Automatic driving licence

GingerNut93

Hi guys.

Sorry I don't know if I'm in the right forum. I passed my driving test 6 years ago before all the rules and regulations came in of having to complete 12 lesson and displaying 'N' plates. I passed my test in an automatic car which means I'm obviously not licensed to drive a manual. The reason for doing it in an automatic my first car was an automatic and I was 17 at the time doing a long during to school everyday so for peace of mind if and not having to drive on my learner permit for too long I just sat it in an automatic

Anyway I'm looking to sit my test again in a manual just so I have more options for car choices. Does anyone know how I go about this? And if I have to do the 12 lessons even though I'm not technically a learner.

Any info would be great. Thanks

jimgoose

Give the RSA a call to clarify this, but IIRC the last time I checked this out you don't need a theory test or EDT as your current license was issued in 2010, and you don't even need another learner permit - your automatic license will do for that. Just take the test in a manual car.

GingerNut93

jimgoose wrote: »

Give the RSA a call to clarify this, but IIRC the last time I checked this out you don't need a theory test or EDT as your current license was issued in 2010, and you don't even need another learner permit - your automatic license will do for that. Just take the test in a manual car.

Sorry it's dated as march 2011. Sorry my mistake do you think that will still cover me?

jimgoose

GingerNut93 wrote: »

Sorry it's dated as march 2011. Sorry my mistake do you think that will still cover me?

Yes, by the skin of your teeth. The cut-off date is April 4th, 2011!

GingerNut93

jimgoose wrote: »

Yes, by the skin of your teeth. The cut-off date is April 4th, 2011!

Your joking!! I'm lucky there 😂 So do I just apply to sit the test like everyone else? And will I have to display 'N' plates if I did pass.

jimgoose

GingerNut93 wrote: »

Your joking!! I'm lucky there 😂 So do I just apply to sit the test like everyone else? And will I have to display 'N' plates if I did pass.

Yes, I believe you just apply. And no, no N-plates:

From http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Licensed-Drivers/Driving-licence/Novice-Plates-Introduction/:

"The novice period applies only once ie someone who holds a driving licence for a category of vehicle and who after a period of two years becomes entitled to drive another category, does not become a novice in respect of the new category."

GingerNut93

jimgoose wrote: »

Yes, I believe you just apply. And no, no N-plates:

From http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Licensed-Drivers/Driving-licence/Novice-Plates-Introduction/:

"The novice period applies only once ie someone who holds a driving licence for a category of vehicle and who after a period of two years becomes entitled to drive another category, does not become a novice in respect of the new category."

I just checked and my licence in the 28th of march 2011 🙈 Literally the skin of my teeth!! Thanks for your reply 😊

Alanstrainor

I think your best bet is to call the RSA and ask them. I am not sure what the situation here is. And I'm not sure I agree with the other poster in this thread completely.

OP, have a look at your license (paper I assume). Open it up and see if there is a code 78 stamped there.

GingerNut93

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I think your best bet is to call the RSA and ask them. I am not sure what the situation here is. And I'm not sure I agree with the other poster in this thread completely.

OP, have a look at your license (paper I assume). Open it up and see if there is a code 78 stamped there.

Yeah there is a 78 stamped on it. But I'm looking to sit the test again and pass it in a manual and I'm just asking if I have to sit 12 lessons because technically I passed my driving test before this regulation came into place.

Alanstrainor

GingerNut93 wrote: »

Yeah there is a 78 stamped on it. But I'm looking to sit the test again and pass it in a manual and I'm just asking if I have to sit 12 lessons because technically I passed my driving test before this regulation came into place.

The reason I asked about the 78, was that some people who completed their test in an automatic didn't receive the 78 stamp! Through some clerical error most likely.

My guess is that you need a learner permit, and L plates. Which you can obtain by submitting your restricted full license with your application. BUT, I am only basing that off of my memory of similar threads posted here throughout the years.

jimgoose

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I think your best bet is to call the RSA and ask them. I am not sure what the situation here is. And I'm not sure I agree with the other poster in this thread completely...

It is quite possible that I'm remembering the situation in the UK, which is why I suggested the OP call the RSA as well.

GingerNut93

jimgoose wrote: »

It is quite possible that I'm remembering the situation in the UK, which is why I suggested the OP call the RSA as well.

'Do I need to do EDT?

If your first learner permit for a car (code 991 in the column headed restrictions/information) is dated on or after 4th April 2011(look at the date in the column headed ό/from), you must complete EDT. All learner drivers must have completed EDT before they can sit a driving test.'

I found this on the rsa website. I'm assuming I don't need to do the 12 lessons because my full licence is dated before the 4th April 2011 (dated the 28th march 2011) so obviously my learner permit would have been issued before this date also.

jimgoose

GingerNut93 wrote: »

'Do I need to do EDT?

If your first learner permit for a car (code 991 in the column headed restrictions/information) is dated on or after 4th April 2011(look at the date in the column headed ό/from), you must complete EDT. All learner drivers must have completed EDT before they can sit a driving test.'

I found this on the rsa website. I'm assuming I don't need to do the 12 lessons because my full licence is dated before the 4th April 2011 (dated the 28th march 2011) so obviously my learner permit would have been issued before this date also.

Yes, quite right. But there's also the matter of the theory test and the learner permit.

GingerNut93

jimgoose wrote: »

Yes, quite right. But there's also the matter of the theory test and the learner permit.

How do you mean?

Do you mean I'll have to sit another theory test and get a new learner permit? That couldn't possibly be the case?!

jimgoose

GingerNut93 wrote: »

How do you mean?

Do you mean I'll have to sit another theory test and get a new learner permit? That couldn't possibly be the case?!

As I said, I don't think you will need to do either of those. But it is possible that I'm remembering the setup in the UK, and that's why I said you should speak to the RSA to get full clarification.

Alanstrainor

Alanstrainor wrote: »

My guess is that you need a learner permit, and L plates. Which you can obtain by submitting your restricted full license with your application. BUT, I am only basing that off of my memory of similar threads posted here throughout the years.

Just quoting the important part of my quote.

You need to call the RSA OP. Using online forums for this information can be dodgy. I am not 100% certain of the info above.

If you do call you might update the thread with the info you receive to save future confusion.

GingerNut93

Will do thanks for all the info guys

cantdecide

jimgoose wrote: »

you don't need a theory test or EDT as your current license was issued in 2010

The OP won't need EDT as she already hold a full Irish entitlement for B, even though it's restricted. She, or anyone in this circumstance definitely won't need a theory test. The full B entitlement will keep that theory test valid and current indefinitely.

jimgoose wrote: »

and you don't even need another learner permit - your automatic license will do for that. Just take the test in a manual car.

I'm afraid this is not correct, JG. The OP will definitely need a new B learner permit which will be issued without the 78 restriction.

GingerNut93 wrote: »

will I have to display 'N' plates if I did pass.

No, definitely not. You already have a full entitlement to drive. All that will happen after the test is that the 78 restriction will have been removed. Even later, for insurance purposes for example, the licence will still show a category start date for B as 2010 and mention nothing of the 78 restriction that existed.

Alanstrainor wrote: »

My guess is that you need a learner permit, and L plates. Which you can obtain by submitting your restricted full license with your application.

The OP's full licence will be copied and given back. The full licence and existing entitlements themselves won't have much bearing on the permit. The learner permit will stand alone. In other words, the OP won't have to surrender her full B licence and entitlements- the full licence must be submitted to the NDLS as evidence of her driving record and can also be used as photo ID, proof of address (unless her address has changed) etc

L plates will be mandatory on the manual car and the OP will also have the 999 restriction as normal for learners- must be accompanied by a fully licenced driver while driving a manual car.

GingerNut93

Thank you for your detailed reply above clarified a lot for me.

I rang the rsa earlier on and they said I need to get a learner permit but can still drive my full licence in my automatic.

I just apply for the driving test as normal with no need to do lessons or display any plates when and if I pass the test

Thanks for all your input

Alanstrainor

cantdecide wrote: »

The OP's full licence will be copied and given back. The full licence and existing entitlements themselves won't have much bearing on the permit. The learner permit will stand alone. In other words, the OP won't have to surrender her full B licence and entitlements- the full licence must be submitted to the NDLS as evidence of her driving record and can also be used as photo ID, proof of address (unless her address has changed) etc

L plates will be mandatory on the manual car and the OP will also have the 999 restriction as normal for learners- must be accompanied by a fully licenced driver while driving a manual car.

Yes, I meant that the full license would be submitted with the forms and returned.

That answers that anyway! Best of luck OP.

Alanstrainor

GingerNut93 wrote: »

Thank you for your detailed reply above clarified a lot for me.

I rang the rsa earlier on and they said I need to get a learner permit but can still drive my full licence in my automatic.

I just apply for the driving test as normal with no need to do lessons or display any plates when and if I pass the test

Thanks for all your input

Thanks for posting back with your findings! Always good to have clarity!