Drivers with learner permits still awaiting their driving test will be relieved that another ten month extension has been added to their validity.
Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton announced this week that the Department is adding a ten month extension to the validity of learner permits due to the Level 5 lockdown.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions in place this year, many drivers with learner permits have been unable to take the driving test since centres began reopening last month, or get the lessons required before they can even make an appointment.
Under Level 5 lockdown restrictions, only essential workers were able to make an appointment for a driving test.
Minister Naughton said that the extension should provide “peace of mind” for learner drivers as they await an opportunity to take their driving test.
“Those who will benefit from this extension don’t need to do anything, our systems will update their records automatically.”
“A new learner permit will not be issued to drivers with the new expiry date, rather the electronic driver record will be updated to reflect the new expiry date,” Hildegarde Naughton said.
The ten month extension is in addition to the eight months which was already granted to learner permits that expired between March 1 and June 30 of last year, and the four months added to those which expired between July 1 and October 31 of 2020.
For example:
- 5 March 2020, the new expiry date is 5 September 2021.
- 5 July 2020, the new expiry date is 5 September 2021.
- 5 December 2020, the new expiry date is 5 October 2021.
This extension does not apply to drivers who have already renewed their permit, when it had an expiration date between March 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021.
Drivers who are affected by the extension are encouraged to check the new expiry date of their learner permit by using the expiry date calculator on www.ndls.ie.
Enter the expiry date printed on your learner permit into the calculator and it will tell you the new expiry date.
