What to bring to your driving test

What do I need to bring to my driving test?

Bring these things to the test centre and have them ready for the tester:

1. Your learner permit. It must be valid, for the category you are testing in, and match your identity. Check the expiry date beside the category on the back.
2. A certificate of motor insurance for the car you are presenting. It can be an original, a copy or a digital copy.
3. A letter or email from your insurer on headed paper, if you are not named on the certificate. It must say you are insured to drive that car.
4. A car in good, roadworthy condition, with the right discs and L-plates (below).
5. Glasses or contact lenses if you need them to drive.
6. Proper shoes.

The tester views your documents and returns them. You can cover other people’s names or personal details on them. You also read and sign a statement confirming the car is roadworthy and the insurance cover is in place and adequate.

What is new since March 2026?

Since 9 March 2026 you must show a valid certificate of motor insurance as well as the insurance disc on the windscreen. In the first weeks, more than a thousand tests did not go ahead over paperwork (reported by RTE). Some posts from that period said phone copies were not accepted. The RSA’s July 2026 checklist says digital copies are acceptable. Read the full list of 2026 changes.

Put the certificate with your permit the night before, and check your name is on it. If it is not, ask the insurer for the headed email or letter.

What must be on the car?

The RSA says these must be clearly displayed and in date:

If a disc is faded, including the green strip, replace it before the test. Learners and instructors say to look at the discs a few days before, not on the morning. See car requirements for the driving test for the full list.

What stops a test going ahead?

The RSA says a high percentage of tests do not go ahead because of:

• An invalid or wrong-category learner permit.
• A fault with the test car.
• Incorrect documents.
• Arriving late.
• Arriving at the wrong time or the wrong centre.

If that happens, you book again and pay the fee again. From 1 November 2026, a test that does not go ahead also does not count as a test taken when you apply for a third or fourth learner permit. See learner permit rules from 1 November 2026.

You can reschedule twice without losing your fee, as long as you give more than 10 days’ notice. Use that if you spot a problem in good time.

Do I bring my own car?

Yes. You provide the car and must be insured to drive it. It must be roadworthy and meet the vehicle requirements. For a car test, the regulations ask for a category B vehicle capable of at least 100 km/h.

A few cases need care:

• Hire cars. Vehicles hired under a hire agreement are not generally insured for a driving test. You need a stamped note from the hire company saying the car was hired with a current Irish learner permit and is insured for a test.
• Cars registered outside the State are not accepted.
• Left-hand drive cars are fine if registered in Ireland with all valid documents.
• Instructor’s car. A common choice, and it comes with the paperwork in order.
• Airbag recalls. The RSA says not to use a Citroën C3 (2008 to 2017) or DS 3 (2009 to 2019) covered by the airbag recall. Use another car, reschedule, or show proof of repair.

What should I leave out of the car?

Loose objects such as bottles, cans and clothes must be removed or secured. Do not smoke or vape in the car beforehand. Remove or switch off any recording equipment. Keep the seats reasonably clean and dry. Only the tester can sit in the car with you.

What else is worth taking?

These are not on the RSA list but learners say they help:

• A bottle of water for the waiting room.
• A copy of your booking confirmation with the address and time.
• Your insurance certificate saved on your phone as a backup to the printed copy.

Arrive at least 10 minutes before your appointment and wait inside. Do not wait in the car.

How can I check the car the day before?

Walk round the car. Check the discs, L-plates, tyres and lights. Start the engine and look at the dashboard: any warning light that shows before or during the test leads to the test not going ahead or being cut short. The full routine is in the driving test checklist, and the quiz at pre-test checks tests what you remember.

Turas has spoken routes around more than 50 test centres, so once the paperwork is sorted you can practise the drive itself. Browse the centre list.