Passed my test (Can I drive?)

TomJoe Wallace

Hi guys,

I know this has probably been asked before but I couldn't find anything in relation to it.

I passed my test today. WOOHOO.
Anyway, I have my own car, insured taxed, NCTed etc.

I'm just wondering am I able to drive now on my own while I'm waiting for my license to come?

There's no real clear information about this that I can find. Can anyone shed some light?

tcawley29

Congrats Ted

Yes you can drive.

You should have gotten a receipt for your full licence, keep this with you.

Beers to celebrate next week :pac:

Alanstrainor

tcawley29 wrote: »

Congrats Ted

Yes you can drive.

You should have gotten a receipt for your full licence, keep this with you.

Beers to celebrate next week :pac:

Technically speaking this is not correct. The certificate of competency is not a license. In the Learning to Drive forum, this was clarified by contacting citizeninformation.ie by email, which in turn led to a response by a high level Garda.

willabur

when I passed they told me to use that piece of paper in lieu of the licence

besides do you not still have your provisional licence?

malinheader

TomJoe Wallace wrote: »

Hi guys,

I know this has probably been asked before but I couldn't find anything in relation to it.

I passed my test today. WOOHOO.
Anyway, I have my own car, insured taxed, NCTed etc.

I'm just wondering am I able to drive now on my own while I'm waiting for my license to come?

There's no real clear information about this that I can find. Can anyone shed some light?

Dont forget your N Plates. Compulsary since August

TomJoe Wallace

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Technically speaking this is not correct. The certificate of competency is not a license. In the Learning to Drive forum, this was clarified by contacting citizeninformation.ie by email, which in turn led to a response by a high level Garda.

Do you have a link to the topic in the Learning to drive forum where it was discussed.

willabur wrote: »

when I passed they told me to use that piece of paper in lieu of the licence

besides do you not still have your provisional licence?

Yes, I still have my provisional license but the rules related to that license are that I have to be accompanied.

But seeing as I passed I'm just wondering how it works now while I apply for my license. I have the certificate of competency.

malinheader wrote: »

Dont forget your N Plates. Compulsary since August

They made it very clear that I had to have N Plates :P
Thanks for the heads up!

tcawley29

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Technically speaking this is not correct. The certificate of competency is not a license. In the Learning to Drive forum, this was clarified by contacting citizeninformation.ie by email, which in turn led to a response by a high level Garda.

strange. Was just going on what the tax office told me when I got my licence 3 years ago. Any link to this topic?

endacl

willabur wrote: »

when I passed they told me to use that piece of paper in lieu of the licence

besides do you not still have your provisional licence?

Impossible to have a provisional license. There's no such thing as a provisional licence.

christy02

Not too many passed test since August if you go on the number of N plates that are on the road!
Is it being enforced by the garda?

TomJoe Wallace

endacl wrote: »

Impossible to have a provisional license. There's no such thing as a provisional licence.

"Learner Permit" then :P People are just used to calling it a provisional.

Craftylee

I don't believe the Certificate is good for driving - you want to get it into the NDLS office asap, they will give you a receipt. This receipt is ok to drive with as typically you will be asked to produce your license within 7 days or so, by which time you should have your license.

In terms of the N plate - you would be crazy not to display them now. If you;re stopped thats 2 points and a fine. Insurance then flies up and if you get 4 more points during that period wave goodbye to your license. And I have heard they have random checkpoints for this, especially since the new laws passed. It;s easy money for the Government in fines

kerry4sam

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Technically speaking this is not correct. The certificate of competency is not a license. In the Learning to Drive forum, this was clarified by contacting citizeninformation.ie by email, which in turn led to a response by a high level Garda.

Doesn't seem to be anything confirmed from what I've seen, but have heard the same as you post here.

Just on this from the NDLS right here though...

At present, customers can expect to receive their licence or learner permit within five to eight working days. After your licence has been processed you will receive a NDLS receipt as proof of application for your licence /permit. You are advised to keep this in your vehicle. If a member of An Garda Síochána asks you to produce a licence and your licence application is being processed, you will have an opportunity to produce your licence at a Garda station within 10 days.

You can show your receipt stating your application for / renewal of your full-licence and if that's not sufficient at the check-point, you'll have your official from the NDLS by the required time to produce at the station.

People have enough stresses in life besides something as mundane as this imo esp considering the test has been passed.
If stopped, the above quote is what the NDLS are recommending anyways,
kerry4sam

Tauriel

I passed my test last week and applied for my full licence on Saturday. I had to obviously surrender the learner permit there and then along with the Certificate of Competency and the receipt that I got from the NDLS said that it cannot be used in place of either a learner permit or full licence.

So my understanding is that I am off the road until I receive the licence in the post and I am not taking any chances getting pulled over. Don't forget you are capped a 7 penalty points now!

MascotDec85

kerry4sam wrote: »

Doesn't seem to be anything confirmed from what I've seen, but have heard the same as you post here.

Just on this from the NDLS right here though...



You can show your receipt stating your application for / renewal of your full-licence and if that's not sufficient at the check-point, you'll have your official from the NDLS by the required time to produce at the station.

People have enough stresses in life besides something as mundane as this imo esp considering the test has been passed.
If stopped, the above quote is what the NDLS are recommending anyways,
kerry4sam

The NDLS staff have also verbally told learner permit applicants/renewals that the receipt is good enough to drive on. The RSA have emailed every ADI in the country to say that's not the case.

TomJoe Wallace

MascotDec85 wrote: »

The NDLS staff have also verbally told learner permit applicants/renewals that the receipt is good enough to drive on. The RSA have emailed every ADI in the country to say that's not the case.

Quite silly for them to still have it on their website if this is the case.

Alanstrainor

MascotDec85 wrote: »

The NDLS staff have also verbally told learner permit applicants/renewals that the receipt is good enough to drive on. The RSA have emailed every ADI in the country to say that's not the case.

Also, the people processing license applications at the counter will say the same thing to everyone who comes in to renew a license. Of course if you are renewing a license, you are of course covered with the receipt they give you. However, when you pass your test, you are technically still on a Learner Permit, until you have your license in your hand.

As for the thread that the response was from...I'll have a dig around. Might be easier to search my mails since I was the one who mailed/got the response.

Local_Chap

mustang shelly wrote: »

Don't forget you are capped a 7 penalty points now!

That is only if you receive your first Learner Permit on or after 1st August 2014?

Alanstrainor

This is the post:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=56640923&postcount=53

I no longer have the mail, but I remember another mail being sent for further clarification.

TomJoe Wallace

Alanstrainor wrote: »

This is the post:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=56640923&postcount=53

I no longer have the mail, but I remember another mail being sent for further clarification.

Well that clears the question up about the certificate of competency however, what about when I go into the NDLS center and apply (Doing this on the weekend as I can't go during work hours) Im assumming they'll take the learner permit in the application process for your full?

Would that not mean I could use the receipt of the application to drive considering I won't have any currently?

Alanstrainor

TomJoe Wallace wrote: »

Would that not mean I could use the receipt of the application to drive considering I won't have any currently?

I believe there was another post that I'll have to dig up now in relation to the receipt...

But upon receiving the receipt, you have not obtained a full license, so therefore you are still a learner driver. Your application could be refused due to errors when filling out the form etc.

tcawley29

Might be no harm to carry a photocopy of the certificate of competency and your learners permit along with the receipt if you are stopped.

Tauriel

Local_Chap wrote: »

That is only if you receive your first Learner Permit on or after 1st August 2014?

I thought that too but the tester I had told me it applies to everyone. I got my first Learner Permit back in 2011 so I thought the restriction wouldn't apply to me but I've been told otherwise.

Vologda69

A quick check of the RSA's own Twitter page will also show that they state 'you will have 10 days to produce your licence if a Garda stops you. People aren't going to put their lives on hold for two weeks while they wait for the licence to arrive.

Vologda69

mustang shelly wrote: »

I thought that too but the tester I had told me it applies to everyone. I got my first Learner Permit back in 2011 so I thought the restriction wouldn't apply to me but I've been told otherwise.

Previous poster was correct. Only permit holders after August 2014 are subject to the 7point limit. You already had a threshold of 12 as you were in the system. That will not change. RSA will confirm that for you Tel. 1890 40 60 40

Alanstrainor

Vologda69 wrote: »

A quick check of the RSA's own Twitter page will also show that they state 'you will have 10 days to produce your licence if a Garda stops you. People aren't going to put their lives on hold for two weeks while they wait for the licence to arrive.

The rules are the rules however. And providing a license, dated after the date you were stopped will not be much use to you.

In all likelihood I reckon it would take a particularly stringent Garda to not accept a copy of a cert of competency and learner permit. However these combined are not a license. Simple as that. The answer to the OP's question is simply No.

TomJoe Wallace

Vologda69 wrote: »

Previous poster was correct. Only permit holders after August 2014 are subject to the 7point limit. You already had a threshold of 12 as you were in the system. That will not change. RSA will confirm that for you Tel. 1890 40 60 40

Wait, I received my Learner Permit back in February 2014. Does that mean I'm in the 12 point threshold too? Not that it matters too much as I don't plan on getting any if at all possible, just nice to know!

Alanstrainor wrote: »

The rules are the rules however. And providing a license, dated after the date you were stopped will not be much use to you.

In all likelihood I reckon it would take a particularly stringent Garda to not accept a copy of a cert of competency and learner permit. However these combined are not a license. Simple as that. The answer to the OP's question is simply No.

Yeah, I think as a general agreement that the answer is No.

Thanks for the all the help guys really appreciated.
I'll be down to the local NDLS Saturday to apply for my license and it shouldn't be too long coming anyway

Wooooooo

Alanstrainor

TomJoe Wallace wrote: »

Wait, I received my Learner Permit back in February 2014. Does that mean I'm in the 12 point threshold too? Not that it matters too much as I don't plan on getting any if at all possible, just nice to know!



Yeah, I think as a general agreement that the answer is No.

Thanks for the all the help guys really appreciated.
I'll be down to the local NDLS Saturday to apply for my license and it shouldn't be too long coming anyway

Wooooooo

Well done by the way!

Vologda69

Yes, any permit issued before 1st August (when N plates) were introduced will retain the 12 point threshold (even if they get their full licence after this date)

TomJoe Wallace wrote: »

Wait, I received my Learner Permit back in February 2014. Does that mean I'm in the 12 point threshold too? Not that it matters too much as I don't plan on getting any if at all possible, just nice to know!



Yeah, I think as a general agreement that the answer is No.

Thanks for the all the help guys really appreciated.
I'll be down to the local NDLS Saturday to apply for my license and it shouldn't be too long coming anyway

Wooooooo

Ranchu

5 day turnaround from applying and receiving my licence this week. Took about two months for my provisional 8 months ago so they're getting better.

Larbre34

N-plates are such a cod, completely ruins the liberating feeling of passing the test we would have all felt years ago.

All though that said, in '97 I drove to my own driving test, gave a random man a pint in the pub nearby to say he had accompanied me, then passed and drove home again alone. Maybe a happy medium somewhere!

dublinjen

I just wanted to weigh in on this one. I applied for my licence right before Christmas - so would inevitabele be waiting longer than the 10 days. I asked the girl when she gave the receipt if I could drive with the receipt, she shrugged her shoulders and said "yeah sure"

Now on the receipt it expressly says something like "this document cannot be used in lieu of a licence" in bold letters at the end of the receipt

I drove down to Kilkenny with that receipt - got stopped by a guarda checkpoint and he actually congratulated me on my test and asked how I found my first motorway experience.

I can't seem any guarda actually pulling you up on the whole receipt thing and if they did the licences do come fairly quickly anyway.

Alanstrainor

Just a follow up from NDLS:

Dear Alan,

Thank you for your email.

You are considered to be the holder of a full licence when the full licence has been issued to you.

We do not advise customers to drive until they have received their licence as it is a legal obligation to have your driving licence on your person at all times while driving.

If you have any queries in relation to this communication, please contact our Customer Services Team on +353 (0) 761 087 880 and quote your case reference number, or visit the National Driver Licence Service website www.ndls.ie

Yours sincerely

Customer Services Team
National Driver Licence Service

TomJoe Wallace

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Just a follow up from NDLS:

I find it funny on this because the girl in the NDLS centre told me the opposite. She said keep this receipt with you and use this until your license arrives. I only applied last Saturday.

I don't think anyone will be clear about this in a proper answer to be honest because they aren't clear themselves.

It's a bit silly though how they don't consider you a fully qualified driver until you get your license and expect you to sit idle while you wait for it?

People have things to do (Others still want to practice their driving) if you're not getting a bit of driving in now and again it's easy to get rusty. (That's not saying for everyone.

The way I look at it is this:

Can we drive straight after we pass?

RSA: No.

NDLS: Yes and No.

Gardai: Yes (Unless you get a real ****. They seem to be ok about it)
I haven't heard of anyone so far that has got sanction for this.
I heard of one case that apparently went to court but the judge threw it out because it was just ridiculous.

Alanstrainor

TomJoe Wallace wrote: »

I find it funny on this because the girl in the NDLS centre told me the opposite. She said keep this receipt with you and use this until your license arrives. I only applied last Saturday.
RSA: No.

NDLS: Yes and No.

Gardai: Yes (Unless you get a real ****. They seem to be ok about it)

I can tell you why this happens, and it's because of people renewing full licenses. If you have a full license that is due to expire, and you apply for a renewal and send off your full license you are told you can still drive using your receipt in lieu of a license. This probably isn't strictly legal either.

But that is where the confusion lies. I doubt the teller at the desk is given a full run down of licensing ins and outs in terms of details like this thread has discussed.

NDLS took quite some time to reply, and I sent a follow up email for clarity. It is pretty straight cut with that mail to be honest.

Plasmoid

Slightly different scenario...

Learner Permit Renewals...

I applied today for renewal from 2nd to 3rd Learner Permit, with proof of an test applied for (And quite soon, good job test centres)
I've tried to be clever and applied relatively well in advance. It wouldn't have lasted till my Test date, but sure I could have left it until the last minute.

4 Weeks 3 days till my test date.
There was 3 weeks left on my Learner Permit.

I'm assuming I'll need to cancel my lessons and any hopes of practice until further notice? Thankfully i hear they only take 5 days at the moment.

I do have a Permit, it's valid... I'll just never get it back so will never be able to present it to a Garda if requested.
Still, assuming I can't legally drive now?

I'm also thinking, in the grand scheme of things, using every day on my permit, applying for a renewal and driving between the End Date and arrival of the renewed would leave me very illegal.