insurance whilst in between provisional and full

ronbyrne2005

Passed test in middle of december but due to christmas and weather etc havent got to motor tax office to get a full licence to replace my provisional. Am i ok to drive without a full licence holder? I have the certificate of passing test and provisional and still insured as a provisional driver.
Cheers

TestTransmission

Ring your insurance company and tell them you passed your test.Could save you some euros

CharlieCroker

no, until you physically have your full licence you're still considered to be a learner driver and can be prosecuted if it came down to it.

Eoin

You'd be insured on your own even if you still had a provisional. I think the only problem you might have is not being able to display a full licence if you're stopped by the Gardai. Photocopy your slip to say you passed and you should be grand.

jackncoke wrote:

Ring your insurance company and tell them you passed your test.Could save you some euros

Not really what the OP was asking, and most likely the insurance company will want a copy of the full licence anyway, so that has to be sent off for first.

TestTransmission

eoin wrote: »

Not really what the OP was asking, and most likely the insurance company will want a copy of the full licence anyway, so that has to be sent off for first.

Not all insurance companies do though

The-Game

CharlieCroker wrote: »

no, until you physically have your full licence you're still considered to be a learner driver and can be prosecuted if it came down to it.

Once you have passed the test and are in possesion of your certificate that you receive upon passing you can keep that with you in the car until you can get your actual new license, The Gardai will accept it and you wont be prosecuted.

L1011

eoin wrote: »

Not really what the OP was asking, and most likely the insurance company will want a copy of the full licence anyway, so that has to be sent off for first.

Probably the biggest insurer for learners about, Quinn, don't give a monkeys about seeing any documents, ever. Insurance, Irish style...

The-Game wrote: »

Once you have passed the test and are in possesion of your certificate that you receive upon passing you can keep that with you in the car until you can get your actual new license, The Gardai will accept it and you wont be prosecuted.

While this is true in practice, it is not a full licence and you *can* be prosecuted for driving with it. Similarly, I don't think any Guard in the country is going to do you driving unaccompanied on a provisional if all you've got on you at the time is the receipt from the MTO, but they can.

colm_c

I'd just post it off with a cheque if you can't make it to the motor tax office. You'll have your license in a week and no snow to contend with!

L1011

colm_c wrote: »

I'd just post it off with a cheque if you can't make it to the motor tax office. You'll have your license in a week and no snow to contend with!

Depends where he lives - from memory Naas MTO take 5 weeks on postal applications vs. 2 days over the counter :eek:

blossom180

The-Game wrote: »

Once you have passed the test and are in possesion of your certificate that you receive upon passing you can keep that with you in the car until you can get your actual new license, The Gardai will accept it and you wont be prosecuted.

as game says, keep your certificate with you,no problem,get your full licence asap,congrats drive safely.

CharlieCroker

The-Game wrote: »

Once you have passed the test and are in possesion of your certificate that you receive upon passing you can keep that with you in the car until you can get your actual new license, The Gardai will accept it and you wont be prosecuted.

The OP asked were they legally allowed to drive on their own and the legal answer is no, the answer isn't what most gardai will do.
Personally I wouldn't prosecute someone if they showed me a cert of competency but by the letter of the law they are still driving on a learner permit and if they were to meet the wrong person at a checkpoint then it could end up in court.

The chances of this happening is extremely low but i'd rather give the OP the proper answer to the question they asked.

Alanstrainor

CharlieCroker wrote: »

no, until you physically have your full licence you're still considered to be a learner driver and can be prosecuted if it came down to it.

This is correct, it is something that has been discussed in the learning to drive forum numerous times.

KamiKazi

When you pass your test you are given a certificate to say you are eligible to recieve a full licence. You are still on a provisional until you apply for the full licence in the tax office, this will be the start date on the licence when you recieve it.

Wishbone Ash

The-Game wrote: »

Once you have passed the test and are in possesion of your certificate that you receive upon passing you can keep that with you in the car until you can get your actual new license, The Gardai will accept it and you wont be prosecuted.

While the gardai may accept it, the law states that one must be accompanied until one has an actual licence. Similarly, it is not permitted to drive without 'L' plates or drive on a motorway without an actual driving licence.

KamiKazi

The day you apply for your full licence in the tax office is the day your licence will be dated from and you will be classed as a fully licensed driver, regardless of how long it takes them to post it out to your address.

snowman707

betafrog wrote: »

I would also be wary that an insurance company would use any excuse going to not pay out or to limit their liability as much as possible so while a Garda may be more lenient at the sight of your cert for passing the test, I would expect the insurance company to have a huge smile on its face if you were to crash on your own and attempt to use it.

Can you honestly quote ONE instance where this has happened?

sick to the tonsils of seeing similar posts on here and a father I have discussed it many times with different insurance companies and brokers only to be assured the contrary


OP. congrats on passing your test, wishing you safe driving for many years

The-Game

CharlieCroker wrote: »

The OP asked were they legally allowed to drive on their own and the legal answer is no, the answer isn't what most gardai will do.
Personally I wouldn't prosecute someone if they showed me a cert of competency but by the letter of the law they are still driving on a learner permit and if they were to meet the wrong person at a checkpoint then it could end up in court.

The chances of this happening is extremely low but i'd rather give the OP the proper answer to the question they asked.

I was going by past experiences as when I originally passed my test i had been driving alone and was stopped at at checkpoint. Upon showing the certificate the Garda in question told me it was fine for me to be out on the road once i had the certificate with me until I could go and apply for the license.

Wishbone Ash

The-Game wrote: »

Upon showing the certificate the Garda in question told me it was fine for me to be out on the road once i had the certificate with me until I could go and apply for the license.

Most Gardai have a very limited knowledge of the Road Traffic Regulations.

The-Game

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Most Gardai have a very limited knowledge of the Road Traffic Regulations.

Fixed that for you.

OP Congratulations, if it all possible I would head up to the motor tax office today and apply for a license to save any possible complications.

CharlieCroker

That is the most foolish and ignorant thing that i've heard in a long time!! How can you claim that Gardai have a limited knowledge of the law, there are approx. 14,000 Gardai serving in the country INCLUDING myself and i'd like to consider myself as having an excellent knowledge of the Road Traffic Act, mainly because its my JOB to know it as well as Drugs legislation, assault legislation, public order legislation, sexual offences legislation, criminal damage legislation, theft and fraud offences legislation......shall i keep going???

Anyway, my last post here as the OP's question has been answered and its going off topic now.

The-Game

CharlieCroker wrote: »

That is the most foolish and ignorant thing that i've heard in a long time!! How can you claim that Gardai have a limited knowledge of the law, there are approx. 14,000 Gardai serving in the country INCLUDING myself and i'd like to consider myself as having an excellent knowledge of the Road Traffic Act, mainly because its my JOB to know it as well as Drugs legislation, assault legislation, public order legislation, sexual offences legislation, criminal damage legislation, theft and fraud offences legislation......shall i keep going???

Anyway, my last post here as the OP's question has been answered and its going off topic now.

That limited knowledge correction comment was intended a joke as opposed to an attack on Garda competency, lighten up a bit.

CharlieCroker

The-Game wrote: »

That limited knowledge correction comment was intended a joke as opposed to an attack on Garda competency, lighten up a bit.

apologies, should have qouted the message.

That post was aimed at wishbone, not you.

The-Game

CharlieCroker wrote: »

apologies, should have qouted the message.

That post was aimed at wishbone, not you.

Ah I see, no problem so.