Automatic or manual for your Irish driving test: what code 78 means

What happens if you pass in an automatic?

You can take the Irish driving test in an automatic car. If you pass, your full licence carries code 78, which restricts you to vehicles with automatic transmission.

The restriction is on the licence, not on the car you drove for the test. From then on you may drive automatic cars only. Driving a manual car on a restricted licence is not allowed.

How do you drive a manual car later?

You cannot ask for the restriction to be lifted. The route, as set out by NDLS, is:

1. Apply for a learner permit for a manual car. This is a new permit without code 78.
2. Practise in a manual car, with an accompanying driver beside you and L-plates displayed.
3. Book and pass a driving test in a manual car.
4. Apply to NDLS for your licence without the restriction.

Check the NDLS page for current fees and steps before you start. Fees change, and the page tells you what you pay at each stage.

If you fail the manual test, you keep your restricted licence and can carry on driving automatic cars.

What does that mean in practice?

The restriction is easy to ignore on test day and easy to feel later. Think through the situations where it bites:

• Family and friends’ cars. If the household car is a manual, you cannot drive it on your licence.
• Work. Some jobs involve manual vans or pool cars. Check before you commit.
• Instructors. Ask local driving schools whether they offer automatic lessons and how soon you can start.
• Second tests. A switch means another permit, another test and more time in the queue. You have to book again.

None of this is a reason to avoid an automatic. It is a reason to decide on purpose.

Is an automatic test easier?

The tester marks observation, road position, speed, signals and the manoeuvres, whatever car you bring. The hill start guide covers the automatic version of that manoeuvre.

What an automatic removes is the clutch, the gears and the stalling. Those are common faults for new drivers in a manual. It does not remove observation faults, which the RSA lists as the most common reason for failing. Do not expect an automatic to carry you through the test.

How do you decide between automatic and manual?

Ask yourself four questions.

Which car will you drive most? If you will drive a manual car at home or at work, learn on a manual. If you will drive an automatic, learning on one saves you the effort of mastering the clutch first.

Is the restriction a problem for you? A licence with code 78 limits what you can drive for good, or until you pass a second test. If you do not know your plans, a manual licence leaves every option open.

How anxious are you? Learners who find the clutch stressful often say an automatic lets them focus on the road. That is a fair reason to choose one.

What can you access? You need a car for the test. Check what you can borrow or hire, and what insurance allows. A hire car needs special paperwork for a test, so read car requirements first.

Whatever you pick, the paperwork is the same. The test needs a roadworthy car with tax, NCT, an insurance disc, an insurance certificate and L-plates. See what to bring to your driving test.

What should you ask before you book lessons?

A few questions save time and money.

• Does the instructor teach in the type of car you want to test in?
• Will the car be available for your test, and is it insured for it? See learner driver insurance.
• If you may switch later, what would the instructor advise for lessons and timing?
• How long is the wait for a test centre near you? Check the waiting times page.

Write down the answers. They make the choice concrete, and they help you compare schools.

Common mistakes with the choice

• Picking an automatic for the test and assuming you can drive anything. You cannot. Your licence says code 78.
• Deciding on test day. Choose the car type well before you book, so your lessons match.
• Forgetting the car must meet test rules. An automatic still needs valid tax, NCT, an insurance disc and certificate, and L-plates front and rear.
• Ignoring your plans. If a job, a move or a family car may require a manual, weigh that cost before you commit to an automatic test.

Can you start in a manual and switch to an automatic?

Yes. If you take your test in an automatic after learning in a manual, the same rules apply: your licence is restricted to automatics. Think about this before the test, not after, because you cannot swap back without the steps above.

Tell your instructor which car you intend to test in from the start. They can plan your lessons around it.

Does the car type change the test route?

The tester chooses the route on the day. It does not depend on whether your car is automatic or manual, so the roads around your centre are the same either way. What changes is how you handle them: in a manual you manage the clutch on hills, junctions and slow traffic, and in an automatic you manage the brake.

Practising for either type

The road skills carry over. Your accompanied hours should cover roundabouts, junctions, speed changes and the test manoeuvres.

Turas has spoken turn-by-turn practice routes around more than 50 test centres. They work in any car, so you can drive the likely roads with your sponsor whether you are in an automatic or a manual.

What happens after you pass?

You apply for your full licence through NDLS, and the licence shows code 78 if your test was in an automatic. Read what to do after you pass your driving test for N-plates, novice rules and insurance.