Driving test
The driving test is assessed as a whole against the Rules of the Road and the manoeuvres in Schedule 4, not against a counted list of faults — the Regulations state no fault allowance or score. This page reports what they do fix: the mandatory Essential Driver Training lessons that must be completed first, and what they leave open.
Assessment
Assessed as a whole, not by counting faults
The Regulations set out what the driving test examines — the Rules of the Road and the manoeuvres in Schedule 4 — but they do not grade it with a score or a fault allowance.
No fault threshold is fixed
Regulation 26(2) of S.I. 537/2006 states the practical verdict ENTIRELY QUALITATIVELY: the test shall be "of such a nature as to enable the driver tester to satisfy himself or herself whether the applicant — (a) has a satisfactory knowledge of the Rules of the Road, (b) can carry out satisfactorily on a road all or any of the operations specified in Schedule 4, (c) complies satisfactorily with the Rules of the Road while driving, and (d) is competent to drive". No fault allowance, no score and no pass threshold appears anywhere in the instrument. Schedule 4 enumerates the driving operations and grades nothing.
S.I. 537/2006 prescribes no duration for the test for a certificate of competency. Regulation 26 fixes the test’s CONTENT (an oral test of knowledge of the Rules of the Road and a practical test in driving) and Schedule 4 the operations to be carried out; neither states how long the test runs.
Training
Essential Driver Training, before the test
A learner permit holder for category B must complete every one of the 12 Essential Driver Training lessons with an approved driving instructor before the driving test.
- 12 lessonsEssential Driver Training lessons required
- 60 minMinimum length per lesson
Regulation 4(4) states a FLOOR, not a course length: each lesson "shall not be less than" the minimum above, depending on the learner's own progress. The instructor may run a lesson longer.
An exemption exists for some foreign-licence holders
Holder of a full driving licence from another state, held for at least 2 years, which is not exchangeable for an Irish licence under a section 23A order: not required to take lessons 2, 3, 4, 8, 11 or 12 That leaves 6 of the 12 lessons required — the number that remains once the exempted lessons are named, not a separately enacted six-lesson course.
S.I. 537/2006 prescribes no minimum interval between attempts at the test for a certificate of competency. Regulation 25(2) requires a fresh application after a non-attendance and Regulation 25(3) lets the issuing authority arrange a further test on notice, but neither fixes a period that must elapse before a repeat test.
No provision of S.I. 537/2006 caps the number of attempts at the test for a certificate of competency.