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 and trailer if you want to drive while pulling a trailer weighing more than 750kg when fully loaded, 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 while pulling a trailer with a maximum weight greater than 750kg on public roads, you must hold a learner permit for the category of drawing vehicle plus trailer you wish to drive. A learner permit is usually valid for 2 years.
While driving with a learner permit, you must be accompanied at all times by, and be under the supervision of, someone with a current driving licence for the same category of drawing vehicle plus trailer. Also, the person accompanying you must have had the driving licence for at least 2 years.
If you hold a learner permit for a vehicle and trailer category, you are not allowed to drive on a motorway, act as an accompanying driver for that category 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 with trailers 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 minimum age of the driver that apply to a driver pulling a trailer, which has a maximum weight greater than 750kg when fully loaded, are as follows:
| Category | Vehicle type | Minimum age of driver |
| EB | Vehicles in category B with a trailer | 17 years |
| EC1 | Goods vehicles in category C1 where the combined weight of vehicle and trailer when fully loaded is not more than 12,000kg, and the fully loaded trailer is not heavier than the empty goods vehicle | 18 years |
| EC | Goods vehicles in category C with a trailer (includes articulated trucks) | 18 years |
| ED1 | Passenger vehicles in category D1 where the combined weight of vehicle and trailer when fully loaded is not more than 12,000kg, and the fully loaded trailer is not heavier than the empty passenger vehicle | 21years |
| ED | Passenger vehicles in category D with a trailer | 21 years |
To obtain a first learner permit for drawing a trailer you must hold a current full driving licence for the category of the drawing vehicle. For example, to get a first learner permit for category EC you must have a current driving licence for category C.
If your provisional licence or learner permit for drawing a trailer expired 5 years ago, then your application will be regarded as applying for a first learner permit.
You may not apply for a third or subsequent learner permit unless you can provide:
or
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, an additional 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 EC, you can add category EC1. Similarly, if you hold a category ED learner permit you can add category ED1.
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 to draw a trailer you should apply for a permit for the appropriate category. 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.
You must already hold a driving licence for the drawing vehicle category.
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 two-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 (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 learner permit for categories EC, EC1, ED or ED1.
When you are applying for a learner permit for category EB you require a medical report if:
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 (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 instructors is available on the Road Safety Authority's Approved Driving Instructor website. It also provides information on learner permits.
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