TEN MONTHS ARE set to be added to the expiry date of some driving licences due to expire between now and the end of October.

The extension will apply to driving licences expiring from yesterday, 1 July, to 31 October 2021 with ten months added to the expiry date in cases where the driving licence has not benefited from an extension previously.

The move comes as the European Union and national governments take steps in response to the disruption caused by Covid-19 to driver licensing services across the EU.

The expiry date of an Irish driving licence is visible opposite item 4(b) on the licence. If this date is between 1 July 2021 and 31 October 2021 then the extension of ten months will be applied.

If you are a driver who has benefited from previous extensions and the new renewal date is due, you must renew it with the NDLS.

Drivers can check the status of their licence renewal date on the NDLS website.

Drivers who have been granted this new extension and who have already booked an appointment at an NDLS centre to renew their licence are being asked to cancel the appointment to make it available for others who need it.

Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton said the extension to driving licences “will address the concerns that drivers have in renewing their licence”.

“Demand for the service is expected to be strong over the coming months as licences and permits previously extended expire and need to be renewed. Increased demand for a first learner permit, as a result of the resumption of the driver theory test service will also place extra demand on the service,” Naughton said in a statement.