Can I drive alone after passing test?

BarraOG

I passed my test yesterday. I handed in my certificate of competence to the NDLS and will have my Full Licence in two weeks. Can I drive legally on my own now or must I wait until I have the full Licence? I still have the learner Licence.

087brain21

no
You have to wait till you actually have the licence and you have to keep your L plates up too till then

I know pure stupid but your still a learner till you have the full licence in your hand

thelad95

Incorrect, they should have given you a receipt in the licence centre if you show this to a Garda along with your existing provisional it won't be a problem. Just make sure you have N plates up as that is something they definitely would take issue with.

Life goes on, people have to travel to work etc. so it would be a pretty curt Garda that would make a severe issue of it at a checkpoint.

Humour Me

thelad95 wrote: »

Incorrect, they should have given you a receipt in the licence centre if you show this to a Garda along with your existing provisional it won't be a problem. Just make sure you have N plates up as that is something they definitely would take issue with.

Life goes on, people have to travel to work etc. so it would be a pretty curt Garda that would make a severe issue of it at a checkpoint.

I don’t know when you passed your test but when I passed last year, the tester specifically told me that I was not allowed to drive alone until I had my full license.

OP NDLS say two weeks in case they have any delays on their side. My license arrived in 5 working days so you shouldn’t have much longer to wait.

davetherave

By the letter of the law no, You don't have a Driving Licence (Defined in the Road Traffic Act as an Irish Driving License or a Foreign Driving License, not a Learner Permit).

You have a sheet of paper showing that you completed a test, and that the issuing authority was satisfied that you have a satisfactory knowledge of the Rules of the Road allowing them to issue a certificate certifying— that you are competent to drive any specified class or classes of mechanically propelled vehicle, being a class or classes in respect of which a certificate of competency was applied for and which the issuing authority is satisfied that the applicant is competent to drive.

(3) An application for a driving licence—

(a) shall be made to the licensing authority in whose functional area the applicant ordinarily resides,
(b) shall be made in accordance with the relevant regulations under this Part of this Act,
(c) shall be accompanied by any certificate of competency or fitness required under regulations under this Act, and
(d) shall be accompanied by the excise duty payable on the taking out of a driving licence.

thelad95 wrote: »

Incorrect, they should have given you a receipt in the licence centre if you show this to a Garda along with your existing provisional it won't be a problem. Just make sure you have N plates up as that is something they definitely would take issue with.

Life goes on, people have to travel to work etc. so it would be a pretty curt Garda that would make a severe issue of it at a checkpoint.

You say it won't be a problem but what does he do if he gets stopped and asked to produce his license? The Gardai not doing their job doesn't change what is or isn't legal.

Alanstrainor

thelad95 wrote: »

Incorrect, they should have given you a receipt in the licence centre if you show this to a Garda along with your existing provisional it won't be a problem. Just make sure you have N plates up as that is something they definitely would take issue with.

Life goes on, people have to travel to work etc. so it would be a pretty curt Garda that would make a severe issue of it at a checkpoint.

This is not correct. The license hasn't been issued therefore they are not a full license holder and must adhere to the rules of learner permit holders. Best just to wait the few days for the full license to arrive.

endacl

thelad95 wrote: »

your existing provisional

Should you really be offering advice on legalities if you’re referencing documents that don’t exist?

Alanstrainor

Oh and big congrats to the OP for passing! It's some feeling!

087brain21

thelad95 wrote: »

Incorrect, they should have given you a receipt in the licence centre if you show this to a Garda along with your existing provisional it won't be a problem. Just make sure you have N plates up as that is something they definitely would take issue with.

Life goes on, people have to travel to work etc. so it would be a pretty curt Garda that would make a severe issue of it at a checkpoint.

As i said yesterday this info was gotten from my girlfriend who was in the same situation as the OP and she got told to wait till she got the licence in her hand

and there is some curt gardai out there who be on power trips with L and N drivers

arccosh

you can drive on your own, just make sure you have your passing certificate and your insurance is updated that you are now a fully licenced driver...

heads up though, some insurers increase your premium as you are seen as a slightly higher risk for the first few months driving on your own.

Wheety

Technically no.

In reality you'll probably be ok.

Apply ASAP. You give the NDLS your certificate of competency and then get a receipt. Have either of those with you when driving. But be warned, you could get in trouble, depending on the Guard who stops you, if you are stopped.

MascotDec85

Navan yesterday:

A girl passes her test. Her mum excitedly puts up the N plates. The testing supervisor happened to be in and went out to her. 2 mins later the N plates are coming off....

caldew

The supervisor has no authority to do that.

It is a matter for the guards.

I find it hard to believe she would get involved in a matter relating to N plates.

Dravokivich

caldew wrote: »

The supervisor has no authority to do that.

It is a matter for the guards.

I find it hard to believe she would get involved in a matter relating to N plates.

It's very likely the mother didn't know any better. Which going by the responses in this thread, isnt a rarity.

MascotDec85

caldew wrote: »

The supervisor has no authority to do that.

It is a matter for the guards.

I find it hard to believe she would get involved in a matter relating to N plates.

That all depends what she said. Knowing her, I’d imagine she offered the parent a friendly bit of advice.

Believe what you like, it happened about 6 metres from me and goes a long way to confirm the rules.

In our role as ADIs/Testers/Testing Supervisors etc etc we should be promoting “best practice” that’s all she was doing whether people like it or not.

It's bullcrap obviously but legally got to wait until you have your full license in your hand. You would probably get away with it but why chance it? I was waiting only 13 calander days from applying to license plonking in the letterbox.

splinter65

caldew wrote: »

The supervisor has no authority to do that.

It is a matter for the guards.

I find it hard to believe she would get involved in a matter relating to N plates.

The supervisor in reality only went out to the pair in an advisory capacity. My driving instructor advised me fully before the test of the law about waiting for the full license to come and retaining the L plates and driving unaccompanied.