THE VALIDITY OF learner permits is being extended for a further 10 months to accommodate learners who could not take lessons or sit a test due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Depending on their expiry date, some permits had already been extended by four or eight months.

All expiry dates have now been pushed back by another 10 months, with permits that have expired or are due to expire before 31 July 2021 automatically included.

Permits that expired between March and June 2020 were previously extended by eight months, while permits that expired between July and October 2020 were extended by four months.

A permit that expired on 5 March 2020, for example, is now valid until 5 September 2021, while one that expired on 5 December is valid until 5 October 2021.

Covid-19 restrictions meant that many learner drivers could not take driving lessons, sit the driving test or renew their permit.

Minister of State for Road Transport Hildegarde Naughton said that the extension would “allow for peace of mind to many learner drivers as they continue to work towards passing their driving test in the months ahead”.

“Those who will benefit from this extension don’t need to do anything, our systems will update their records automatically,” Naughton said.

“A new learner permit will not be issued to drivers with the new expiry date, rather the electronic driver record will be updated to reflect the new expiry date,” she said.

“If you have already renewed your permit, and it had an expiry date between 1 March 2020 and 31 July 2021 the extension will not apply, and the expiry date of your permit will be as shown on your new permit. The RSA has also told Insurance Ireland and An Garda Síochána about the new expiry date of learner permits.”

Drivers can check the new expiry date of their learner permit by using the expiry date calculator on the NDLS website.