Public services card

tupenny

hi, can someone confirm that you 100% need a public services card to apply for a motorbike theory test? I have a passport and full car drivers licence. I can't believe I have to apply for a card to get a bloody provisional licence so I can sit a test. Ridiculous. Thanks!

cantdecide

From here:
http://www.theorytest.ie/driver-theory-test/public-services-card-psc-id-policy/

From June 16th 2017, any person sitting the Driver Theory Test will be required to present a Public Services Card (PSC) at the Test Centre as proof of ID.

I think they sometimes oversimplify these grand proclamations sometimes though. I reckon if you've already got a driving record (ie a driver number) then you may end up swerving around this.


Mad question - when did you take the car theory test?

I you took it in or prior to 2006, you may not have to take the theory for motorcycles at all...

jim salter

I believe you do not need PSC to apply for the learner permit but you do need it for the theory test.
I'm waiting until May for GDPR to kick in and see if anything changes.

tupenny

Thanks guys. I took the theory test in 2002 originally. I actually had a provis motorbike licence on my provis car licence at the time. I rang NDLS but the guy seemed to think I needed to take test again, then again he said he wasn’t sure and sounded clueless. Would it be worth my while just making an appt at an ndls and trying to renew it?

cantdecide

tupenny wrote: »

I rang NDLS but the guy seemed to think I needed to take test again, then again he said he wasn’t sure and sounded clueless.

That would be normal for the NDLS. Nothing against the individual concerned but remember, these agents are work in a phone farm earning minimum wage with huge staff turnover and no legacy staff.

You don't need to repeat it. You have the 'Type 1' Theory test which covers bikes and cars. Your *full licence entitlement gives permanent validity to that theory test for both cars and bikes. In exactly the same way that if you wanted to pursue the BE (car and trailer) licence, you have a valid theory test on file to cover it. Whether you did or didn't ever hold motorcycle learner categories makes no difference - you have a valid and current motorcycle theory test on file based on what you've stated.

tupenny wrote: »

Would it be worth my while just making an appt at an ndls and trying to renew it?

That's the first thing you should do but they won't renew your permit. You will be issued a new permit with new start dates from now as it's been over 5 years since the old learner categories expired.

If they give you any problems just ask them if you have the 'Type 1' theory test you have on file. If they can't find it, ask them if 'it's possible your theory test is under another driver number in error'. If they say no for any reason, come back to the thread with the specific reason why your '2002 'Type 1' driver theory test would not be valid today (assuming they can find it).





*assuming that you've never had any extended breaks in your driving life such that you had to 'start over' with fresh theory test for the car.

tupenny

cantdecide wrote: »

That would be normal for the NDLS. Nothing against the individual concerned but remember, these agents are work in a phone farm earning minimum wage with huge staff turnover and no legacy staff.

You don't need to repeat it. You have the 'Type 1' Theory test which covers bikes and cars. Your *full licence entitlement gives permanent validity to that theory test for both cars and bikes. In exactly the same way that if you wanted to pursue the BE (car and trailer) licence, you have a valid theory test on file to cover it. Whether you did or didn't ever hold motorcycle learner categories makes no difference - you have a valid and current motorcycle theory test on file based on what you've stated.



That's the first thing you should do but they won't renew your permit. You will be issued a new permit with new start dates from now as it's been over 5 years since the old learner categories expired.

If they give you any problems just ask them if you have the 'Type 1' theory test you have on file. If they can't find it, ask them if 'it's possible your theory test is under another driver number in error'. If they say no for any reason, come back to the thread with the specific reason why your '2002 'Type 1' driver theory test would not be valid today (assuming they can find it).





*assuming that you've never had any extended breaks in your driving life such that you had to 'start over' with fresh theory test for the car.

Wow thanks you've been really helpful

jim salter

cantdecide wrote: »

That would be normal for the NDLS. Nothing against the individual concerned but remember, these agents are work in a phone farm earning minimum wage with huge staff turnover and no legacy staff.

You don't need to repeat it. You have the 'Type 1' Theory test which covers bikes and cars. Your *full licence entitlement gives permanent validity to that theory test for both cars and bikes. In exactly the same way that if you wanted to pursue the BE (car and trailer) licence, you have a valid theory test on file to cover it. Whether you did or didn't ever hold motorcycle learner categories makes no difference - you have a valid and current motorcycle theory test on file based on what you've stated.



That's the first thing you should do but they won't renew your permit. You will be issued a new permit with new start dates from now as it's been over 5 years since the old learner categories expired.

If they give you any problems just ask them if you have the 'Type 1' theory test you have on file. If they can't find it, ask them if 'it's possible your theory test is under another driver number in error'. If they say no for any reason, come back to the thread with the specific reason why your '2002 'Type 1' driver theory test would not be valid today (assuming they can find it).





*assuming that you've never had any extended breaks in your driving life such that you had to 'start over' with fresh theory test for the car.

Can you please clarify.

I have a full licence since 2008, and my original prov from 2003/4 had a motor bike on it. I wasn't obliged to do a theory test at the time.

When my licence was renewed in 2008 the motorcycle wasn't on it.

Do I have to sit the bike theory test or not?

cantdecide

jim salter wrote: »

Do I have to sit the bike theory test or not?

No.

Your 2002/2003 theory test (the 'Type 1' theory test) covered both bikes and cars and is still valid and usable today. Again, the fact that you held a learner category for bikes is irrelevant - you will be able to go the NDLS and get a learner permit for motorcycles with no new motorcycle theory test (again, assuming the agent you speak to knows their arse from their elbow which may or may not be a fair assumption).

jim salter wrote: »

my original prov from 2003/4 had a motor bike on it. I wasn't obliged to do a theory test at the time.

That's because you actually had done the theory test for it - the 'Type 1' theory test

jim salter

cantdecide wrote: »

No.

Your 2002/2003 theory test (the 'Type 1' theory test) covered both bikes and cars and is still valid and usable today. Again, the fact that you held a learner category for bikes is irrelevant - you will be able to go the NDLS and get a learner permit for motorcycles with no new motorcycle theory test (again, assuming the agent you speak to knows their arse from their elbow which may or may not be a fair assumption).



That's because you actually had done the theory test for it - the 'Type 1' theory test

I really appreciate your info - genuinely. It may save me a lot of annoyance.


Please excuse my ignorance:
I never actually sit a theory test as it was not required when I got my 1st licence.

Can you advise what the 'Type 1' theory test actually is (as I have never sit a theory test of any kind). I have looked online and cannot find reference to it ( http://www.theorytest.ie/driver-theory-test/test-categories/ )

My full licence is up for renewal this month (10 years old) and I will add the bike category to it if I can without the PSC búllshít

Thanks again

cantdecide

Wait, I think there are some crossed wires here. I was working on the assumption that must have had to take a theory test in 2003/ 2004 - it was mandatory for all new drivers starting off.

If your first provisional licence was from 2003/2004, you should have had to sit the theory test. However, maybe you had held a provisional licence before 2001 (when there was no theory test in existence) and maybe in 2003/ 2004 you actually renewed your pre 2001 provision rather than fully starting from the start. Either that or you've lost track of a few years and you started earlier than you remember (ie in or before 2001)

In actual fact, I can simplify it to this - if you have definitely NEVER taken a theory test then you would have to to take the theory test today for motorcycles. The fact that you have a full car licence won't, in itself, make a difference.

jim salter

cantdecide wrote: »

Wait, I think there are some crossed wires here. I was working on the assumption that must have had to take a theory test in 2003/ 2004.

If your first provisional licence was from 2003/2004, you should have had to sit the theory test. However, maybe you had held a provisional licence before 2001 (when there was no theory test in existence) and maybe in 2003/ 2004 you actually renewed your pre 2001 provision rather than fully starting from the start.

In actual fact, I can simplify it to this - if you have definitely NEVER taken a theory test then you would have to to take the theory test today for motorcycles. The fact that you have a full car licence won't, in itself, make a difference.

Yeah, I never sat a written theory test. IIRC the tester asked me a series of questions before we got into the car.

So, if I *had* taken a theory test and they have no record of it could I argue that I did in fact take the theory test as they couldn't prove that I didn't?

cantdecide

I'm afraid I would say the opposite, my man - one may end up having a fight on their hands knowing they were in the right. If there is no record of you taking the theory test and they can't find it after a competent search, I'd say then your only hope would be complaining to the RSA which would be very cheeky indeed - you'd have a chance of pulling one over on the NDLS but never with the RSA

I'm astounded you might have gotten a first time learner permit in 2003/2004 with no theory test - I can't think of a single reason why outside of the ones mentioned earlier...

jim salter

cantdecide wrote: »

I'm afraid I would say the opposite, my man - one may end up having a fight on their hands knowing they were in the right. If there is no record of you taking the theory test and they can't find it after a competent search, I'd say then your only hope would be complaining to the RSA which would be very cheeky indeed - you'd have a chance of pulling one over on the NDLS but never with the RSA

I'm astounded you might have gotten a first time learner permit in 2003/2004 with no theory test - I can't think of a single reason why outside of the ones mentioned earlier...

Hear what you're saying.

Genuinely cant remember why I was exempt from the theory test. There may have been an 'amnesty' back then due to huge waiting times or something or it may be that I had held a prov in the 1990's and it had elapsed. Back then things were a lot different than they are now.