Licence Categories
| Category | Vehicle type | Minimum age* |
|---|---|---|
| AM | Mopeds and Light quadricycles. | 16 years |
| A1 | Motorcycles with an engine capacity not exceeding 125 cubic centimetres, with a power rating not exceeding 11 kW and with a power to weight ratio not exceeding 0.1 kW/kg. Motor tricycles with a power rating not exceeding 15 kW. | 16 years |
| A2 | Motorcycles with a power rating not exceeding 35 kW, with a power to weight ratio not exceeding 0.2 kW/kg and not derived from a vehicle of more than double its power. | 18 years |
| A | Motorcycles. | 24 years or 20 with progressive access |
| A | Motor tricycles. | 21 years |
| B |
Vehicles (other than motorcycles, mopeds, work vehicles or land tractors) having a MAM1 not exceeding 3,500 kg. having passenger accommodation for not more than 8 persons and where the MAM1 of the trailer is not greater than 750 kg. or where the combined MAM1 of the towing vehicle and the trailer does not exceed 3,500 kg. Alternatively fuelled vehicles with a MAM1 exceeding 3,500 kg. but not exceeding 4,250 kg. for the transport of goods operating without a trailer by holders of a category B driving licence which was issued at least two years before, provided that the mass in excess of 3,500 kg. is due exclusively to the excess of mass of the propulsion system in relation to the propulsion system of a vehicle of the same dimensions, which is equipped with a conventional internal combustion engine with positive ignition or compression ignition, and provided that the cargo capacity is not increased in relation to the same vehicle. A licence with code 96 permits the combination of drawing vehicle and trailer where the MAM1 of the trailer may exceed 750 kg and where the MAM1 of the towing vehicle and trailer combined does not exceed 4,250 kg. Quadricycles (other than those covered by AM) are covered by this category. |
17 years Must hold Category B for 2 years |
| BE | Combination of drawing vehicles in category B and trailer where the MAM¹ of the trailer is not greater than 3,500 kg. | 17 years |
| W | Work vehicles and land tractor with or without a trailer. | 16 years |
| C | Vehicles (other than work vehicles or land tractors) having a MAM¹ exceeding 3,500 kg, designed and constructed for the carriage of no more than eight passengers in addition to the driver and where the MAM¹ of the trailer is not greater than 750 kg. | 21 years or 18 with CPC |
| CE | Combination of drawing vehicles in category C and trailer where the MAM¹ of the trailer is greater than 750 kg. | 21 years or 18 with CPC |
| C1 | Vehicles in category C having a MAM¹ weight not exceeding 7,500 kg, designed and constructed for the carriage of no more than eight passengers in addition to the driver and where the MAM¹ of the trailer is not greater than 750 kg | 18 years |
| C1E |
|
18 years |
| D | Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of more than eight passengers in addition to the driver and where the MAM¹ of the trailer is not greater than 750 kg. | 24 years or 21 years with CPC |
| DE | Combination of drawing vehicles in category D and trailer where the MAM¹ of the trailer is greater than 750 kg. | 24 years or 21 years with CPC |
| D1 | Vehicles in category D designed and constructed for the carriage of not more than sixteen passengers in addition to the driver with a maximum length not exceeding 8 metres and where the MAM¹ of the trailer is not greater than 750 kg. | 21 years |
| D1E | Combination of drawing vehicles in category D1 and trailer where the MAM¹ of the trailer is greater than 750 kg. | 21 years |
Minimum age*:
This refers to minimum age at which you can hold a learner permit in that category
Note:
"Passenger accommodation" means seating accommodation for passengers in addition to the driver.
MAM¹ (Maximum Authorised Mass). Manufacturers generally refer to it as design gross vehicle weight (d.g.v.w.) and it is usually displayed on a metal plate attached to the vehicle by the manufacturer.
Important
Tricycle: Where a person had an entitlement to the category B full licence prior to 19 January 2013 that also covered them to ride tricycles. They still retain that entitlement. All first full licences issued for the category B from 19 January 2013 would not have this entitlement and therefore they must take out the appropriate bike category to ride a trike. The appropriate bike category will depend on the cubic capacity of the tricycle.
Moped: Where a person was issued the category B full licence prior to 21 October 2006 that also covered them to ride mopeds and therefore are entitled to the moped category AM provided the category B licence has not expired for more than 10 years.
Licence Codes
Some driving licences or learner permits will have codes noted under Column 12 on the card licence or permit. Codes generally set out information that restrict the use of the licence or permit or place an obligation on the driver. In some cases the codes will result from the outcome of a medical examination, or as a result of an adapted vehicle presented for a driving test, or perhaps, because the driver held a foreign licence with restrictions that must now be placed on an Irish licence having exchanged the foreign licence
Some new codes were introduced from 1 January 2017, including codes 61, 62(30), and 64(80) which allows for a driver to be restricted to driving in daylight hours, driving within a particular radius or within a particular speed. It is intended that these options would provide an alternative to being forced to stop driving completely because of medical circumstances. If you hold a licence or permit and medical or other circumstances mean that one of the codes become relevant to your situation eg. following a crash you need to drive a vehicle with an adaption, you should contact the NDLS for advice on next steps.
The table below sets out details of the codes and what they mean for a particular driver.
| Code Reference | Details of Restriction |
|---|---|
| 01 | Sight correction and/or protection |
| 02 | Must wear hearing aid/communication aid |
| 03 | Prosthesis/orthosis for the limbs |
| 10 | Modified transmission |
| 15 | Modified clutch |
| 20 | Modified braking system |
| 25 | Modified accelerator system |
| 30 | Modified combined braking and accelerator system |
| 31 | Pedal adaptations and pedal safeguards |
| 32 | Combined service brake and accelerator systems |
| 33 | Combined service brake, accelerator and steering systems |
| 35 | Modified control layouts |
| 40 | Modified steering |
| 42 | Modified rear/side view devices |
| 43 | Modified driving seating position |
| 44.01 | Motorcycle with single operated brake |
| 44.02 | Motorcycle with adapted front wheel brake |
| 44.03 | Motorcycle with adapted rear wheel brake |
| 44.04 | Motorcycle with adapted accelerator |
| 44.05 | Motorcycle with adjusted manual transmission and manual clutch |
| 44.06 | Motorcycle with adjusted rear-view mirror(s) |
| 44.07 | Motorcycle with adjusted commands direction indicators, braking light |
| 44.08 | Motorcycle with seat height allowing the driver, in sitting position, to have two feet on the surface at the same time and balance the motorcycle during stopping and standing |
| 44.09 | Maximum operation force of front wheel brake … N (*) |
| 44.10 | Maximum operation force of rear wheel brake … N (*) |
| 44.11 | Adapted foot-rest |
| 44.12 | Adapted hand grip |
| 45 | Motorcycle with sidecar only |
| 46 | Tricycles only |
| 47 | Restricted to vehicles of more than two wheels not requiring balance by the driver for starting, stopping and standing |
| 50 | Restricted to a specific vehicle/chassis number (vehicle identification number, VIN) |
| 61 | Limited to day time journeys one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset |
| 62 (30) | Limited to journeys within a radius of 30 km from holder’s place of residence. |
| 64 (80) | Limited to journeys with a speed not greater than 80 km/h |
| 70 | Exchange of recognised driving licence |
| 71 | Duplicate licence |
| 73 | Restricted to category B vehicles of the motor quadricycle type (B1) |
| 78 | Restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission |
| 79 | Restricted to vehicles which comply with the specifications indicated in brackets |
| 79.01 | Restricted to two-wheel vehicles with or without side-car |
| 79.02 | Restricted to category AM vehicles of the three-wheel or light quadricycle type |
| 79.03 | Restricted to tricycles |
| 79.04 | Restricted to tricycles combined with a trailer having a maximum authorised mass not exceeding 750 kg |
| 79.05 | Category A1 motorcycle with a power/weight ratio above 0.1 kW/kg |
| 79.06 | Category BE vehicle where the maximum authorized mass of the trailer exceeds 3500 kg |
| 80 | Restricted to category A vehicle tricycles until reaches age of 24 years |
| 81 | Restricted to category A vehicle of the two-wheel motorcycle type until reaches age of 21 years |
| 96 | Category B vehicles combined with a trailer with a maximum authorized mass exceeding 750 kg where the maximum authorized mass of such combination exceeds 3 500 kg but does not exceed 4,250 kg |
| 97 | Not authorised to drive a category C1 vehicle where use of a tachograph is required. |
| 100 | Restricted to vehicles adapted to suit disability of licencee |
| 101 | Renewal subject to submission of a valid medical report |
| 102 | Diplomatic licence |
| 109 | Learner permit is valid for two months from date of issue |
| 115 | Organ donor |
| 991 | Holders of Learner Permits in categories A1, A2, AM, A, W and B must wait for 6 months before taking the driving test |
| 992 |
Second Learner Permit in category |
| 993 |
Third or subsequent Learner Permit in category |
| 999 |
Must be accompanied by qualified driver |