All Other Countries
Visitors
You may drive vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes and with up to 16 passenger seats not for hire or reward, provided your full licence or driving permit remains valid for up to 12 months from the date of entering Northern Ireland. However, you may only drive large vehicles which have been registered outside NI and which you have driven into this country.
Residents
Ordinary Licence Holders
Provided your full licence remains valid, you can drive any category of small vehicle shown on your licence for up to 12 months from the time you became resident. To ensure continuous driving entitlement a provisional NI licence must have been obtained and a driving test(s) passed before the 12 month period elapses. If you obtain a provisional licence during this period, you are not subject to provisional licence conditions e.g. displaying `L' plates or being supervised by a qualified driver or being precluded from motorways.
However, if you do not pass a test within the 12 month concessionary period you will not be allowed to drive as a full licence holder and provisional licence conditions will apply.
If you do not apply for a provisional licence within the first 12 months you must stop driving and obtain a Northern Ireland provisional licence with a view to passing a driving test. Provisional licence conditions will then apply. (Information on applying for a provisional licence) .
Vocational Licence Holders
New residents may not drive large vehicles until they have passed the relevant NI driving test. Driving test candidates are required to pass a motor car (category B) test first before applying for provisional entitlement for larger vehicles. (Information about how to apply for a provisional NI driving licence.
