permits are valid for 2 years (or 1 year in certain circumstances) and cost €15.
They are free of charge to those aged 70 or over. Exchanging your driving licence to show a change of name or address is also free of charge.
If you are applying for a learner permit, you should apply for a permit for category C or C1 for a truck and category D or D1 for a bus. The application form for a learner permit, Form D.201, is available from your Motor Taxation Office, library or Garda station.You can request form D.201 online here and it will be posted to you.
The completed application form should be submitted, along with the appropriate documentation and fee, to your local Motor Taxation Office by post or in person. You should bring additional personal identification if applying in person.
If you are applying for your permit by post, you pay the fee by cheque, bank draft or postal order, made payable to your local authority. If you are applying for your learner permit in person, you may pay the fee in cash.
Before you apply for your first learner permit, you must first obtain a driver theory test certificate. The theory test certificate is valid for 2 years from the date of issue.
You must also hold a category B driving licence.
The completed application form D.201 should be accompanied by:
When applying for your second learner permit the completed application form D.201 should be accompanied by:
When applying for your third or subsequent learner permit, you have to provide evidence that you have undergone a driving test in the 2-year period prior to your application or evidence of a forthcoming test date.
A completed eyesight report form D.502 must accompany all first learner permit applications. A registered ophthalmic optician or a registered medical practitioner should conduct your eye test. He or she should then complete the D.502 form and witness your signed declaration on the form. The report is valid for 1 month
You can download an eyesight report form D.502 here (pdf). This form is also available from your Motor Taxation Office or you can request form D.502 through citizensinformation.ie.
A medical report, Form D.501, is required if you are applying for a bus or truck learner permit. A registered medical practitioner should carry out your medical examination and then complete the form. You must sign the declaration on the medical report form in the presence of the registered medical practitioner.
You do not have to provide a medical report if you have previously provided a satisfactory medical report which is still applicable.
You can download a medical report form D.501 here (pdf) (it must be printed back to back on one page). This form is available from your Motor Taxation Office or you can also request form D.501 through citizensinformation.ie.
An application for a learner permit should be made directly to your local Motor Taxation office.
A list of approved driving instructors is available on the Road Safety Authority’s website. It also provides information on learner permits.
Moy Business Park
Primrose Hill
Ballina
Mayo
Ireland
Tel:(096) 25000
Locall:1890 506 080
Fax:(096) 25252
Homepage: http://www.rsa.ie
Email: info@rsa.ie