Irish Driver Theory Test: Format, Pass Mark and How to Prepare

The Irish Driver Theory Test (DTT) is a computer-based multiple-choice test you must pass before applying for your first learner permit. For a car, it has 40 questions in 45 minutes and you need 35 correct (87.5%) to pass. It costs €45, is run by Prometric on behalf of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) at test centres around the country, and your pass certificate is valid for two years. From 1 November 2026, you can sit it from age 15.

Here's what to expect and how to prepare, as of 2026.

Format at a glance

The car test is called BW because cars (B) share it with tractors and work vehicles (W).

What the test covers

The RSA lists the test topics as:

• Rules of the Road
• Risk perception
• Eco-driving
• Hazard awareness
• Safe driving behaviour

There's no separate hazard perception video test in Ireland, unlike the UK. Hazard awareness and risk perception are tested through the multiple-choice questions.

Questions are drawn at random from the official question bank. The bank and official revision material were last refreshed in 2024.

On the day

• Bring the identification theorytest.ie asks for and arrive in good time.
• A short practice session runs before the test starts.
• During the test you can skip, flag and return to questions, change your answers and finish early.
• Your result appears on screen. The emailed score report shows the category areas where you got answers right or wrong, but not feedback on individual questions.

Languages and support

The test is available in English and Irish. The car test also offers voiceover in 21 languages, with the screen staying in English. Support includes an English automated reader, dyslexia support, Irish Sign Language clips or an interpreter, a reader/recorder service, extra time and a separate room. If your language isn't offered, you can ask for an in-person translator, which can take up to 25 business days to arrange.

Booking, rescheduling and resits

• Book at theorytest.ie.
• Rescheduling is free with at least seven calendar days' notice. Within six days it costs 50% of the fee, and cancelling within two days or not turning up forfeits the fee.
• Resits are unlimited. The RSA advises waiting at least three complete business days.
• If you think your test was marked wrongly, you can appeal for a rescore within 10 days for €15.

The new minimum age: 15

From 1 November 2026, the minimum age for all theory test appointments is 15. That's earlier than you can use it: a car learner permit needs you to be 17, and the certificate expires after two years. Sit the test when you're close to applying for your permit, or you may have to take it twice.

What to study

The RSA points candidates to the official revision materials, sold by Prometric as an app, book, online portal and download. The free Rules of the Road book from the RSA is described as an additional resource and is essential reading for the rules themselves.

theorytest.ie warns that other apps and websites are not licensed by the RSA and do not contain the official questions. Unofficial practice can still help you learn the rules, but don't treat any third-party question list as "the real test".

A four-week study plan

Week 1: Read the Rules of the Road. Focus on the sections on learner and novice drivers, speed limits, junctions and roundabouts, and road signs. Irish warning signs are yellow diamonds and many signs are bilingual.

Week 2: Topic practice. Work through one topic a day, noting every wrong answer and looking up the rule.

Week 3: Numbers and penalties. Make a sheet of speed limits, stopping distances, alcohol limits (including the lower limit for novice drivers), penalty points thresholds and parking distances.

Week 4: Full mock tests. Sit full 40-question practice tests in 45 minutes. Aim to score well above 35 consistently before you book.

Our general guide on how to pass the theory test explains spaced revision and exam technique (it's written for the UK test, but the study method works for the DTT too).

After you pass

You have two years to apply to the NDLS for your learner permit (€45). Then come your 12 EDT lessons and the six-month wait before the driving test. See how to get a driving licence in Ireland for the full process.

Summary

The Irish car theory test has 40 questions in 45 minutes with a pass mark of 35, costs €45 and gives you a certificate valid for two years. It covers rules of the road, risk perception, eco-driving, hazard awareness and safe driving behaviour, with no separate video test. From 1 November 2026 you can sit it at 15, but time it to match your learner permit application.

About Co-Drive

Co-Drive is an iOS app for learner and new drivers. Its driving technique lessons and defensive driving habits apply on any road; it does not yet include Irish theory test practice, its content is not the official DTT question bank, and it isn't affiliated with the RSA or Prometric. Find out more.