An Irish driver’s license, compared to a Ukrainian one, significantly reduces car insurance costs – almost three times annually. Additionally, having a local license is often a requirement from employers, especially in rural areas.
The process of obtaining a license takes a minimum of 9 months, provided you do everything correctly. Alexander Melnyk shared how to avoid mistakes and speed up all processes.
He arrived in Ireland in March 2022. He didn’t know English, had no driver’s license, and had never driven a car. So, at 48, he had to start from scratch. In job advertisements, he noticed an important detail: almost every posting required a driver’s license. In Irish villages, public transport isn’t always available, and employers want to be sure their workers will arrive at work on time. Alexander concluded: a driver’s license equals employment.
“First, you need to get a learner’s permit,” says Alexander. So, prepare for the theory test. The website theorytest.ie has 788 questions to study. Alexander learned everything independently over four months.
“When you’re convinced you’re ready, register for the exam, choose the language, date, and time. Then you’ll receive a message confirming your appointment. You must pay €45 for this exam during registration,” our hero instructs.
Main stages:
1. Prepare for the test (independently or with courses)
2. Register on theorytest.ie
3. Choose language, date, and time for the exam
4. Pay €45 for the exam
5. Arrive 30 minutes before the exam starts
6. The test consists of 40 questions with 45 minutes to complete
7. You’ll know the results immediately after completion
Alexander gives several tips for taking the theory exam:
“I recommend answering all the questions you know first. Return to difficult questions later. Don’t waste time. There will be 40 questions total. You can quickly answer 30 questions, then have plenty of time for the rest.”
Alexander also emphasizes the importance of choosing the exam language: “Most importantly – clarify which language you’ll take the theory test in. Language choice will be offered during registration. The exam text is in English, but there’s translation available through headphones.”
Getting a Learner’s Permit
This is the next stage after successfully passing the theory test. A learner’s permit allows you to learn driving with an instructor or someone with over 2 years of driving experience.
Main stages:
1. Complete an eye test
2. Provide proof of residence
3. Register on www.ndls.ie
4. Choose document submission date (online or in person)
5. Receive learner’s permit by mail
Practical Training and Exam Preparation
At this stage, Alexander made a mistake he warns others about:
“Make sure to apply for the practical test immediately after receiving your learner’s permit. There must be a minimum of 6 months between getting the learner’s permit and the practical test. But during this time, you can complete 12 mandatory lessons with an instructor. I didn’t apply on time, waited six months, then applied for the practical test, found an instructor – 8 months passed. And then another six months of waiting. I lost a lot of time.”
Main stages:
1. Find an instructor
2. Complete mandatory 12 driving lessons
3. Apply for practical test immediately after receiving learner’s permit
IMPORTANT: If you have a Ukrainian driver’s license, you only need 6 official driving lessons with an instructor, not 12!
Practical Test
It consists of theoretical, oral parts, and a practical driving exam.
The first stage involves the instructor asking simple things, like explaining road signs.
“Before I got in the car, the examiner asked me to open the hood and show where to fill oil, coolant, etc. During driving, he didn’t say anything, only gave commands: ‘stop’, ‘go’, ‘turn around’, etc.,” Alexander recalls.
Alexander also shared an interesting moment from the exam:
“There was one trick: he told me to stop, but it was at a pedestrian crossing. I didn’t listen and drove 15 meters further.”
Main stages:
1. Pay €85 for the exam
2. Exam consists of theoretical (oral) and practical parts
3. Answer examiner’s questions in theoretical part
4. Practical part includes car knowledge check and driving
5. Exam duration – about 40 minutes
Getting a Full Driver’s License
1. After passing the exam successfully, schedule an appointment at NDLS
2. Pay €55 for license production
3. Receive license by mail (usually within 10 days)
Key websites:
– theorytest.ie – for theory test registration
– www.ndls.ie – for learner’s permit and full license
Prices:
– Theory test: €45
– Practical test: €85
– Full license production: €55
– Instructor lesson: approximately €45
Total process duration can range from 9 months to 2 years, depending on your preparation and timely document submission. With proper planning, the entire process can be completed in 8-9 months.