Finally passed - few questions!

ThunderZtorm

Hey guys, I finally passed the test in my 5th go, and of course it's at at time where I have a very special situation.

So, I've lived in Ireland since late 2009, but I'm moving back to Denmark on friday (well, saturday morning), so I'm in a bit of a bind with regards to the address I should write on the D401.

Here's where it gets complicated:

Until the 26th, I have an Irish address. After that, it should ideally be at my mum's Danish address as we aren't taking over our new place in Denmark before August 1st.

But, will they actually accept sending an Irish driver's license to a Danish address, or does it have to be an Irish address? If I understand it right, it'll take a few weeks, yeah?


Also, I am planning to self-drive back to Denmark on Saturday/Sunday - will I be able to get some sort of paperwork that counts as a license? The competency and a receipt I guess won't be quite enough for a French or German policeman?


So, to recap:

I passed my test, but I am leaving Ireland permanently in 6 days.

1. Can I realistically get the plastic license within the week - like, I go there on Monday and have it for SURE by Friday? Is there any way that I can expect that or that motor tax can push for it?

2. If we know for sure that the license will not be there within a week, can I get it sent to an address outside Ireland?

3. Is there something I can get that will count as a temporary license or some such (my uncle spoke of a temporary international license for example), that will also be accepted abroad? Going through England, Holland, Germany and Denmark.

ThunderZtorm

So, lots of searching and googling and reading later, my own answers:


1. Can I get the plastic license in a week. No, I can't. Apparently about 4 week's waiting time around Dublin, so that's not going to happen.

2. Haven't found anything about this at all, but I can't imagine why it wouldn't be doable?

3. I guess best option here is a photocopy of learner's permit + certificate of competency + receipt from MTO that I've paid for the license. Surely I am not blocked from driving just because they're slow to create the actual license?

Motor-Ed

ThunderZtorm wrote: »

So, lots of searching and googling and reading later, my own answers:


1. Can I get the plastic license in a week. No, I can't. Apparently about 4 week's waiting time around Dublin, so that's not going to happen.

2. Haven't found anything about this at all, but I can't imagine why it wouldn't be doable?

3. I guess best option here is a photocopy of learner's permit + certificate of competency + receipt from MTO that I've paid for the license. Surely I am not blocked from driving just because they're slow to create the actual license?

Can't see why in an emergency they can't produce licence before 26th as some areas can still do it same day

Wouldn't recommend the 2nd option

ThunderZtorm

Motor-Ed wrote: »

Can't see why in an emergency they can't produce licence before 26th as some areas can still do it same day

Wouldn't recommend the 2nd option

The 2nd option being getting it sent abroad?

Motor-Ed

ThunderZtorm wrote: »

The 2nd option being getting it sent abroad?

Why would they issue an Irish Driving Lic with a foreign address
The 3rd option is out too as a Learner Permit is valid in Ireland only
Get Option 1 to work

ThunderZtorm

Motor-Ed wrote: »

Why would they issue an Irish Driving Lic with a foreign address
The 3rd option is out too as a Learner Permit is valid in Ireland only
Get Option 1 to work

Because that's where I'll be from the 27th of July onwards. Guess I'll have to discuss options with the guys at the Motor Tax Office tomorrow morning - of course, if they can guarantee that it'll arrive on Friday the 26th at the latest, they can ship it to my Irish address and that would certainly be the best option, I'd be absolutely thrilled if that could be done - but is it actually realistic to ask for? Because if it arrives at that address after the 26th, I'll never get it as I won't know the people there or if there's even going to be anyone living there and checking the mail.

Then what? I haven't gone through 3 years of learner permit driving, 20+ driving lessons and 7 driving tests just to not get the card because of me having to move.

Other option would be them shipping it to an Irish C/O address where I have some friends living who would then ship it off to me on my future address, although that is really needlessly complicated.

Either way - I've "earned" the license while living in Ireland, gone through all the hoops etc - it shouldn't really matter if I move abroad shortly after passing the test?

Motor-Ed

ThunderZtorm wrote: »

Because that's where I'll be from the 27th of July onwards. Guess I'll have to discuss options with the guys at the Motor Tax Office tomorrow morning - of course, if they can guarantee that it'll arrive on Friday the 26th at the latest, they can ship it to my Irish address and that would certainly be the best option, I'd be absolutely thrilled if that could be done - but is it actually realistic to ask for? Because if it arrives at that address after the 26th, I'll never get it as I won't know the people there or if there's even going to be anyone living there and checking the mail.

Then what? I haven't gone through 3 years of learner permit driving, 20+ driving lessons and 7 driving tests just to not get the card because of me having to move.

Other option would be them shipping it to an Irish C/O address where I have some friends living who would then ship it off to me on my future address, although that is really needlessly complicated.

Either way - I've "earned" the license while living in Ireland, gone through all the hoops etc - it shouldn't really matter if I move abroad shortly after passing the test?

If there is an Irish address that you can use then put that as your application address
It doesn't matter if its different than permit one
Is it same motor tax area as you are now?

ThunderZtorm

Motor-Ed wrote: »

If there is an Irish address that you can use then put that as your application address
It doesn't matter if its different than permit one
Is it same motor tax area as you are now?

Aye, they're practically my neighbors, I used to live there before me and the gf moved in to an apartment just down the road. I guess that's the safe backup solution then if they can't guarantee that it can arrive before Friday.

J_R

Hi,

Did you take driving lessons ?. If so simply use the driving insructors address and have him courier it to you when it arrives. (I have done that a few times, with no problem)

First, have a chat at the motor tax office, but as they no longer process the licence but forward it to a private company, they may not be able to give you a definite date.

Del2005

If they can't guarantee your licence by this Thursaday, Friady wil be too late to arrange alterantives option 3 is the only viable one. Get it posted to your friends to forward or use An Posts Redirection service. Only thing is that you won't be able to drive home doing this.

ThunderZtorm

Del2005 wrote: »

. Only thing is that you won't be able to drive home doing this.

Thanks for the tips - with regards to the quoted, my mum is coming over and she has a license as well. I do expect to take my chances abroad with a photocopy of learner's permit, competency cert and receipt for having ordered it - as I understand it, it would be a cop in a bad mood that would fine me for that anyway. I'm a better driver than my mum in any regard, so in the big picture it would be the safest choice I'd say :P

Checked out the An Post redirection, sounds really expensive - think just using my mates to forward it might be a better solution, but definitely worth having a look at.

Anyhow, so plan is:

Talk to them, see if the can guarantee that it arrives on Friday at the latest if I explain my predicament, then add in my current address.

If they can't guarantee that, add in my mate's address that's virtually next door and they will forward it to Denmark when it arrives.

Either way, I'll get the card somehow eventually, which is really the most important part.

loobylou

ThunderZtorm wrote: »

I do expect to take my chances abroad with a photocopy of learner's permit, competency cert and receipt for having ordered it - as I understand it, it would be a cop in a bad mood that would fine me for that anyway.

Continental cops are way more zealous than Irish ones, I would think it most unlikely you would get away with it there.

Del2005

ThunderZtorm wrote: »

Thanks for the tips - with regards to the quoted, my mum is coming over and she has a license as well. I do expect to take my chances abroad with a photocopy of learner's permit, competency cert and receipt for having ordered it - as I understand it, it would be a cop in a bad mood that would fine me for that anyway. I'm a better driver than my mum in any regard, so in the big picture it would be the safest choice I'd say :P

You don't have any licence till you get the pink card. A learners permit has no standing outside ROI and IIRC the competency sheet even says this isn't a drivers licence. While the Gardaí turn a blind eye to a lot of illegal driving by learners the police forces in other countries take driving without a licence very seriously and like catching foreign drivers. No matter how bad a driver your mother is at least she won't end up in a jail if stopped.

ThunderZtorm

Del2005 wrote: »

You don't have any licence till you get the pink card. A learners permit has no standing outside ROI and IIRC the competency sheet even says this isn't a drivers licence. While the Gardaí turn a blind eye to a lot of illegal driving by learners the police forces in other countries take driving without a licence very seriously and like catching foreign drivers. No matter how bad a driver your mother is at least she won't end up in a jail if stopped.

Makes you wonder why Ireland doesn't have a temporary license like other countries. In Denmark you get your temp license on the day you pass your test and you can drive with no problems with that until your proper plastic card arrives.

I don't see anything on the three papers that says the combination is not a valid license though, and I really don't understand why it wouldn't be. I've got the learner permit, the cert of competency and a receipt for payment of a full 10 year license as per 22/07. From my perspective, that's a license.

In Denmark you can get a temporary EU license as well (for a fee), anything like that over here?

Galadriel

ThunderZtorm wrote: »

I've got the learner permit, the cert of competency and a receipt for payment of a full 10 year license as per 22/07. From my perspective, that's a license.

When I submitted my application for a full driving license a couple of weeks ago they took my learner permit off me.