Public services card needed to renew drivers license?

Mst

I hope this is the right forum. I have been living abroad for the past few years and have been told that from April a psc will be needed to renew
the Irish drivers license. Is it possible for me to get one, or do you need to currently be living in Ireland? I will be returning to live there in the
next few years but am not sure exactly when.

Gatling

Have to living here to get one ,
Proof of identity and address is needed along with a face 2 face appointment

Mst

So anyone living abroad wont be able to renew their drivers license?!

Squatter

Mst wrote: »

So anyone living abroad wont be able to renew their drivers license?!

If they're living abroad then they won't be able to renew their Irish driving licence!

They need to swap it for a driving licence of the country where they're living and renew it in that country.

See here: https://www.ndls.ie/driving-abroad.html#irish-licence-holders-taking-up-residence-abroad

Mst

I can't swap it where I am living, and I am sure there are lots of other places that are the same.

Mst

I can't swap it where I am living, and I am sure there are lots of other places that are the same.

irelandrover

Mst wrote: »

I can't swap it where I am living, and I am sure there are lots of other places that are the same.

Then you have to do the test in that country. You cannot renew an Irish license if you are not resident in Ireland.

Mst

I don't need a car where I am because public transport is cheap and reliable. Anyway, since I have ten years to renew it, I will be able to do it once I move back.

lawred2

Mst wrote: »

So anyone living abroad wont be able to renew their drivers license?!

Fair enough I would have thought. A person abroad should be applying for a licence for the country they live in.

Mst

Yes I agree, and if I was spending the rest of my life here I definitely would take the test. But at this stage I will just wait to renew until I move back.

Squatter

Mst wrote: »

I can't swap it where I am living, and I am sure there are lots of other places that are the same.

I'm not normally a suspicious person, but I have a sneaking suspicion that your stated B.ie location of "County Kilkenny" may be somewhat misleading!

Summer In the City

lawred2 wrote: »

Fair enough I would have thought. A person abroad should be applying for a licence for the country they live in.

This isn't always possible. I have a full licence in Ireland and I would have to sit the test in a developing country with a tester that probably doesn't speak english. It's not practical to learn Arabic just to get a licence when my Irish one is recognised anyway.

Nomis21

Nationals of the country where you are living now would be able to use their licence in Ireland if they were living in Ireland for up to 12 months. After that time they would have to take an Irish driving test unless their country was on a list of approved countries who's licences are approved for exchange. The same conditions apply to you op in the country where you live now.

Bob24

Nomis21 wrote: »

Nationals of the country where you are living now would be able to use their licence in Ireland if they were living in Ireland for up to 12 months. After that time they would have to take an Irish driving test unless their country was on a list of approved countries who's licences are approved for exchange. The same conditions apply to you op in the country where you live now.

There is theory and practice I guess. The rule you mentioned above makes sense to me, but it is not being enforced (I know people here who have been using a non Irish licence for the pas 15 years).

irelandrover

Bob24 wrote: »

There is theory and practice I guess. The rule you mentioned above makes sense to me, but it is not being enforced (I know people here who have been using a non Irish licence for the pas 15 years).

You can use an EU license until it expires. There is no requirement to change over to an Irish license

splinter65

Summer In the City wrote: »

This isn't always possible. I have a full licence in Ireland and I would have to sit the test in a developing country with a tester that probably doesn't speak english. It's not practical to learn Arabic just to get a licence when my Irish one is recognised anyway.

You can’t renew it until it’s expiring anyway. Is it expiring soon?

Bob24

irelandrover wrote: »

You can use an EU license until it expires. There is no requirement to change over to an Irish license

Has this changed recently? I am fairly sure I have heard from non Irish EU nationals that they were told by the guards they need to exchange their licence after a certain period (that was 10 years ago though).

Also since some EU licences have no expiry date, it essentially means you can use they in Ireland for life?

irelandrover

Bob24 wrote: »

Has this changed recently? I am fairly sure I have heard from non Irish EU nationals that they were told by the guards they need to exchange their licence after a certain period (that was 10 years ago though).

Also since some EU licences have no expiry date, it essentially means you can use they in Ireland for life?

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/driver_licensing/exchanging_foreign_driving_permit.html

Holders of licences issued by an EU/EEA member state
If you have a driving licence issued by an EU/EEA member state you can drive in Ireland as long as your existing licence is valid. If you wish to exchange your driving licence for an equivalent Irish driving licence when it expires, you must do so within 10 years of your driving licence expiring.