The Day of The Driving Test

It is important to prepare correctly for your driving test by getting some proper Pretest Driving Lessons with an approved driving instructor. What occurs on the day of the driving test is outlined below and should be explained by your driving instructor during your pretest driving lessons. 

From March 27th 2023 driving tests will no longer be carried out without an up to date NCT disc.

Prior to this vehicles whose NCT was expired by less than 3 months and with a confirmed NCT booking were being brought out on test, this is now no longer the case.

You should ensure that you arrive at the driving test centre in plenty of time and have yourself reverse parked in one of the parking spaces about 15 minutes before the scheduled test time.

From 01/02/2013 it is no longer necessary to produce your EDT Logbook for the driver tester to examine but if you were required to complete the EDT programme bring your logbook (if you have it) with you and keep it in the car.

The wearing of a facemask is no longer a requirement on a driving test however you can bring and use your own mask if you wish.

Go into the waiting area at least 10 minutes before your driving test time. There is no requirement to report to anyone once you arrive, the driver tester that is assigned to you will come to the waiting area and call your name once they are ready for you.

The driver tester will bring you into another room where your learners permit is inspected and details recorded from it. You will then be given a form to read and sign, this is for you to confirm that you are who you say you are and are compliant with the requirements for the test – https://edtdrivinglessonscork.ie/things-you-must-comply-with/ . They will then ask you a number of questions and ask you to identify some road signs from the rules of the road book. Rules of the road

After this you will be accompanied to your vehicle where some Technical Checks will be conducted.  https://edtdrivinglessonscork.ie/technical-checks/ .

You will then sit in your vehicle while the driving tester checks your Tax , Insurance (the green strip on the side of the insurance must be present) and Nct discs (if applicable). They will also check for “L” plates and inspect your tyres. Your indicators, front and rear, and your brake lights will also be inspected. If there are issues with any of the aforementioned the driving test will not be conducted.

When this has been done the driving tester will sit in the vehicle alongside you and ask you to demonstrate some of the Secondary Controls. These include items such as lights, wipers, demister, horn, etc…… 

They will then give you instructions on how they wish to conduct the test. You will be advised to drive away as you normally would and that you will be given all instructions in plenty of time. If you approach a junction and don’t get any instruction you are to follow the course of the road you are on. If you don’t understand or are unclear about any instruction feel free to ask the tester to repeat it.

The practical part of the driving test averages about 30 minutes. Depending on the amount of traffic, the time of day or where you are brought the driving time may vary slightly.

Over the course of the test you will be asked to carry out 3 manoeuvres.
A hill take off, a turnabout (3 point turn) and a reverse around a corner.

Hand signals are asked to be demonstrated while you are stopped for one of the manoeuvres, usually once parked up after completing the turnabout manoeuvre.

When you return to the test centre the driving tester will indicate to you where to park your vehicle. Usually you are asked to drive forward into a parking space but occasionally people are asked to reverse into a space. You will then accompany the tester back into the building where the result of the test will be given to you.