Driving Licences

From January 2013, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has taken over responsibility for driver licensing in Ireland and the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) will deliver the service. Under EU law, the following changes have been implemented for all licences issued on or after 19 January 2013:

Paper driver licences have been discontinued and are replaced by a ‘credit card’ style plastic licence. The new credit card style licence will be issued by a specialist company under the aegis of the Road Safety Authority.
There are changes to the minimum age for certain categories of licence, in addition to changes in medical requirements and the description of licence categories. These changes are detailed on the RSA website.

The Motor Tax Office will continue to accept and process driving licence applications until September 2013 when this function will also be taken over by the NDLS.

Licence Categories

Motor vehicles in Ireland are divided into different categories for driver licensing purposes ranging from motorcycles to agricultural vehicles. Each category of vehicle has a prescribed minimum age for the driver. Whether you have a learner permit or a full driving licence, you are only entitled to drive the category of vehicle for which the permit or licence has been issued.

Category	Description relating to licence from 19 January 2013	Minimum age and other conditions for holding a licence
AM	Mopeds Light Quadricycles	16
A1	Motorcycles with an engine capacity not exceeding 125cc, with a power rating not exceeding 11 kW and with a power to weight ratio not exceeding 0.1 kW/kg. Motor tricycles with a power rating not exceeding 15 kW.	16
A2	Motorcycles with a power rating not exceeding 35 kW, with a power to weight ratio not exceeding 0.2 kW/kg and not derived from a vehicle of more than double its power.	18
A	Motorcycles Motor tricycles	20 (progressive access) 24 (direct access)
B	Vehicles (other than motorcycles, mopeds, work vehicles or land tractors) having a MAM not exceeding 3,500kg, having passenger accommodation for not more than 8 persons and where the MAM weight of the trailer is not greater than 750kg. The combined MAM of the drawing vehicle and the trailer must not be greater than 3,500kg. Quadricycles (other than those covered by AM) also come under this category.	17
BE	Combination of drawing vehicles in category B and trailer where the MAM of the trailer is not greater than 3,500kg	17 (you must hold a full B before applying for a BE permit
W	Work vehicles and land tractors	16
C	Vehicles (other than work vehicles or land tractors) having a MAM exceeding 3,500kg, having passenger accommodation for not more than 8 persons and where the MAM of the trailer is not greater than 750kg.	18 with CPC 21 without CPC (you must hold a full B licence before taking out a C licence)
CE	Combination of drawing vehicles in category C and trailer where the MAM of the trailer is greater than 750kg	18 with CPC 21 without CPC (you must hold a full C licence before taking out a CE permit)
C1	Vehicles in category C having a MAM weight not exceeding 7,500kg, having passenger accommodation for not more than 8 persons and where the MAM of the trailer is not greater than 750kg	18 (you must hold a full B licence before taking out a C1 permit)
C1E	Combination of drawing vehicles in category C1 and trailer where the MAM of the trailer is greater than 750kg and where the MAM of the drawing vehicle and trailer combined does not exceed 12,000kg. Combination of drawing vehicles in category B with trailer where the MAM of the trailer is greater than 3,500kg and where the MAM of the drawing vehicle and trailer combined does not exceed 12,000kg.	18 (you must hold a full C1 licence before taking out a C1E permit)
D	Vehicles having passenger accommodation for more than 8 persons and where the MAM of any trailer is not greater than 750kg	21 with CPC 24 without CPC (you must hold a full B licence before taking out a D permit)
DE	Combination of drawing vehicles in category D and trailer where the MAM of the trailer is greater than 750kg	21 with CPC 24 without CPC (you must hold a full D licence before taking out a DE permit)
D1	Vehicles in category D having passenger accommodation for not more than 16 persons with a maximum length not exceeding 8 metres and where the MAM of the trailer is not greater than 750kg	21 (you must hold a full B licence before taking out a D1 permit)
D1E	Combination of drawing vehicles in category D1 and trailer where the MAM of the trailer is greater than 750kg	21 (you must hold a full D1 licence before taking out a D1E permit)