NEW REGULATIONS AROUND the renewal of learner driver permits will come into force on Sunday.

As part of the new rules, learner drivers who have held a permit for four years will now have to sit a driving test before their permit can be renewed.

Meanwhile, learner drivers applying for a third or fourth permit will have to have taken a driving test within the previous two years.

This means that anyone who reaches the end of a fourth learner permit without obtaining a full driving licence will have to start the learning process again.

In addition to this, learners who have not passed a driving test within seven years must begin the learning to drive process again.

For learners in category B, which includes cars and light vans, this process is made up of: a theory test; obtaining a learner permit; taking 12 Essential Driver Training lessons; and sitting a practical test.

Data from the Road Safety Authority shows that more than one in five holders of category B learner permits have renewed their permits three or more times.

In 2025, almost 60% of this group had yet to sit a driving test, representing approximately 38,000 people.

Learners currently can renew their permits multiple times by simply booking a driving test, meaning they could be on the road for years without having sat the test.

A Department of Transport spokesperson said the new regulations, which were first announced in November 2025, are part of government efforts to “make roads safer for all road users”.

The spokesperson added that the regulations are “intended to encourage learner drivers to become fully qualified and licenced, increasing road safety”.

Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien described the new regulations as a “key action” in the aim to reduce the number of road deaths and serious injury by half by 2030, and in achieving Vision Zero (no road deaths or serious injuries) by 2050.

O’Brien said that “encouraging learner drivers to complete the learning to drive process and meet the required standard to pass a driving test leads to safer roads for us all”.

Meanwhile, Minister of State with responsibility for road safety, Séan Canney, noted that a “learner permit is not a driving licence”.

“It permits people to drive on public roads when accompanied by an experienced, qualified driver, to gain the experience necessary to drive independently,” said Canney.

“Until a learner completes the learning to drive process and meets the required standard to pass a driving test, they cannot be judged safe to drive unaccompanied on public roads.”

He added that the lead time to enforcing the new regulations “allowed for a national awareness campaign to take place, and for affected learner drivers to understand the new requirements and plan accordingly”.

Elsewhere, Minister of State with responsibility for rural transport, Jerry Buttimer, remarked that it is “vital that learner drivers complete the learning process and are discouraged from holding learner permits without ever taking a driving test”.

‘Responsibility on RSA’

Meanwhile, Fine Gael TD Michael Murphy has called on the RSA to ensure “timely access to driving tests as tougher rules for learner drivers come into effect”.

Murphy is the chair of the Oireachtas Transport Committee and said there is a “responsibility on the RSA to make sure it has enough testers and appointments available, particularly for people who are making a genuine effort to complete the process”.

“We cannot place additional requirements on learner drivers without also ensuring that they have a fair opportunity to sit their test,” he added.

However, Murphy said the changes are “necessary to ensure learner permits are being used as intended”.

He noted that a “learner permit is not meant to be a permanent alternative to a full driving licence”.

“Allowing permits to be renewed indefinitely does not help road safety and is unfair to those who have gone through the process properly,” said Murphy.

He also warned that the “new rules would only work if the RSA has enough capacity to meet demand for driving tests”.

“This is especially important in rural areas, where having access to a car can be vital for getting to work, attending college and managing family and other social commitments.

“I want to see what steps are being taken to increase capacity, reduce waiting times and support people who have applied for a test but cannot secure an appointment before their learner permit expires.”