The Driving Test

This page gives you an overview of what will happen before & during your driving test, how it is marked, and some common reasons for failing. You can also see my page on Driving Test Myths where I discuss some of the common myths about the driving test.

Booking Your Driving Test

Driving tests are booked online on the RSA website. The cost is €85 for cars and is paid at the time of booking.

To sit the driving test, you must have held your learner permit for at least 6 months (except for foreign licence holders) and have completed your 12 EDT lessons. You can apply for the test before you have completed your 12 EDT lessons, but you will not be assigned a test date until you have completed them. Your instructor will advise you on when they think you should apply for the test.

On the day of the test

If you are using your own car for the test, you should make sure that the car is roadworthy and has appropriate insurance in place. Valid tax, insurance and (if applicable) NCT discs must be displayed. We recommend reviewing the RSA's final checklist for the driving test in advance of the test to make sure that you are prepared and that there are no issues with the car that need to be addressed (e.g. a warning light on, or a blown bulb). You should check this well before the test, to give you time to rectify any issues.

We recommend that you aim to arrive at the test centre around 15 minutes before your scheduled time, just in case of any traffic delays etc. The waiting areas are open as normal (they were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic). If your test is at the Talbot Hotel in Carlow, the waiting area is just outside the test centre on the first floor of the hotel. When you enter the hotel, the stairs are right in front of you - go up one floor, and the test centre will be directly in front of you. You will see a waiting area to the side with chairs.

Inside the test centre, the tester will check your learner permit. You will also be asked to sign a statement confirming that you have adequate insurance cover on the vehicle you will be using, and that your vehicle is in a roadworthy condition. Note that some insurance policies may not be suitable for tests - if you have any doubts about this it is a good idea to call your insurance company before applying for the test, so that you have plenty of time to arrange another car if needed.

The Driving Test

The test for cars lasts around 40 minutes in total. Inside the test centre, you will be asked some questions relating to the rules of the road and road signs. To prepare for this, you should study the Rules of the Road PDF in advance.

Outside the test centre, the tester will check the car to ensure that the lights are working properly, all discs are in date, etc. and will also ask you to demonstrate how you would check any 3 of the following: the tyres, the lights, the reflectors, the indicators, the engine oil, the coolant, the windscreen washer, the steering, the brakes, the horn.

Inside the car, you will be asked to demonstrate how you would operate any 3 of the following: the wipers, the lights (including dipping the headlights), the windscreen washer, the fan, the air vents, the rear window heater, the air-conditioner (if fitted), the temperature control, the rear foglights, the air intake control.

You will then start the driving part of the test where you will be assessed on all of the following: moving off, driving in traffic, stopping, reversing around a corner, turning about to face in the opposite direction, starting on a hill, and demonstrating hand signals.

Useful Information

The driving tester will realise that you may be nervous and will try to put you at ease. Unlike your instructor the driving tester will not offer you encouragement or advice. You should not be put off by this formal approach, it is designed to ensure fairness to all applicants. You will be given clear directions throughout the test, but if you do not understand a particular direction you may ask the driving tester to clarify it. It is important to note that going the wrong way on the test (e.g. missing a turn, or turning left when asked to turn right) does not constitute a fault provided it is done safely and legally.

If you make a mistake, do not worry too much. It may not be as serious as it appears and may not mean you have failed your test. Continue to focus on what is happening around you - occasionally students will lose focus because they believe that they have already failed the test, and will actually fail due to other errors caused by this lack of focus, e.g. speeding.

On occasion, a supervisory tester may accompany the tester. This is quite normal.

Marking of Faults

Driving testers now use tablets rather than paper sheets during the test, but this image shows you the marking sheet they will be using. The sheet is broken into various headings such as position, mirrors, signals, observation, progress, etc. These headings are then broken down into individual aspects (e.g. position when turning right, position when turning left, etc.). It is important to note that you are allowed to make some mistakes and still pass your driving test. When marking a fault on your test, the tester will decide which heading/aspect is most appropriate for that fault. They will also decide which grade to give for the fault, based on the severity of the error:

• Grade 1 - a minor fault which will not affect your test result, but is designed to point out something you should be aware of
• Grade 2 - a more serious/potentially dangerous fault
• Grade 3 - a serious/dangerous fault

Faults will generally not be double-marked (with some exceptions), and the tester will usually record the fault which conveys the most pertinent information to you. For example if you attempt to move off at a junction in 3rd gear and the vehicle stalls in the middle of the junction, causing other vehicles to slow or stop - a fault may be recorded for "Gears" in this case, and not for "Right of way".
You can view/download a copy of the marking guidelines for the driving test by clicking here.

Common Reasons for Failing the Test

Your test will be failed if you accumulate any of the following:

• One or more grade 3 faults
• 9 or more grade 2 faults overall
• 6 or more grade 2 faults under the same heading
• 4 or more grade 2 faults for a single aspect

The most common reasons for failing the driving test are:

• Inadequate observation moving off, at junctions, at roundabouts and when changing lanes
• Failure to anticipate the actions of other drivers
• Incorrect road position on the straight, on bends, turning left, turning right, at roundabouts, and when overtaking
• Inadequate progress at junctions, roundabouts, on the straight, and when overtaking
• Incorrect or inadequate use of mirrors and signals
• Non-compliance with traffic controls, eg road signs and markings and traffic lights
• Incorrect, inadequate or inappropriate use of vehicle controls, including gears, clutch, accelerator, steering, handbrake, footbrake, and secondary controls
• Excessive speed for the road or traffic conditions
• Failure to yield the right of way to others
• Lack of competence in the reverse and turnabout manoeuvres

After You Pass

After you pass you test, the tester will issue you with a Certificate of Competency, which you can then exchange for a full driving licence at your local NDLS Centre. The certificate should be submitted to the National Driver Licence Service within two years of the date of issue. Otherwise you will be required to re-sit and pass the test to obtain a full licence. It is important to note that until you get your full licence, you are still driving on your learner permit. This means you are still subject to the same requirements as before you passed your test, including the display of "L" plates and being accompanied by a qualified driver. The receipt you get from the NDLS, stating that you have applied for your licence, is not an acceptable substitute for a full licence.
Remember: passing the driving test is not the end of the learning process. You should continue to drive carefully and build up your experience in different traffic, weather, lighting and road conditions.

If You Fail

If you fail your test, the tester will give you a report detailing aspects of your driving that caused you to fail, as well as some brief verbal feedback. A more detailed report will be emailed to you shortly after the test. Your instructor can review this with you and help you to work through them, and it is important that you address these issues before re-sitting the test. You will also receive a certificate indicating that you failed the test; keep it in a safe place as you may need it to renew your learner permit.
You can apply for a new test again at any time on the RSA website, however you cannot be scheduled for a test appointment within 21 days of failing a driving test. This allows you some time to work on the issues that caused you to fail the test.