The Irish car and motorbike driver theory test has 40 questions, a 45-minute time limit and a pass mark of 35, and costs €45. Below are short answers to the questions learners ask most, each linked to the official source it came from.
Prepare for the questions with free Irish theory test practice.
Checked against TheoryTest.ie, the RSA, NDLS and Citizens Information on . Published by L-Plate, an independent practice service not affiliated with the RSA. Sources and corrections.
Try 10 free practice questions| Questions (car or motorbike) | 40 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Time allowed | 45 minutes | Source |
| Pass mark | 35 of 40 (87.5%) | Source |
| Fee (car or motorbike) | €45 | Source |
| Arrive before your test | 30 minutes | Source |
| Certificate valid for | 2 years | Source |
| Minimum age from 1 Nov 2026 | 15 | Source |
| Free cancellation notice | 7 calendar days | Source |
The car and motorbike theory test (BW and AM when booking) has 40 multiple-choice questions, and you have 45 minutes to answer them. Questions cover the rules of the road, risk perception, hazard awareness, eco-driving and good driving behaviour. Truck and bus tests are longer: 100 questions in 120 minutes.
Sources: TheoryTest.ie: car or bike test · Citizens Information: driver theory test · checked 10 October 2026
You need 35 correct answers out of 40 to pass the car or motorbike theory test, which is 87.5%, so you can get no more than five questions wrong. The pass or fail result appears on screen when you finish, with a score report listing topics to study further.
Sources: TheoryTest.ie: car or bike test · Citizens Information: driver theory test · checked 10 October 2026
The car or motorbike driver theory test costs €45. Truck or bus tests (categories C or D) cost €72 and the combined CD test costs €84. You pay when you book, by Mastercard, Visa or Revolut card, or by cheque or postal order. Missing the appointment or arriving late loses the fee.
Sources: TheoryTest.ie: car or bike test · TheoryTest.ie FAQs · Citizens Information: driver theory test · checked 10 October 2026
Book online through TheoryTest.ie, the official RSA Driver Theory Test service, or by phone on 0818 606 106. Choose the correct category, enter your full name exactly as it appears on your ID and an Irish address, then pick a test centre and time. Confirmation appears on screen and by email straight away.
Sources: TheoryTest.ie: car or bike test · TheoryTest.ie FAQs · checked 10 October 2026
Bring one original photo ID with a name that exactly matches your booking. Accepted ID includes a passport (up to 12 months expired), an in-date Irish passport card, Public Services Card, EU or EEA national ID card, or a valid Irish learner permit or driving licence. No photocopies or phone photos. Arrive 30 minutes early; without accepted ID you lose the fee.
Sources: TheoryTest.ie ID requirements · TheoryTest.ie FAQs · checked 10 October 2026
Yes: car and motorbike tests are available in Irish, and the car test offers an English voiceover or a voiceover in about 20 other languages. Choose Irish or a voiceover language when you book. With a language voiceover the questions stay in English on screen while the audio plays in your chosen language.
Sources: Citizens Information: driver theory test · TheoryTest.ie test day assistance · TheoryTest.ie FAQs · checked 10 October 2026
You can book a self-service dyslexia option with an English voiceover and an on-screen lexicon, or an English voiceover alone, at any centre. An in-person reader, a recorder who selects answers for you, extra time and Irish Sign Language videos are also available. Request in-person or extra-time support through TheoryTest.ie or 0818 606 106 well before your test.
Sources: TheoryTest.ie test day assistance · Citizens Information: driver theory test · checked 10 October 2026
No: you sit the driver theory test in person at one of about 40 TheoryTest.ie test centres, using a touchscreen or a mouse and keyboard. A short tutorial with two practice questions runs first, and you can skip questions, go back and review every answer before you finish. Online practice tests are for revision only.
Sources: TheoryTest.ie: car or bike test · Citizens Information: driver theory test · checked 10 October 2026
You must be at least 15 to sit the driver theory test on or after 1 November 2026, when the minimum age applies to all test appointments. If you will be under 15 on a test date from then, you must cancel or reschedule. TheoryTest.ie has recommended candidates be at least 15 since 5 May 2026. A pass certificate is valid for two years.
Sources: TheoryTest.ie FAQs · Citizens Information: driver theory test · checked 10 October 2026
Your pass or fail result appears on screen when you finish, and a link to your score report is emailed to you. theorytest.ie says you can only appeal a test result within 10 days of your exam (Citizens Information says 10 working days), so check theorytest.ie for the current rule. A rescore costs €15, refunded if your appeal succeeds.
Sources: TheoryTest.ie FAQs · Citizens Information: driver theory test · checked 10 October 2026
A driver theory test certificate is valid for two years from the date of your test. You must apply for your first learner permit within those two years, or you will need to sit and pay for the theory test again. NDLS checks for a pass in the same category from the previous two years.
Sources: TheoryTest.ie FAQs · NDLS: my first learner permit · checked 10 October 2026
You can book again and there is no limit on the number of attempts, but each sitting costs the full fee. TheoryTest.ie strongly advises leaving at least three complete business days before you resit. Use your score report, which lists the topics recommended for further study, to focus your revision before rebooking.
Sources: TheoryTest.ie FAQs · Citizens Information: driver theory test · checked 10 October 2026
Yes, free of charge if TheoryTest.ie receives your request at least 7 calendar days before the test. Cancelling 3 to 6 days before refunds half the fee, and rescheduling within 6 days costs half the fee. Cancelling within 2 days or missing the test forfeits the whole fee, and you cannot reschedule on the day.
Source: TheoryTest.ie FAQs · checked 10 October 2026
Study the RSA Rules of the Road, which you can view and download free in English or Irish, because theory test questions are based on it and current road traffic law. The RSA also sells official revision material through TheoryTest.ie. Independent practice tests, such as L-Plate’s free test, help you check what you have learned.
Sources: RSA Rules of the Road · Citizens Information: driver theory test · TheoryTest.ie official revision material · checked 10 October 2026
There is no official study period; it depends on how well you already know the Rules of the Road. L-Plate’s practical guidance is to keep practising until you regularly score at least 35 out of 40 on full timed mocks, then revise any topic where you still drop marks before you book or sit the test.
Sources: RSA Rules of the Road · TheoryTest.ie: car or bike test · checked 10 October 2026
Irish warning signs are mostly black-on-yellow diamonds, while regulatory signs are usually circles: red-bordered for restrictions and blue for mandatory directions. STOP is a red octagon and YIELD an inverted triangle. Motorway direction signs are blue, national routes green, regional and local routes white, and temporary roadworks signs orange.
Source: RSA Rules of the Road · checked 10 October 2026
Apply for your first learner permit through NDLS, usually online with a Public Services Card and verified MyGovID. You need a theory pass in the same category from the previous two years, an eyesight or medical report if required, and the €45 fee. A learner permit lets you drive on public roads except motorways, under its conditions.
Source: NDLS: my first learner permit · checked 10 October 2026
You can take a free 10-question Irish theory practice test at l-plate.ie/free-test/ with no signup and an instant score. L-Plate’s questions are independent practice covering the published theory-test topics; they are not the official question bank. Official RSA revision material is sold separately through TheoryTest.ie.
Source: TheoryTest.ie official revision material · checked 10 October 2026
Take 10 free practice questions with an instant score and no signup, then practise by topic or sit a timed 40-question mock. L-Plate questions are independent practice, not the official question bank.
Irish theory test practice: official revision and independent practice