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Driver and Vehicle Testing

This publication has been compiled during the COVID-19 crisis. The results contained in this publication reflect some of the economic impacts of the COVID-19 situation.

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  • A total of 3,089,212 Irish driving licences were held at the end of 2020, of which less than ten percent (8.3%) were learner permit licences.
  • There were 87,580 driving tests conducted in 2020 with an average pass rate of 55.0%.
  • Compared with 2019, the number of driving tests conducted in 2020 decreased by 53.0%.
  • Over one million (1,006,983) cars underwent the National Car Test (NCT) in 2020. More than four out of every ten (43.7%) of those cars failed the initial test, but 92.3% passed after one or more tests.
X-axis labelNumber of applications receivedDriving tests conducted
2015164.204121.918
2016166.149114.399
2017173.054125.867
2018169.237136.316
2019201.987186.379
2020153.35787.58
Table 2.1 Number of current driving licences by type and licensing authority at 31/12/2020
Licensing authorityLearner permit licencesAnnual licencesTriennial licences10 year licencesTotal number of driving licences
Carlow3,7481114,39033,41541,664
Cavan4,1821735,59142,58152,527
Clare5,93731210,22067,99784,466
Cork27,0521,08340,810292,068361,013
Donegal7,66143012,92987,081108,101
Dublin74,0562,56280,429606,859763,906
Galway13,45641218,814140,851173,533
Kerry7,28027313,31583,575104,443
Kildare12,90030613,226122,395148,827
Kilkenny5,2202387,37451,95464,786
Laois4,7031845,05141,70251,640
Leitrim1,6091122,99319,15423,868
Limerick9,58353914,782102,987127,891
Longford2,431823,40121,77327,687
Louth7,0342288,40965,88081,551
Mayo6,39830811,95575,29293,953
Meath11,01632812,441109,140132,925
Monaghan2,6521604,82536,15943,796
Offaly4,2182245,49942,06152,002
Roscommon3,3462296,05536,90846,538
Sligo3,2031815,99136,65246,027
Tipperary9,18052813,66489,722113,094
Waterford6,6012969,12363,28479,304
Westmeath5,4091946,40749,45061,460
Wexford8,36465012,52384,802106,339
Wicklow7,90336710,98178,62097,871
Total255,14210,510341,1982,482,3623,089,212
Source: Road Safety Authority
Table 2.2 Number of current driving licences by type, gender and licensing authority at 31/12/2020
Licensing authority Full licences Learner permit licences
MaleFemaleTotal MaleFemaleTotal
Carlow20,47817,43837,916 1,9541,7943,748
Cavan26,48821,85748,345 2,1452,0374,182
Clare40,72737,80278,529 3,0252,9125,937
Cork177,777156,184333,961 13,60313,44927,052
Donegal54,07746,363100,440 3,8843,7777,661
Dublin367,852321,998689,850 36,27837,77874,056
Galway84,13875,939160,077 6,9776,47913,456
Kerry52,04945,11497,163 3,7203,5607,280
Kildare71,70864,219135,927 6,4486,45212,900
Kilkenny31,40828,15859,566 2,5992,6215,220
Laois25,37221,56546,937 2,3482,3554,703
Leitrim12,04710,21222,259 8147951,609
Limerick63,14055,168118,308 4,9094,6749,583
Longford14,11011,14625,256 1,1761,2552,431
Louth40,00334,51474,517 3,4423,5927,034
Mayo46,96940,58687,555 3,2433,1556,398
Meath64,14657,763121,909 5,5735,44311,016
Monaghan22,62218,52241,144 1,4341,2182,652
Offaly26,09621,68847,784 2,1092,1094,218
Roscommon23,35619,83643,192 1,7221,6243,346
Sligo22,02120,80342,824 1,6681,5353,203
Tipperary55,88248,032103,914 4,6154,5659,180
Waterford38,55234,15172,703 3,3533,2486,601
Westmeath30,20025,85156,051 2,6332,7765,409
Wexford51,27946,69697,975 4,3294,0358,364
Wicklow46,98542,98389,968 3,9413,9627,903
Total1,509,4821,324,5882,834,070 127,942127,200255,142
Source: Road Safety Authority
Table 2.3 Number of current full driving licences by age and licensing authority at 31/12/2020
Licensing authority Age (years) 
Under 1717 - 2021 - 2425 - 2930 - 3940 - 4950 - 5960 - 6970 - 7980 and overTotal
Carlow04621,4522,5557,6668,9207,2355,4413,1031,08237,916
Cavan08632,4073,5359,68310,3809,0097,0733,9911,40448,345
Clare01,2583,6215,44813,71316,94815,46412,1407,4952,44278,529
Cork05,40914,00822,17564,07275,35264,55048,93229,36310,100333,961
Donegal01,7024,4467,08719,23821,23619,11615,1069,4253,084100,440
Dublin04,45719,09941,712148,918168,302131,05597,95756,83221,518689,850
Galway02,1276,27110,74831,95737,09630,20723,48313,7104,478160,077
Kerry01,6254,2546,44417,49320,12918,60815,8509,6653,09597,163
Kildare01,8675,3878,77026,83034,56627,20018,66910,0622,576135,927
Kilkenny01,0022,5784,05210,94013,10211,5269,1655,3621,83959,566
Laois05891,8393,0899,64011,1779,0866,7033,5991,21546,937
Leitrim03899311,4854,0824,6594,0953,7312,15573222,259
Limerick01,9085,2358,21423,17525,92221,69817,75510,8323,569118,308
Longford03471,0271,7245,0365,4944,6173,7492,42683625,256
Louth08622,7904,81314,80517,67714,97410,4376,1392,02074,517
Mayo01,4203,8826,30016,80717,14216,16214,1878,8052,85087,555
Meath01,4965,0337,85823,22931,03724,77316,4979,2592,727121,909
Monaghan07962,1033,1798,3048,6537,3786,0583,5301,14341,144
Offaly07542,1793,3649,32110,6629,1826,9603,9351,42747,784
Roscommon06811,7802,9227,9608,6938,0967,2004,2751,58543,192
Sligo06321,7852,8127,9978,7098,0127,0764,3341,46742,824
Tipperary01,5694,6317,23119,05121,70320,06316,2539,7903,623103,914
Waterford01,0392,9204,82013,67516,31214,28910,7346,5932,32172,703
Westmeath07052,3603,95411,26812,52010,8798,1654,5891,61156,051
Wexford01,6024,3416,68117,64621,17519,36214,8389,2443,08697,975
Wicklow01,0463,2445,57016,14121,34718,48113,4198,1252,59589,968
Total036,607109,603186,542558,647648,913545,117417,578246,63884,4252,834,070
Source: Road Safety Authority
Table 2.4 Number of current learner permit licences by age and licensing authority at 31/12/2020
Licensing authority Age (years) 
Under 1717 - 2021 - 2425 - 2930 - 3940 - 4950 - 5960 - 6970 - 7980 and overTotal
Carlow26896743553760446216742773,748
Cavan551,224838568737436174984664,182
Clare341,8501,1587971,03759929611241135,937
Cork1567,2545,1754,2235,6792,7991,1614371482027,052
Donegal802,5511,6631,1421,2125932661103687,661
Dublin2011,30413,65214,07421,4298,9573,2621,0123014574,056
Galway983,4862,6662,1712,8611,336524223761513,456
Kerry702,0781,4381,0591,34869036116854147,280
Kildare313,3512,5621,9442,6711,42063719782512,900
Kilkenny611,5159527779645322471174695,220
Laois331,221999683941518193812864,703
Leitrim2550930820027614575521721,609
Limerick412,5361,8171,5012,0569804061736679,583
Longford23658459377447252126622432,431
Louth211,6601,4681,0701,5018263441073437,034
Mayo622,0651,3519131,0955142251204766,398
Meath512,9992,3141,5552,0701,26252118255711,016
Monaghan43886521345466227104461222,652
Offaly401,208900587759416189882564,218
Roscommon40979713442605311140832673,346
Sligo38858679488601322125672323,203
Tipperary562,5721,8001,3241,75692844520780129,180
Waterford211,6201,2141,0101,4117903511324486,601
Westmeath321,3371,1327991,118580265994165,409
Wexford642,2171,6331,2211,61788743919875138,364
Wicklow221,9161,5291,2201,6589623931524297,903
Total1,24360,75049,68441,04357,07527,72811,4854,3971,496241255,142
Source: Road Safety Authority
Table 2.5 Number of current driving licences by age and gender at 31/12/2020
AgeFull licence Learner permit licence
MaleFemaleTotal MaleFemaleTotal
Under 17000 1,1351081,243
17 - 2022,41214,19536,607 30,67530,07560,750
21 - 2460,60648,997109,603 23,42126,26349,684
25 - 2997,16389,379186,542 20,52820,51541,043
30 - 39285,590273,057558,647 28,97028,10557,075
40 - 49336,851312,062648,913 14,70213,02627,728
50 - 59290,252254,865545,117 6,1795,30611,485
60 - 69229,189188,389417,578 1,8512,5464,397
70 - 79138,172108,466246,638 4191,0771,496
80 and over49,24735,17884,425 62179241
Total1,509,4821,324,5882,834,070 127,942127,200255,142
Source: Road Safety Authority
Table 2.6 Driving test statistics, 2015 - 2020
     Number and rate
 201520162017201820192020
Number of applications received164,204166,149173,054169,237201,987153,357
Driving tests conducted121,918114,399125,867136,316186,37987,580
Applicant did not attend for appointment22,17921,53619,18315,52324,4728,925
Number on waiting list at end of year38,35131,54940,01031,7497,73853,204
Average waiting time for test at end of year19.6 wks12 wks13.6 wks11.4 wks5.5 wks..
       
Average pass rate54.0%53.7%52.9%52.5%53.9%55.0%
Number of testers employed at end of year92.292.4103.4137.2145136
Source: Road Safety Authority
1 Data for 2020 is not available
Table 2.7 Driving test pass rate by gender, 2015- 2020
   Number and rate
Gender201520162017201820192020
Male67,54064,87070,55274,54098,49348,887
Pass38,57036,96539,47641,63555,87628,061
Fail28,97027,90531,07632,90542,61720,826
% pass57.157.056.055.956.757.4
       
Female54,37849,52955,31561,77687,88638,693
Pass27,20724,40527,11129,92144,61420,141
Fail27,17125,12428,20431,85543,27218,552
% pass50.049.349.048.450.852.1
       
Total121,918114,399125,867136,316186,37987,580
Source: Road Safety Authority
Table 2.8 Driving test pass rate by age group, 2015 - 2020
     Number and rate
Age category201520162017201820192020
16 - 21 years      
Pass22,55522,44723,37324,53533,25319,274
Fail16,24716,94918,62219,79425,02514,150
Total38,80239,39641,99544,32958,27833,424
% pass58.157.055.755.357.157.7
       
22 - 25 years      
Pass13,05911,21312,22213,10617,3898,952
Fail9,9408,91510,03611,05514,1487,283
Total22,99920,12822,25824,16131,53716,235
% pass56.855.754.954.255.155.1
       
26 or over      
Pass30,16327,71030,99233,91549,84819,976
Fail29,95427,16530,62233,91146,71617,945
Total60,11754,87561,61467,82696,56437,921
% pass50.250.550.350.051.652.7
Source: Road Safety Authority
Table 2.9 Number of tests conducted by the driver theory testing service, 2015- 2020
    Number and rate
 201520162017201820192020
No of tests conducted121,554109,93299,986141,843177,149111,101
% Pass Rate75.272.369.565.567.876.2
Source: Road Safety Authority
Table 2.10 Waiting time for driving tests by centre, 2015 - 2020
     Number of weeks
 2015201620172018201920201
North Leinster
Dundalk9101595..
Finglas8101285..
Mulhuddart ---86..
Mullingar9111495..
Navan9111695..
Raheny881295..
South Leinster
 Churchtown (opened on 20 January 2016)-1011145..
 Dun Laoighaire/Deansgrange (opened 2019)----6..
Gorey111513187..
 Naas8131287..
Rathgar (closed in January 2016) 9----..
 Tallaght9131095..
Tullamore101214106..
Wicklow111313156..
West
Athlone101213106..
Birr111419115..
Castlebar11111385..
Clifden101218126..
Ennis111613185..
Galway81512125..
Loughrea111617165..
Roscommon111317135..
Tuam111211106..
North West
Ballina10139117..
Buncrana111319106..
Carrick-on-Shannon11151385..
Cavan11121796..
Donegal111219105..
Letterkenny9141895..
Longford111414115..
Monaghan11121695..
Sligo11161265..
South East
Carlow11151689..
Clonmel111514156..
Dungarvan111318135..
Kilkenny111514146..
Nenagh111718137..
Portlaoise11131695..
Thurles111320205..
Tipperary111023185..
Waterford9131875..
Wexford111119105..
South West
Cork111315175..
Killarney10912126..
Kilrush1013102010..
Limerick91313136..
Mallow111413185..
Newcastlewest111515165..
Shannon91114185..
 Skibbereen81316176..
 Tralee101314155..
Source: Road Safety Authority
1 Data for 2020 is not available
Table 2.11 National car test results by test centre for year ending 31/12/2020
Test centre PassFailPassFailTotalTotal
(initial test)(initial test)(re-test)(re-test)passestests
Abbeyfeale5,1116,3535,4261,50510,53711,464
Arklow6,95312,1708,5402,97715,49319,123
Athlone8,8776,9577,7631,38116,64015,834
Ballina7,3707,2017,30491014,67414,571
Ballinasloe7,4004,7775,56071212,96012,177
Cahir6,94612,2028,6372,88115,58319,148
Cahirciveen9181,2029562501,8742,120
Carlow5,79613,9949,8633,50815,65919,790
Carndonagh1,4873,1832,2597993,7464,670
Carrick-on-Shannon3,4226,0264,9811,4098,4039,448
Castlerea3,2846,9355,2861,5218,57010,219
Cavan2,7467,0785,6512,3878,3979,824
Charleville4,9036,4755,2941,58110,19711,378
Clifden1,1102,1211,6453992,7553,231
Cork-Blarney16,65921,44516,3374,33432,99638,104
Cork-Little Island25,71021,98123,7293,25349,43947,691
Deansgrange36,05633,49434,0285,17270,08469,550
Derrybeg1,8372,8532,2234794,0604,690
Donegal3,0084,7153,6931,0216,7017,723
Drogheda10,11716,54712,7293,73422,84626,664
Dundalk5,8529,4517,5332,30913,38515,303
Ennis8,82513,90811,0273,46519,85222,733
Enniscorthy11,85914,80714,7702,42026,62926,666
Fonthill25,94735,44930,3756,17156,32261,396
Galway17,70220,97819,5393,51437,24138,680
Greenhills15,21626,66719,4705,11634,68641,883
Kells9,28213,78911,6823,46520,96423,071
Kilkenny8,69710,5238,8062,32117,50319,220
Killarney7,8457,0197,76090515,60514,864
Letterkenny8,2798,8249,0631,53817,34217,103
Limerick18,89522,49321,2184,29540,11341,388
Longford3,3845,7355,1721,6578,5569,119
Macroom4,5266,7375,1471,2359,67311,263
Monaghan3,0116,0745,3221,9088,3339,085
Mullingar5,5468,3736,0511,83311,59713,919
Naas14,20322,15416,8454,94231,04836,357
Nenagh6,70910,1977,2312,26313,94016,906
Northpoint 116,95625,13921,2614,57138,21742,095
Northpoint 2 29,99029,54330,3594,59260,34959,533
Portlaoise8,9569,2777,2611,71916,21718,233
Skibbereen6,0386,9077,03881813,07612,945
Sligo4,6017,9816,4021,87111,00312,582
Tralee7,3119,8667,7192,20515,03017,177
Tullamore6,6338,3476,0591,50112,69214,980
Waterford13,25713,92713,1882,04726,44527,184
Westport5,9218,4346,6851,74112,60614,355
Youghal4,5626,9625,2621,4729,82411,524
Total439,713567,270490,149112,107929,8621,006,983
Source: Road Safety Authority

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