Car · Category BW
Car, Tractor & Work Vehicles theory test
Cars, tractors and work vehicles.
40
questions
45 min
to answer them
35 of 40
to pass (88%)
Car theory test — common questions
Booking it, sitting it, and what happens afterwards. The exam facts — questions, time, pass mark, fee — are on the car test overview.
What can I do on a car learner permit?
Drive with L plates on the front and rear, and only with someone who has held a full car licence for at least two years beside you. Learner permit holders may not drive on a motorway, accompanied or not.
Do I need lessons before the car driving test?
Yes. You must complete the 12 Essential Driver Training (EDT) lessons with an approved driving instructor, logged in your logbook, before you can sit the driving test.
How old do I have to be for a car learner permit?
17 for a car (category B). Work vehicles and tractors (category W) start at 16.
Do I need a learner permit before I sit the theory test?
No — it is the other way round. You sit the theory test first, and the certificate it gives you is one of the things you need to apply for a learner permit.
How do I book it?
At theorytest.ie, which is the only official booking service. It costs €45. Other sites will book it for you and add a fee on top; none of them are connected to the test.
What do I need to bring on the day?
One original photo ID from the official list — a passport, a Public Services Card with photo, an Irish passport card, an EU/EEA or Swiss national ID card, or an Irish car or motorcycle learner permit or licence, among others. Photocopies and pictures of ID are refused, the name must match your booking exactly, and without it you cannot sit the test and lose the fee. Arrive 30 minutes early for check-in. Truck, bus and CPC candidates also bring a full car licence or the relevant learner permit.
How does the test work at the centre?
You sit it on a touchscreen. You can flag a question and come back to it, and change any answer before you submit. Nothing is marked until you finish.
When do I get the result?
Before you leave. A pass certificate is posted to you afterwards, and it is the certificate you use to apply for your learner permit.
What happens if I fail?
You can rebook straight away — there is no waiting period — but you pay the €45 again. That retest fee is the whole argument for practising until mocks feel easy.
How long is the certificate valid?
Two years. You must apply for your learner permit within that window, or you sit the test again.
Is the test available in other languages?
The car test (BW) can be taken with a voiceover in 21 languages at every centre, among them Polish, Lithuanian, Romanian, Russian, Arabic, Urdu and Brazilian Portuguese: the questions stay on screen in English and you hear them in your language. Choose it when you book. Categories A, B, C and D can also be sat in Irish. If your language is not offered, you can ask for an in-person translator.
Is there a minimum age for the theory test?
From 1 November 2026 you must be at least 15 on the day of a car (BW) or motorcycle (AM) theory test; until then the minimum is 14. The certificate lasts two years, so time it against the learner permit you want.
The answers you will want next
Most of these questions end with 'so how do I know I am ready?'. That is the one the app was built to answer.
A readiness score
Three checks drawn from how the test is marked, not a number invented to flatter you.
A countdown to your test
Put the date in and it says how many questions a day that leaves.
Guides free, and a taster of signs
Twelve guides and one free group of signs, in every category, offline. The whole sign library comes with the unlock.
One payment, if you want the rest
No subscription. Start with the free pack and the first mock.
