Hand signals for the Irish driving test

Which hand signals do I need to know?

There are six in the regulations: three that a driver gives to other road users, and three that a Garda on points duty gives to drivers. They are set out in the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 (S.I. 182/1997). The RSA’s list of what you are tested on includes hand signals, so they are worth learning properly.

Say who you are signalling to before each one. Learners who have passed say this helps, because it shows the tester you know why you are giving it.

How do you give hand signals as a driver?

The three signals for a car driver use your right arm. Put the window down first if you need to.

The left-turn signal for a car is a rotating one. The cyclist’s left-turn signal is different, so do not mix them up. A car driver uses the rotation described above.

What are the Garda hand signals?

A Garda on points duty directs traffic with signals that override traffic lights. If a Garda tells you to stop at a green light, you stop. The regulations give signals for three directions.

Follow the Garda even when the lights show something else.

Are hand signals on the driving test?

Yes. The RSA lists hand signals among the things you must do on the test, alongside Rules of the Road questions and road signs. They sit in the oral part, before you start to drive.

You may be asked to demonstrate some of them. In 2025, press reports said that two signals are chosen at random and shown before the drive. The RSA has not set a number in the sources used here, so treat “two” as a guide and learn all six. The tester will tell you what to show.

For the wider picture of the test order, see what is on the Irish driving test.

How are hand signals marked?

The RSA marking guidelines group hand signals with the Rules of the Road questions and the technical checks. Where three or more questions are not answered, or are answered wrongly, including hand signals, the tester records a grade 2 fault. Only one fault is recorded under that heading.

So one slip does not fail you. A blank on all of it costs a fault, and faults add up. The marking guide explains how they combine and what can fail a test.

What are common hand signal mix-ups?

• Left and right. The right-turn signal is held rigid and horizontal. The left-turn signal rotates. If you keep those two pictures in mind, you are less likely to swap them.
• Slow down and stop. One signal covers both: the arm moves slowly up and down with the palm down.
• Wrong arm. Every driver signal uses the right arm, because that is the one on the outside of the car.
• Garda and driver signals. The Garda signals are for a Garda directing traffic, so learn which set a question is asking about. The Garda right-turn signal is the same as the driver’s.
• A rushed or half-extended arm. The regulations say fully extended. Give each signal slowly and clearly so the tester can see it.

If you are unsure, say what you are about to show before you show it, then do the signal calmly. Practise with your window down and the car stationary, and ask your instructor or sponsor to check that your arm is fully out and steady. A signal the tester cannot see clearly may not count. Repeat the full set once a day in the week before the test, so that your arm moves without you thinking about it.

What about signals during the drive?

During the drive the tester assesses your use of mirrors and signals: a correct signal, in good time, cancelled when done. The marking guidelines also mention misleading signals, such as indicating left too early at a roundabout. The hand signals in this guide belong to the oral part of the test.

How do I learn them quickly?

1. Sit in the driver’s seat and practise each signal with a window down.
2. Say the name of the signal, then give it.
3. Practise the Garda signals the same way, saying “Garda, straight ahead” and so on.
4. Test yourself on a friend, shuffling the order.
5. Repeat the set a few times a week until it is automatic.

Turas has a hand signals deck in its Study decks, so you can drill them away from the car. The plan page shows how decks fit into a countdown to your test date. Add hand signals to your checklist alongside the car checks.