just passed! do i have to wait for my license now?

fguihen

Just passed the test! horray! now i have a certificate proving i passed. If i was stopped by a guard could i still be fined for driving without a full license? il be sending away for the license asap but just wondering.

the_syco

fguihen wrote: »

Just passed the test! horray! now i have a certificate proving i passed. If i was stopped by a guard could i still be fined for driving without a full license? il be sending away for the license asap but just wondering.

Congrats on passing, but in the eyes of the law, until you send your pass slip, money, and 5 Kellog Cornflake tokens, you're still a learner driver.

Kavinsky

lol I waited about 7 months before sending off the certificate because the tester (and insurance company) told me that day I could now legally drive on motorways/on my own/etc. Are you all saying they were both wrong?

Red Alert

Send your cert off now - you hear the odd story every now and then of someone who let it sit around for two years and had to do the test again. :eek: Take a celebratory half day and go down to the motor tax office in person.

fguihen

took a half day to take the test! cant take the full day! il get it sent off this week though. thanks all.

sonicthebadger*

Red Alert wrote: »

Send your cert off now - you hear the odd story every now and then of someone who let it sit around for two years and had to do the test again. :eek: Take a celebratory half day and go down to the motor tax office in person.

Take this advice, and when you hand it in at the window have them check that everything is in order. They aren't very helpful if you're not standing in front of them. They'll just post all the forms and everything else back with no licence if you forget to inital the right bit, date the correct line, sign the right places hand in the right bits of paper etc. etc. etc.

So far this year I've had to deal with the Motor Tax three times, once for licence and once each for tax on two vehicles and have had everything sent back to me each time with some tiny error or omission highlighted. In two of the three cases the error was totally beyond my control and I was given no prior instruction on how to avoid it. They're a royal pain in the neck... unless you're standing there politely insisting you'd like to do everything possible to solve the problem now.

Blanchguy

+1.

Same thing happened to me, on one occasion after I'd corrected things and sent it back they found another mistake and bounced it back to me again...

Gary ITR

AFAIK You haven't got your license until you have the receipt/license in your hand. So therefore aren't legally entitled to drive as a fully licensed driver... Do you think an insructor would let you drive his car with a theory test cert?

fguihen

i see your point, but be fair, a full license cert proves the tester has tested your theory and practical driving knowledge. its not really compariable with a theory cert.

Gary ITR

fguihen wrote: »

i see your point, but be fair, a full license cert proves the tester has tested your theory and practical driving knowledge. its not really compariable with a theory cert.

To my mind it's exactly the same.... Passing the test only allows you to apply for your license. You haven't got it yet, simple as

Alanstrainor

This info is in the accompanying driver etc thread.

Q.
Does the Certificate of competancy entitle you to drive unaccompanied?

A.
Dear Alan,



I refer to your query regarding the a certificate of competency.



A person driving while they hold a certificate of competency must be accompanied by a qualified driver. When they have this certificate exchanged for a full driving licence they do not need to be accompanied.



Regards,

Wishbone Ash

Red Alert wrote: »

you hear the odd story every now and then of someone who let it sit around for two years and had to do the test again.

A work colleague allowed that to happen TWICE!

One would really want to be a total and utter idiot to do so! (I wouldn't mind but he's 'into' cars :rolleyes:).

sonicthebadger*

So often seems to be the ones who are "into" cars who are least "into" driving properly.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Washout

Do you have to sendin the score sheet as well?
my tester stapled the two together.

i should have titled it *stupid question*

Wishbone Ash

Washout wrote: »

Do you have to sendin the score sheet as well?
my tester stapled the two together.

No!

Sparxx

Do you have to get it done by post or can you go to the tax office and get it done there and then?..I was gonna go to Nutgrove today to get that done

Sarn

I went in in person and they posted it out to me. You can probably insist though (need it for work etc).

Wishbone Ash

Sparxx wrote: »

Do you have to get it done by post or can you go to the tax office and get it done there and then?..I was gonna go to Nutgrove today to get that done

You can apply by post or in person. If you apply in person, you will still have to wait until it's sent out by post.

(Getting the licence 'over the counter' seems to be limited to Cork and Limerick from what I hear on this forum).

sdanseo

Sarn wrote: »

I went in in person and they posted it out to me. You can probably insist though (need it for work etc).

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

You can apply by post or in person. If you apply in person, you will still have to wait until it's sent out by post.

To drag this out of the not-so-distant-past for a second, sorry -

How long does it take to receive the full licence, on average?

Alanstrainor

Well i received mine within a couple of days, but i hear that's pretty quick. WishboneAsh with his numerous licenses says about two weeks would be the norm. So i suppose anywhere between the two really. It depends on the motortax office etc

John Mason

Mine took exactly 1 week (5 working days) from the day i posted it, to the day it come back. that was at the Dublin City Office on chancery street, i think

Wishbone Ash

sdonn_1 wrote: »

How long does it take to receive the full licence, on average?

From what I hear in this Forum, most people seem to have it within a week.

sdanseo

Thanks folks. I'd become quite accustomed to driving before June so I really want to get out on the road without someone in the pasenger seat!

They should really have it in law that you can drive unaccompanied but with L-plates once you've passed. Only red tape in the way, nothing makes you more qualified when you receive the license than when you passed the test. If anything strictly speaking even driving accompanied (as was stated in the reply to Alan's letter in the sticky:

Dear Alan,



I refer to your query regarding the a certificate of competency.



A person driving while they hold a certificate of competency must be accompanied by a qualified driver. When they have this certificate exchanged for a full driving licence they do not need to be accompanied.

is illegal as you can't produce the licence - it's been sent ito motor tax.

dudara

sdonn_1 wrote: »

is illegal as you can't produce the licence - it's been sent ito motor tax.

My understanding is that once you have the receipt showing that you have applied for the full license, then you're OK. This is why so many of us recommend going to the Motor Tax office in person. This way you physically get the receipt.

While my application was in the post, I kept the receipt and a copy of the competency certificate with me.

Alanstrainor

dudara wrote: »

My understanding is that once you have the receipt showing that you have applied for the full license, then you're OK. This is why so many of us recommend going to the Motor Tax office in person. This way you physically get the receipt.

While my application was in the post, I kept the receipt and a copy of the competency certificate with me.

Indeed, upon placing your application to the motor tax office directly and receiving a receipt you are, as far as i am aware, allowed to drive. As you Dudara i would keep a copy of my learner permit while waiting to receive the actual license.

Devia

I applied in person at the motor tax office in clondalkin on friday and got it today (wednesday).

sdanseo

Devia wrote: »

I applied in person at the motor tax office in clondalkin on friday and got it today (wednesday).

I applied Monday. The nice surprise was waiting for me in the post this morning, very quick! Not as surprised as my new Learner permit was equally fast, but I'd expected the Full Licence to still take longer.

Cheers for the help the last few days folks.

sam34

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

You can apply by post or in person. If you apply in person, you will still have to wait until it's sent out by post.

(Getting the licence 'over the counter' seems to be limited to Cork and Limerick from what I hear on this forum).

and kerry

Wishbone Ash

sdonn_1 wrote: »

They should really have it in law that you can drive unaccompanied but with L-plates once you've passed

I think they want to avoid the problem of people utilising the 2 years validity of the Cert of Competency. IMO they should restrict it's validity to 2 weeks or bring in a system whereby the test centre, after passing, takes your details, pics, fee etc. and your application is automatic.

SeanW

It used to be that a Certificate of Competency permitted the holder to drive alone with L-Plates, off the motorways, if you held a Provisional + CoC combo. In effect, having any provisional + CoC was the same as having the magic 2nd Provisional.

Part of the Oct 2007 - June 30 2008 regulation clampdown was to remove this legality. Now, a CoC does not allow you to drive unaccompanied, you must bring it to your motor tax office and file an application for a driving license.

But I can certainly understand how the changes can cause confusion, as there is a large amount of old material (2004 Rules of the Road books, some driving instructor and road safety websites that have not been updated) out there explaining the rules as they were, but some new materials omit all references to the former legality and don't mention the fact that the rules were changed.

Leejo

Yeah, but are there any guards out that will actually pull you up on that? Surely most will say fair enough and off ya go?

Btw do you have to go to the Motor Tax Office yourself or can you just fill out the form, get the photos, money etc and get someone else to go in for you. Reason i ask is I'm still in school and earliest i can get there in Wednesday, my dad works out direction so can he just pop in for me?



Edit- Do you not have 10 days in which to show your licence?

Wishbone Ash

Leejo wrote: »

Btw do you have to go to the Motor Tax Office yourself or can you just fill out the form, get the photos, money etc and get someone else to go in for you. Reason i ask is I'm still in school and earliest i can get there in Wednesday, my dad works out direction so can he just pop in for me?

AFAIK, you may get someone to go in. You can also post your application - (photocopy Cert of Competency before sending to make things easier if stopped).

Leejo wrote:

Edit- Do you not have 10 days in which to show your licence?

The '10 days to produce' applies to those who have a licence but not with them when stopped. They have 10 days to 'produce' the licence at their local Garda Station. It is then checked to ensure that it was valid on the day the person was asked for it. (Same for insurance/tax/NCT etc.).

SeanW

One thing to be careful of: some people say you "should be ok" with the reciept plus any copies of CoC etc but there is no basis for this. It is sheer guesswork.

When I filed my application for my full driving license end of Jan beginning of Feb, I asked here what I could do with the reciept I got: some posters told me to tear down my L-Plates and go ahead and use the motorways, others said not licensed until I get the pink paper in my hand. What I found was that the answer was in between. I got my driving license, I think it was about 2 weeks later but it had been in force for only the preceeding week, all IIRC

My understanding is that you are not licensed to drive on your own, take down your L-Plates, or go on the motorways until your full license is in force, which may be any time between the day you file your application and the day you get the license in the Post.

Leejo

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

AFAIK, you may get someone to go in. You can also post your application - (photocopy Cert of Competency before sending to make things easier if stopped).

Super thanks

SeanW wrote: »

One thing to be careful of: some people say you "should be ok" with the reciept plus any copies of CoC etc but there is no basis for this. It is sheer guesswork.

That's not the case was told the other day by my tester that after passing I may take down my L-plates and drive on my own once I go into the Motor Tax Office and have the receipt with me.

Alanstrainor

Leejo wrote: »

That's not the case was told the other day by my tester that after passing I may take down my L-plates and drive on my own once I go into the Motor Tax Office and have the receipt with me.

It's kind of a grey area, even testers them selves get it wrong. You must display your "L" plates until you have applied in the motor tax office, and receive a receipt. I would advise that you make a copy of both your certificate of competency and your provo before applying for your full license just to be completely covered.

Leejo

Alanstrainor wrote: »

It's kind of a grey area, even testers them selves get it wrong. You must display your "L" plates until you have applied in the motor tax office, and receive a receipt. I would advise that you make a copy of both your certificate of competency and your provo before applying for your full license just to be completely covered.

Done and done, have my aul lad heading in during lunch tomorrow for me. Having said that most of the guards around here are sound enough, a few people i know have been pulled over while just on professionals and just told not to do it again, one even for speeding.

Thanks for the help.