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Driver and Vehicle Testing

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  • A total of 2,866,162 Irish driving licences were held at the end of 2017, of which almost a quarter of one million (246,148) were learner permit licences.

  • Over 125,000 (125,867) driving tests were conducted in 2017 with an average pass rate of 52.9%.

  • Compared with 2016, the number of driving tests conducted in 2017 increased by 10.0%. The number on the waiting list at the end of the year increased by 26.8%, and the average waiting time for a test increased to 13.6 weeks.

  • Almost 1.4 million (1,355,546) cars underwent the National Car Test (NCT) in 2017. Over half (51.5%) failed the initial test, but 94.8% of cars passed after one or more tests.

X-axis labelNumber of applications receivedDriving tests conducted
2012141.309104.302
2013139.381105.259
2014152.078106.989
2015164.204121.918
2016166.149114.399
2017173.054125.867
Table 2.1 Number of current driving licences by type and licensing authority at 31/12/2017
Licensing authorityLearner permit licencesAnnual licencesTriennial licences10 year licencesTotal number of driving licences
Carlow3,6711693,48131,35738,678
Cavan4,4282154,50638,63047,779
Clare5,6043668,32665,12879,424
Cork27,0171,40633,618275,167337,208
Donegal7,30553310,54581,40499,787
Dublin70,3303,24367,980571,549713,102
Galway11,99460815,392132,592160,586
Kerry7,28736210,90179,08597,635
Kildare12,27041410,286111,899134,869
Kilkenny5,4993476,08248,86760,795
Laois4,5953093,99438,71647,614
Leitrim1,5951262,35917,71621,796
Limerick9,18165312,01198,735120,580
Longford2,259942,72620,06025,139
Louth6,5712996,86160,22773,958
Mayo6,2354229,63471,01387,304
Meath9,9053839,93599,738119,961
Monaghan2,9052363,83433,72340,698
Offaly4,2703194,47639,65348,718
Roscommon3,0061945,00634,79943,005
Sligo2,9752764,78135,04143,073
Tipperary9,35457011,55984,413105,896
Waterford6,3272787,78859,34273,735
Westmeath5,1472225,21445,84956,432
Wexford8,58886110,12278,18197,752
Wicklow7,8304398,95273,41790,638
Total246,14813,344280,3692,326,3012,866,162
Source: Road Safety Authority
Table 2.2 Number of current driving licences by type, gender and licensing authority at 31/12/2017
Licensing authority Full licences Learner permit licences
MaleFemaleTotal MaleFemaleTotal
Carlow18,78516,22235,007 1,8161,8553,671
Cavan23,80219,54943,351 2,2322,1964,428
Clare38,25235,56873,820 2,9052,6995,604
Cork165,147145,044310,191 13,92713,09027,017
Donegal49,82142,66192,482 3,8413,4647,305
Dublin343,318299,454642,772 33,86136,46970,330
Galway77,77470,818148,592 6,0735,92111,994
Kerry48,52041,82890,348 3,7073,5807,287
Kildare64,57358,026122,599 5,8826,38812,270
Kilkenny28,93526,36155,296 2,8352,6645,499
Laois23,10819,91143,019 2,2672,3284,595
Leitrim10,9519,25020,201 8077881,595
Limerick59,43251,967111,399 4,6314,5509,181
Longford12,77410,10622,880 1,1071,1522,259
Louth36,18231,20567,387 3,1443,4276,571
Mayo43,52637,54381,069 3,1323,1036,235
Meath57,61452,442110,056 4,8905,0159,905
Monaghan21,09416,69937,793 1,5051,4002,905
Offaly24,32220,12644,448 2,1372,1334,270
Roscommon21,63918,36039,999 1,5501,4563,006
Sligo20,35019,74840,098 1,5571,4182,975
Tipperary51,71544,82796,542 4,8494,5059,354
Waterford35,82331,58567,408 3,2313,0966,327
Westmeath27,63123,65451,285 2,5432,6045,147
Wexford46,39142,77389,164 4,3614,2278,588
Wicklow43,21439,59482,808 3,9963,8347,830
Total1,394,6931,225,3212,620,014 122,786123,362246,148
Source: Road Safety Authority

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Table 2.3 Number of current full driving licences by age and licensing authority at 31/12/2017
Licensing authority Age (years) 
Under 1717 - 2021 - 2425 - 2930 - 3940 - 4950 - 5960 - 6970 - 7980 and overTotal
Carlow04101,3362,7107,9927,9456,3464,7662,66184135,007
Cavan07472,0313,5509,4939,1437,7546,1063,3701,15743,351
Clare01,4053,3445,51714,54316,07613,81810,8316,3671,91973,820
Cork05,19712,74122,80066,40768,51957,18143,65725,3968,293310,191
Donegal01,4964,1307,55519,45419,31216,51913,3918,2592,36692,482
Dublin04,62118,40843,199152,606149,900118,06588,11750,12217,734642,772
Galway01,9375,80811,35233,58033,75026,36220,53811,7353,530148,592
Kerry01,5163,7636,80218,45718,45416,53513,9808,2942,54790,348
Kildare01,7254,5298,39727,58830,84723,06116,3758,0252,052122,599
Kilkenny08952,3244,26911,31811,93810,3508,0084,6771,51755,296
Laois04971,6863,14610,1089,9277,8815,6763,09999943,019
Leitrim03698681,5374,2054,0423,6373,1541,78460520,201
Limerick01,9744,8498,38024,46723,63719,62316,2819,3192,869111,399
Longford03099411,7975,1394,7533,8493,3532,06767222,880
Louth07672,3344,90214,88315,92112,6729,0365,3291,54367,387
Mayo014423,7116,85816,94615,58714,30812,5487,3162,35381,069
Meath01,5204,3747,56623,92527,96120,66714,2347,6812,128110,056
Monaghan06981,8503,2918,3447,5356,6515,4963,00892037,793
Offaly07241,8553,5179,7159,7868,2146,0603,3801,19744,448
Roscommon07191,7603,1108,2047,8297,1406,2353,7141,28839,999
Sligo06511,6833,0318,2947,8627,3786,3383,6791,18240,098
Tipperary01,4754,2317,29519,90119,94117,66914,3728,6343,02496,542
Waterford01,0172,6975,00314,31014,76812,5349,3025,8811,89667,408
Westmeath06992,1943,87511,40911,3399,5097,0483,9241,28851,285
Wexford01,5853,7676,57218,04619,26016,66112,7668,0322,47589,164
Wicklow01,0393,1145,51416,81619,39516,22911,7396,9602,00282,808
Total035,434100,328191,545576,150585,427480,613369,407212,71368,3972,620,014
Source: Road Safety Authority

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Table 2.4 Number of current learner permit licences by age and licensing authority at 31/12/2017
Licensing authority Age (years) 
Under 1717 - 2021 - 2425 - 2930 - 3940 - 4950 - 5960 - 6970 - 7980 and overTotal
Carlow22742681634878419173872873,671
Cavan551,22985160789243720610041104,428
Clare371,5971,0267901,1076122561254595,604
Cork1636,7184,9014,2826,2792,9261,1244651401927,017
Donegal1012,2531,5331,0881,33857723912343107,305
Dublin149,34412,10313,47922,0398,9083,0181,0783163170,330
Galway1132,7892,3301,9892,8141,200462218641511,994
Kerry612,0281,4341,0361,41471235217069117,287
Kildare212,5862,2921,9692,9771,57855821269812,270
Kilkenny661,4481,0058441,1335432831234685,499
Laois371,0478577161,099528181962684,595
Leitrim184223052203151568067931,595
Limerick462,2961,6331,4142,2089423751986099,181
Longford25509413352499273108572032,259
Louth201,2531,2611,1211,5548383591194156,571
Mayo651,8951,2529421,1704932431234486,235
Meath432,4661,8961,4572,1841,1334771746879,905
Monaghan36937589393528243108551422,905
Offaly371,088842659911421193843234,270
Roscommon52806526451615311141752453,006
Sligo33842541459589305124611832,975
Tipperary822,4951,7561,3931,89597144224365129,354
Waterford341,3231,1281,0331,52175933113652106,327
Westmeath321,1549728441,1995702251014735,147
Wexford622,1341,6051,3651,77491242321780168,588
Wicklow261,6791,4181,3331,8059343931825197,830
Total1,30153,08045,15040,87060,73727,70110,8744,6891,512234246,148
Source: Road Safety Authority

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Table 2.5 Number of current driving licences by age and gender at 31/12/2017
AgeFull licence Learner permit licence
MaleFemaleTotal MaleFemaleTotal
Under 17000 1,203981,301
17 - 2022,66212,77235,434 28,19124,88953,080
21 - 2455,37544,953100,328 21,58523,56545,150
25 - 2999,80491,741191,545 20,34620,52440,870
30 - 39293,064283,086576,150 29,88330,85460,737
40 - 49304,332281,095585,427 14,09913,60227,701
50 - 59253,447227,166480,613 5,2665,60810,874
60 - 69203,599165,808369,407 1,7782,9114,689
70 - 79121,42491,289212,713 3681,1441,512
80 and over40,98627,41168,397 67167234
Total1,394,6931,225,3212,620,014 122,786123,362246,148
Source: Road Safety Authority

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Table 2.6 Driving test statistics, 2012 - 2017
     Number and rate
 201220132014201520162017
Number of applications received141,309139,381152,078164,204166,149173,054
Driving tests conducted104,302105,259106,989121,918114,399125,867
Applicant did not attend for appointment18,63219,62121,11822,17921,53619,183
Number on waiting list at end of year40,87929,25236,38238,35131,54940,010
Average waiting time for test at end of year9.3 wks8.3 wks9.3 wks9.6 wks12 wks13.6 wks
Average pass rate52.5%51.8%53.4%54.0%53.7%52.9%
Number of testers employed at end of year104.7103.797.292.292.4103.4
Source: Road Safety Authority

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Table 2.7 Driving test pass rate by gender, 2012 - 2017
   Number and rate
Gender201220132014201520162017
Male56,76556,49158,60767,54064,87070,552
Pass31,67230,95833,22538,57036,96539,476
Fail25,09325,53325,38228,97027,90531,076
% pass55.854.856.757.157.056.0
Female47,53748,76848,38254,37849,52955,315
Pass23,11123,58723,85727,20724,40527,111
Fail24,42625,18124,52527,17125,12428,204
% pass48.648.449.350.049.349.0
     
Total104,302105,259106,989121,918114,399125,867
Source: Road Safety Authority

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Table 2.8 Driving test pass rate by age group, 2012 - 2017
     Number and rate
Age category201220132014201520162017
16 - 21 years
Pass19,03919,65819,46022,55522,44723,373
Fail13,71514,57813,66516,24716,94918,622
Total32,75434,23633,12538,80239,39641,995
% pass58.157.458.758.157.055.7
       
22 - 25 years
Pass10,42110,80711,67913,05911,21312,222
Fail8,3478,9258,8879,9408,91510,036
Total18,76819,73220,56622,99920,12822,258
% pass55.554.856.856.855.754.9
       
26 or over
Pass25,32324,08025,94330,16327,71030,992
Fail27,45727,21127,35529,95427,16530,622
Total52,78051,29153,29860,11754,87561,614
% pass48.046.948.750.250.550.3
Source: Road Safety Authority

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Table 2.9 Number of tests conducted by the driver theory testing service, 2012 - 2017
    Number and rate
 201220132014201520162017
No of tests conducted80,46583,62093,700121,554109,93299,986
% Pass Rate77.277.075.975.272.369.5
Source: Road Safety Authority

   

Table 2.10 Waiting time for driving tests by centre, 2013 - 2017
    Number of weeks
 20132014201520162017
North Leinster
Dundalk7891015
Finglas7881012
Mullingar7991114
Navan7891116
Raheny798812
South Leinster
 Churchtown (opened on 20 January 2016)---1011
Gorey910111513
Naas7881312
Rathgar (closed in January 2016) 789--
Tallaght7891310
Tullamore710101214
Wicklow88111313
West
Athlone911101213
Birr911111419
Castlebar910111113
Clifden811101218
Ennis89111613
Galway8981512
Loughrea99111617
Roscommon89111317
Tuam1011111211
North West
Ballina8810139
Buncrana109111319
Carrick-on-Shannon89111513
Cavan78111217
Donegal1110111219
Letterkenny7891418
Longford119111414
Monaghan910111216
Sligo98111612
South East
Carlow910111516
Clonmel1010111514
Dungarvan910111318
Kilkenny911111514
Nenagh1111111718
Portlaoise1011111316
Thurles118111320
Tipperary911111023
Waterford81091318
Wexford811111119
South West
Cork810111315
Killarney7910912
Kilrush711101310
Limerick8891313
Mallow68111413
Newcastlewest99111515
Shannon7991114
 Skibbereen9981316
 Tralee78101314
Source: Road Safety Authority

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Table 2.11 National car test results by test centre for year ending 31/12/2017
Test centre PassFailPassFailTotalTotal
(initial test)(initial test)(re-test)(re-test)passestests
Abbeyfeale8,2926,7296,05065714,34215,021
Arklow12,18514,04312,2431,25124,42826,228
Athlone7,6299,5358,44084416,06917,164
Ballina7,6718,9778,10664315,77716,648
Ballinasloe7,9636,9656,30549814,26814,928
Cahir12,92615,07313,1331,16826,05927,999
Cahirciveen1,6651,5491,3781163,0433,214
Carlow11,56714,10712,3901,21923,95725,674
Carndonagh3,4153,3703,0683206,4836,785
Carrick-on-Shannon5,9486,6095,92555611,87312,557
Castlerea6,2987,6796,73566313,03313,977
Cavan6,2448,4647,68891013,93214,708
Charleville8,8047,7887,03158515,83516,592
Clifden1,7092,4722,2411893,9504,181
Cork-Blarney20,97722,27319,4252,06040,40243,250
Cork-Little Island34,87132,36330,0492,67064,92067,234
Deansgrange51,47041,63238,3863,50689,85693,102
Derrybeg2,4162,9972,7341525,1505,413
Donegal4,9035,7485,11750810,02010,651
Drogheda17,44717,49415,3081,54832,75534,941
Dundalk9,71511,21710,0991,19419,81420,932
Ennis13,66215,92114,3181,52327,98029,583
Enniscorthy16,44418,41016,3031,57132,74734,854
Fonthill39,88349,86940,7634,59980,64689,752
Galway25,75128,25925,7632,60051,51454,010
Greenhills28,31332,89831,8623,43160,17561,211
Kells14,93916,24314,4281,59129,36731,182
Kilkenny14,58111,17110,60377125,18425,752
Killarney9,9768,6058,05758418,03318,581
Letterkenny9,54610,89910,22496019,77020,445
Limerick24,76325,67024,1662,49048,92950,433
Longford5,6717,7267,03477812,70513,397
Macroom8,3127,3726,61645614,92815,684
Monaghan4,8158,0127,1501,04211,96512,827
Mullingar8,32210,4339,38391617,70518,755
Naas20,74423,33020,3141,93941,05844,074
Nenagh11,06411,32310,12796621,19122,387
Northpoint 128,02932,33128,6853,12456,71460,360
Northpoint 2 41,82747,13343,0424,17284,86988,960
Portlaoise13,00210,9729,82483022,82623,974
Skibbereen7,8317,9527,30353215,13415,783
Sligo8,72710,0989,17371417,90018,825
Tralee11,17710,1649,38785120,56421,341
Tullamore10,1169,6708,92969919,04519,786
Waterford18,61917,65315,3261,52833,94536,272
Westport10,07510,4809,46175319,53620,555
Youghal7,4868,0786,97159614,45715,564
Total657,790697,756627,06361,2731,284,8531,355,546
Source: Road Safety Authority

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