Driving licence about to expire - grace period?

bikini widow

Hi all,

Does anyone know of there is a grace period for driving licences that expire?  I have a week gap between expiration and renewal appointment.
I did a quick search on-line but nothing jumped off the page.

Many thanks,
BW

Fighting Tao

Why would expiry mean anything other than expiry?

Request a cancellation appointment.

Danzy

I couldn't get an appointment in Cork city booked out for weeks went in took my ticket from machine and was out in fifty min.

You'll get it done if you turn up walk in slots available and planned for.

punisher5112

Is it a full license???

Learner permit resets after 5 years

Full license resets after 10 years.

This means you would have to start over with theory etc...

bikini widow

Hi Punisher,

Yes full 10 year licence.  

Many thanks,
BW

SweetCaliber

bikini widow wrote: »

Hi all,

Does anyone know of there is a grace period for driving licences that expire?  I have a week gap between expiration and renewal appointment.
I did a quick search on-line but nothing jumped off the page.

Many thanks,
BW

If you mean for driving, no, if your license has expired then you cannot drive as you no longer hold a valid license.

If you mean for renewal, you'll be grand, you have 10 years with a full license to renew it, if you don't within 10 years, you have to repeat the whole process (Theory Test, EDT, Test, etc..)

For learner permit it is 5 years.

duffman13

bikini widow wrote: »

Hi Punisher,

Yes full 10 year licence.  

Many thanks,
BW

Walk into a centre and wait, your license is expired. There is no grace period, you've not got a valid licence currently

punisher5112

Right you could be done by a guard technically but they will tend to give 10 days to produce like insurance etc.

You will be more then likely ok.
It would be worse if it were a learner permit and you happened to be checked.

I've know people let lapse a few months to a couple of years.

Oh and the wife on a provisional for a lot longer but was expired how she was never checked is beyond me.

bikini widow

Thanks again Punisher, walk-in and wait for me then.

wonski

SweetCaliber wrote: »

If you mean for driving, no, if your license has expired then you cannot drive as you no longer hold a valid license.

The op still has a right to drive tbh.

His insurance will still be valid, so let's not dramatise because he does hold a licence. It just expired.

If I lost my license today, or if it was stolen, I would still continue to drive in between the new one arrives

There is no grace period for not having it, but not a penalty either.

Ahhhh for forks sake!

I don't understand why the feckin things expire anyway. It's ridiculous.

punisher5112

Op you will be fine as the license still stands it just needs to be put through the usual process.

Carry on but as above you don't need an appointment for ndls.

Go there before they open and wait in section for not having an appointment.

Make sure you have proof of address, pps card, valid i.d

punisher5112

Maurice Riordan wrote: »

I don't understand why the feckin things expire anyway. It's ridiculous.

Many reasons such as age, circumstances change, medical reasons and the likes of those that change address and don't renew etc.

Professional drivers need to do the whole process every 5 years as they need a medical and their car license lasts for 10 .

GhostyMcGhost

Danzy wrote: »

I couldn't get an appointment in Cork city booked out for weeks went in took my ticket from machine and was out in fifty min.

You'll get it done if you turn up walk in slots available and planned for.

Always thought that was bollox... No slot for me to book online, or a slot weeks away

Johnny come lately can rock up in the morning and get sorted

Some of us have work

SweetCaliber

wonski wrote: »

The op still has a right to drive tbh.

His insurance will still be valid, so let's not dramatise because he does hold a licence. It just expired.

If I lost my license today, or if it was stolen, I would still continue to drive in between the new one arrives

There is no grace period for not having it, but not a penalty either.

I don't disagree, however if your license was stolen or lost, it is still an in date license, in this case it has expired. Again I agree that nothing would happen, considering you have 10 days to hand it into the station if stopped and asked for it.

I also agree that it is stupid a full license expires every 10 years.

Not trying to dramatize at all

wonski

SweetCaliber wrote: »

I don't disagree, however if your license was stolen or lost, it is still an in date license, in this case it has expired. Again I agree that nothing would happen, considering you have 10 days to hand it into the station if stopped and asked for it.

I also agree that it is stupid a full license expires every 10 years.

Not trying to dramatize at all

That's fine All three cases are the same, though if you think about it. Expired or lost(cancelled) you just lost a document, but your right to drive is still valid.

I have no idea when mine expires, so can understand op that he/she has missed the date.

Ahhhh for forks sake!

I hate the use of the term "full license". It's either a license or it isn't.
I have a learner permit for category D (not a license, not a provisional), it's a learner permit. You don't have a license until you pass the feckin test.

I hate the way companies advertise "full license required". Why not just say "unendorsed category B license required"?

punisher5112

Maurice Riordan wrote: »

I hate the use of the term "full license". It's either a license or it isn't.
I have a learner permit for category D (not a license, not a provisional), it's a learner permit. You don't have a license until you pass the feckin test.

I hate the way companies advertise "full license required". Why not just say "unendorsed category B license required"?

Cause full license is exactly that .... Why make it more complicated

Danzy

Maurice Riordan wrote: »

I hate the use of the term "full license". It's either a license or it isn't.
I have a learner permit for category D (not a license, not a provisional), it's a learner permit. You don't have a license until you pass the feckin test.

I hate the way companies advertise "full license required". Why not just say "unendorsed category B license required"?

Unless it is a full licence though.

CiniO

punisher5112 wrote: »

Cause full license is exactly that .... Why make it more complicated

Full licence is Irish/UK term which was formed probably only because provisional licence existed.

Everywhere else in the world people just say driving licence or any equivalent of that term in foreign language.

CiniO

Maurice Riordan wrote: »

I hate the use of the term "full license". It's either a license or it isn't.
I have a learner permit for category D (not a license, not a provisional), it's a learner permit. You don't have a license until you pass the feckin test.

I hate the way companies advertise "full license required". Why not just say "unendorsed category B license required"?

And I hate this term: unendorsed / endorsed.

What does it even mean?
There probably was some system of endorsements on a licence but it doesn't even exist anymore probably.

CiniO

wonski wrote: »

That's fine All three cases are the same, though if you think about it. Expired or lost(cancelled) you just lost a document, but your right to drive is still valid.

I have no idea when mine expires, so can understand op that he/she has missed the date.

I actually don't think that's true.

When you loose a document, you still have your entitlements to drive. You just don't have a document to show to prove it.

But once licence expires, that means your entitlements to drive are not valid anymore.
No one at that stage can know if you will be granted licence renewal. F.e. you might have medical issued which will prevent you from getting it. Or your eyesight might be too bad to drive.
In short - that's probably the reason why licences are being renewed, to check all drivers from time to time that they still fulfill requirements for driving.

GM228

wonski wrote: »

The op still has a right to drive tbh.

wonski wrote: »

That's fine All three cases are the same, though if you think about it. Expired or lost(cancelled) you just lost a document, but your right to drive is still valid.

When a licence is expired or cancelled you do not have a right to drive, what you do have though is an entitlement to get a new licence, but not an entitlement to drive, entitlement to drive is based on holding a licence which at the time has effect.

wonski wrote: »

There is no grace period for not having it, but not a penalty either.

There is a penalty, not having a valid licence on you at the time which is in effect is actually an offence, yes the Gardaí usually give you 10 days to produce, but, they don't have to.

BorneTobyWilde

I'm sure you won't forget how to drive once it expires.

wonski

Let me clarify.

While you are required to carry your licence when driving there is no penalty for not having one with you.

You will be asked to produce, if stopped which is very unlikely.

If this happened, and you failed to show it at you local Gardai station, you will be summoned.

In the unfortunate sequence of events when you are summoned, after you have paid for your lotto ticket, you might need to attend the court and show your license.

Seriously, when was the last time you were stopped and asked for license, and how likely it is that you won't get the new one within the time frame of being stopped and being summoned.

I just don't see it happening if you are a genuine, law abiding citizen

Rodin

wonski wrote: »

The op still has a right to drive tbh.

His insurance will still be valid, so let's not dramatise because he does hold a licence. It just expired.

If I lost my license today, or if it was stolen, I would still continue to drive in between the new one arrives

There is no grace period for not having it, but not a penalty either.

Absolute nonsense.
Fake news.

How is insurance valid when the driver does not hold a valid licence?

CiniO

Rodin wrote: »

Absolute nonsense.
Fake news.

How is insurance valid when the driver does not hold a valid licence?

It's actually not true in most cases.
Majority of insurance policies issued in Ireland stipulate, that "driver holds or held valid driving licence within last 10 years".

wonski

Rodin wrote: »

Absolute nonsense.
Fake news.

How is insurance valid when the driver does not hold a valid licence?

Read your policy documents

I give up anyway.

A day on Motors forum was more than enough.

wonski

GM228 wrote: »

There is a penalty, not having a valid licence on you at the time which is in effect is actually an offence, yes the Gardaí usually give you 10 days to produce, but, they don't have to.

So what is the penalty?

GM228

wonski wrote: »

So what is the penalty?

1. Licence out of date up to 12 months - fine up to €1000.

2. Licence out of date over 12 month - fine up to €2000.

3. Failure to produce licence then and there - fine up to €1000 for first offence, €2000 for second, third* or subsequent* offences. (*A third or subsequent offence within 12 months can also carry 3 months imprisonment).

Now number 3 may seem very harsh in comparison to 1 and 2, but the penalty is simply due to the way legislation is written and in reality would never really arise as Gardaí generally afford the 10 day option, but, they can prosecute for the offence rather than apply the 10 day rule, it's extremely rare.

Danzy

Your car can be impounded if you are using a licence out of date you'll have no insurance either.

Grace period is a fantasy.

ohnonotgmail

Danzy wrote: »

Your car can be impounded if you are using a licence out of date you'll have no insurance either.

Grace period is a fantasy.

as already clarified this is not true. An expired licence does not invalidate insurance.

grogi

wonski wrote: »

The op still has a right to drive tbh.

No, he doesn't. Well in Ireland he can drive and be fine for years. But technically OP cannot.

wonski wrote: »

His insurance will still be valid, so let's not dramatise because he does hold a licence. It just expired.

No, it is not valid. It is expired...

If only there was a way to know upfront when the license expires... Or NCT... Or Insurance... Or Tax...

wonski wrote: »

If I lost my license today, or if it was stolen, I would still continue to drive in between the new one arrives

But that is different. You lost the document, but the license is valid. OP's license expires - not only the document, but also the actual license.

wonski

GM228 wrote: »

1. Licence out of date up to 12 months - fine up to €1000.

2. Licence out of date over 12 month - fine up to €2000.

3. Failure to produce licence then and there - fine up to €1000 for first offence, €2000 for second, third* or subsequent* offences. (*A third or subsequent offence within 12 months can also carry 3 months imprisonment).

Now number 3 may seem very harsh in comparison to 1 and 2, but the penalty is simply due to the way legislation is written and in reality would never really arise as Gardaí generally afford the 10 day option, but, they can prosecute for the offence rather than apply the 10 day rule, it's extremely rare.

I stand corrected. Thanks.

coylemj

Just because the Gardai give you 10 days to produce your licence does not mean you have 10 days 'grace' when it expires.

Say your licence expired last week, you're stopped at a checkpoint and asked to produce, you renew the licence and produce. What you produce at the Garda station will be a licence which does not cover the day you were stopped so technically you could be prosecuted for driving without a licence. Though in practice, assuming your insurance, NCT and tax disc were in order, they tend to overlook an expired licence in isolation.

And the topic of an expired licence and the effect on your insurance has been trashed out time and time again. Your third party cover is not affected because the insurance cannot use the expired licence as an excuse not to pay.

Markcheese

If the op is still reading this thread... The appointment system is priority... But if you head into the office early.. And get in the queue you'll probably be seen fairly soon..
They'll take your application, plus give you a letter showing that your application is being processed, which seems to be good enough for the guards ect...

punisher5112

Take a chill pill all it's the real world and people don't take their license out a go over it. Yes maybe they should from time to time but sure it's in the wallet or stuffed in the glove box and it's well easy to forget about it.

Different issue forgetting insurance or tax etc as they are quite visible and also you receive a reminder.

My dad was driving large vehicles for 6 months with it expired he was told to just get it renewed no issue. They can check your records even before they stop you anyway.

If you give the cop grieve or lip then expect a fine but I find most are just like the rest of us.
Of course there are the very strict.

Fighting Tao

Driving with an expired is driving with no licence. I wouldn’t expect any Garda to be lenient these days.

punisher5112

Fighting Tao wrote: »

Driving with an expired is driving with no licence. I wouldn’t expect any Garda to be lenient these days.

They tend to be it would be totally different if it was the case of none at all etc.

I've been in court numerous times and the judges can be fair but obviously very strict also.

I've seen them throw out such cases as they could see it wasn't on purpose.

bikini widow

Thanks all,  to make it slightly more complex I just reviewed the insurance policy and the car I normally drive is actually insured under my other half's name and not mine.  My insurance is on their car.  
Licence expires today and appointment not for another week.  Best to go up and start queuing.

Thanks all again,
BW

_Brian

It will be grand.