Rsa 6 month rule exempt.

ma88

Hello, i do hold a driver licence that cannot be exchanged over here, so i've got my first Irish learner here now, even though driving in Ireland for almost 10 years, as rsa said i can drive as long the licence is valid..
But, with insurance prices being so high and other personal needs, looking to get the full Irish.

Now, can see that ''A holder of a current full driving licence from another country (jurisdiction) for more than six months is exempt from this requirement, provided you forward a current original driving licence and a letter of entitlement from the relevant licensing authority in that country to the: Customer Service Manager
Driver Testing Section,
Road Safety Authority,
Moy Valley Business Park,
Ballina,
Co. Mayo
drivingtest@rsa.ie
1890 40 60 40''


My query is: if i can have 2 licences, or i will be asked to get rid of the one that i hold at the moment, bearing in mind that i have more categories(A,B,C,D,E) in my current one, then in the Irish(B) that im looking to take now....
Thank you.

Alanstrainor

That's interesting all right. I'm really not sure. It seems ridiculous that you would have to forfeit your license from your country of origin. But all reference to this from the RSA does state that you must send the original. I think you need to call someone up to ask what is meant by this, and whether it is then returned to you.

You might let us know as well, as others may have the same question in the future.

ma88

So, did sent in to Rsa the original driving licence together with the letter of entitlement from the embassy, confirming that the licence is true and valid. They did check it, got it back in 2 weeks, with a letter confirming the 6 months exemption, that i did take it with me on the test day.
Did the driving test in yesterday, passed on the first go, and applied for full straight away.
So did got the full Irish licence less then 3 months, starting from zero and i'm keeping my other one aswell.
Good luck to everyone!

Marcusm

ma88 wrote: »

Hello, i do hold a driver licence that cannot be exchanged over here, so i've got my first Irish learner here now, even though driving in Ireland for almost 10 years, as rsa said i can drive as long the licence is valid..
But, with insurance prices being so high and other personal needs, looking to get the full Irish.

Now, can see that ''A holder of a current full driving licence from another country (jurisdiction) for more than six months is exempt from this requirement, provided you forward a current original driving licence and a letter of entitlement from the relevant licensing authority in that country to the: Customer Service Manager
Driver Testing Section,
Road Safety Authority,
Moy Valley Business Park,
Ballina,
Co. Mayo
drivingtest@rsa.ie
1890 40 60 40''


My query is: if i can have 2 licences, or i will be asked to get rid of the one that i hold at the moment, bearing in mind that i have more categories(A,B,C,D,E) in my current one, then in the Irish(B) that im looking to take now....
Thank you.

I would expect that you would get the original one back - you're right to get started with the process as, irrespective of what they told you, you were not entitled to drive on the foreign licence once you had resided here for 12 months (which sounds like it expired 9 years ago).

Foreign Licence is only lost upon exchange, not in the case you described but im nearly sure you cannot drove on a foreign licence here for “as long as its valid”. Its 12 months from day you enter the country. Also for exemption purposes, the foreign licence is always returned to you by registered post.

ma88

Marcusm wrote: »

I would expect that you would get the original one back - you're right to get started with the process as, irrespective of what they told you, you were not entitled to drive on the foreign licence once you had resided here for 12 months (which sounds like it expired 9 years ago).

Its an EU licence, so can be used as long as it is valid...but cannot be exchanged for different reasons.

ma88

Anna Dirty Martian wrote: »

Foreign Licence is only lost upon exchange, not in the case you described but im nearly sure you cannot drove on a foreign licence here for “as long as its valid”. Its 12 months from day you enter the country. Also for exemption purposes, the foreign licence is always returned to you by registered post.

As on the ndls website about foreign driver licence holders it says:
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.

ma88

ma88 wrote: »

Its an EU licence, so can be used as long as it is valid...but cannot be exchanged for different reasons.

Did got it back by the way...have it sorted.

cantdecide

ma88 wrote: »

Its an EU licence, so can be used as long as it is valid...but cannot be exchanged for different reasons.

Because the entitlements originated in a country that we don't have an exchange agreement with but another EU member state does, maybe?

ma88

cantdecide wrote: »

Because the entitlements originated in a country that we don't have an exchange agreement with but another EU member state does, maybe?

Yes, its an EU licence but has been exchanged from a no EU one b4.