Learning to ride a motorcycle in the UK with Irish car licence

Kotek Besar

Hi folks,

I have an Irish car licence. Currently working in the UK. I’ve no desire to exchange my Irish car licence for a GB one.

I want to learn to ride a motorcycle.

I understand that, being as my car licence is Irish and not GB, it doesn’t also act as a provisional bike licence for learning to ride in the UK, and so I have to apply for a GB provisional licence. Right? If so, no problem. Only £36.

Once I get my GB provisional licence I intend to learn to ride a motorcycle, CBT, theory, practical etc and eventually get a full motorcycle licence issued in GB.

Upon returning to Ireland, would I be able to report to the NDLS and request to exchange my GB bike licence for an Irish one? How would it work, would they simply add the motorcycle category to my existing Irish car licence?

All advice welcome. Thank you.

enrique66_35

No reason why you couldn't exchange your future full UK bike licence for an Irish equivalent as the UK is a recognised state (https://www.ndls.ie/licensed-driver/exchange-my-foreign-driving-licence.html#recognised-states)

NDLS will combine bike and car licence either when exchanging your UK licence or subsequently.

Kotek Besar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117760535#Comment_117760535

Thank you, that’s what I was hoping.

newirishman

I thought that you need to exchange an EU (incl IE) license after you have been resident in the UK for 3 years at the latest.

That no longer the case?

Kotek Besar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117765339#Comment_117765339

When the UK was an EU member state, EU law applied, which is that an EU licence is valid in any EU member state until it’s expiry, with no complication to exchange it for a local licence.

Since the UK left the EU, I’m not sure if they’ve deviated from that. I haven’t heard that they have.

Esel

A UK citizen, resident in Ireland, cannot use their UK licence here. The UK licence must be exchanged for an Irish one. This change came about as a result of Brexit.

knucklehead6

I was checking this out earlier, all EU licences are still accepted in UK

Kotek Besar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117769690#Comment_117769690

Sounds like an Irish government decision to me.

Bluefoam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117883724#Comment_117883724

Not sure what you're trying to get at, but these rules apply to most countries outside the EU... Irish government have to implement the rules that are agreed upon... so, yes, its a Brexit thing.

Kotek Besar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117883812#Comment_117883812

It's an Irish government decision. All EU countries have made their own decisions on the validity of UK licences post Brexit. Have a read:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/driving-in-the-eu-uk-licence-holders-living-in-the-eu

Bluefoam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117883865#Comment_117883865

Yeh, I've gone through allot of it and most countries within the EU require UK drivers to exchange their licenses...France having some additional caveats... The UK is no longer in the EU, so needs to come up with new agreements... it's a Brexit thing, it's not about people being mean to the UK.

Kotek Besar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117883898#Comment_117883898

I'm not suggesting any people are being mean to the UK. I'm suggesting the Irish government has decided what restrictions they want to impose on UK driving licences, as have all the other EU Member States.

Hotblack Desiato

I understand that, being as my car licence is Irish and not GB, it doesn’t also act as a provisional bike licence for learning to ride in the UK

It doesn't act as a provisional bike licence anywhere, and never has.