Explained: Why US driver licence holders have to pass Irish driving test
If you've read the previous post on this website about getting car insurance in Ireland as a foreign licence holder (here's the link to that), you'll know that I am quite frustrated by the fact that I need to take multiple (12 I think) driving lessons here in Ireland, before I can sit the Irish driving test, and get a full Irish drivers licence. I can accept having to take the test, but taking 12 costly, time-consuming driving lessons is not something I can really afford, or have the time, to do.
I decided to take the issue to a local politician here in Cork, and he was kind enough to raise my concern to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe. Here is the full text of the response from Minister Donohoe to my email:
The position regarding people returning or coming to live in Ireland with US driving licences is one of which I am well aware, and which has arisen a number of times.
The starting point is that the purpose of a driver licensing system is to ensure basic standards of driving on our roads. Ireland operates within a framework of EU driver licensing law, and on this basis we recognise other EU driving licences for the purposes of mutual exchange, as all EU licences are issued according to the same standards.
In addition, we have bilateral agreements with a number of non-EU states, where detailed study has shown that their licensing regimes and ours are compatible.
We do not have such an agreement with the USA. This is because American driver licensing operates at State level, with widely varying systems and standards of licensing. Even if we were to recognise licences from some States, it could draw us into extremely complicated difficulties over the mutual recognition arrangements which those States would have with other American States.
As a result, regrettably, people moving here with a US licence may drive only for a period up to a year on a visitor basis, but must then acquire an Irish licence. While they are required to undertake a theory test, mandatory lessons and driving test, they are not bound by the usual rule to be a learner for six months before taking the driving test.
I'm not sure if there's an implication that the US system of testing and licencing doesn't ensure 'basic standards of driving', but if there is, then I would sincerely disagree. And regarding the state-to-state issuing of licences, isn't there something similar in Canada? And yet, there was a recent agreement (read about it here) between Ireland and Ontario to exchange driver's licence's, with Minister Donohoe himself being quoted as saying "Now that we have reached this agreement, I am looking forward to proceeding quickly to secure agreements with the other Canadian provinces."
I think if an agreement can't be put in place for US (and other countries) licence holders, then a more sensible approach could be taken. After all, I am legally allowed to drive in Ireland with my US license for 12 months. After that time, and assuming I have been accident-free, couldn't some allowance be afforded? Or maybe consideration could be given to the number of years someone has been licensed abroad, to reduce the number of lessons required.
I feel somewhat powerless...
More info:
CitizensInformation.ie cover the exchange of foreign driving licences in more detail here.
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Wish you luck with that one..
I don’t know the process of passing a US driving test but would imagine it much the same as the Canadian process? Plus the agreement was not based on driving standard but by the amount of “Irish” (by decent?) in the Canadian state’s with agreements. Surely if an Irish Canadian can exchange their license an Irish American should have the same rights?
Not sure where the “as all EU licences are issued according to the same standards” comes from? Many (Including myself) obtained their licenses before the EU decided on the driver licensing policy and I know the standard/competence of drivers from some EU countries bears no resemblance to the UK or Irish standard.. That’s probably why insurance companies want to know where the European license was obtained.
Speaking from my own experience in California i had to pass a theory and behind-the-wheel test. Not too dissimilar to most other places I’m sure.
A lot of what you say Tony is true. People who have been licensed decades barely went through any testing. And, driving practices within the EU vary country-to-country quite significantly. For example, when I was in Germany, I remember people hitting speeds of 200km/hour. Surely anyone used to that kind of driving should retrain/test in Ireland.
While Wikipedia can be edited by anybody, it does tend to have information on these kind of law differences between states. In the US some states require practice hours or class room training. How you document those hours varies as well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver%27s_license_in_the_United_States
I’m in that boat now. Studying the theory book and DVD so I can take my theory test. But my sister-in-law just told me today that there is a waiting list of 3 months to take the theory test. I’ll have to confirm that, seems excessive, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that were true. Things run at a much slower pace here than in the good ole USA.
Three months sounds excessive! You can pick from multiple test centres, so you might want to “shop around” for the best available times.
Here’s the link to schedule the theory test online:
http://www.theorytest.ie/driver-theory-test/find-your-test-centre/
Liam- out of interest how much are the driving lessons? I have an expired Northern Ireland license that I can renew, but they are asking for proof of residence for the North and I can’t provide that. Looks like I may be faced with the same route of re-taking my test in the South. (sigh).
Susan,
Expect to pay 300-400 for the 12 mandatory lessons. There are quite a few companies (depending where you’ll live) that offer deals, multi-lesson discounts etc, so shop around.
You can exchange a NI license for an Irish licence as long as it only expired within the last 10 years.
https://www.ndls.ie/holders-of-foreign-licences.html
Can’t beat that info Susan 🙂 Is yours expired less than 10 years?
As always Tony, thx for the invaluable input.
As a side note I have just insured using First Ireland and noticed they have an offer of discounted Insurance if the 10 lesson course is taken with one of the Driving instructors they insure.
http://www.firstireland.ie/index-2-personal-schemes-drivefirst.php
might be worth a look?
More good news announced for those of you moving from Canada to Ireland. Deals have been struck for driver license exchanges for Newfoundland and Labrador.
This makes moving home, or emigrating to Ireland, so much easier. For many others, including anybody licensed in the entire United States, the hoops you will need to jump through to get an Irish drivers license are really punitive.
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/generation-emigration/new-deal-reached-on-irish-driving-licences-in-canada-1.2502272
I am not sure if I saw a definitive answer. Does an American license require you to take the 12 driving lessons or can you merely take the tests?
Unfortunately, you must take the lessons. Crazy, huh?!