Ireland Truck Theory Test Study Guide 2026

The truck theory test

You must pass the truck theory test before you can get a learner permit for categories C, CE, C1 or C1E. It is a computer test of 100 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes, and you need 74 correct to pass. Questions are picked at random from a large question bank.

• The truck test fee is €72. The combined bus and truck test is €84.
• Arrive 30 minutes early. Bring original ID; photocopies are not accepted. You also need a full Category B licence (or an accepted equivalent), or a truck learner permit or licence where that applies.
• The full test is available in English and Irish. Module tests and the CD test are English only for now.
• If you passed the full bus test, you can take the shorter Truck Module test within two years.
• Your certificate is valid for two years. Apply for your first learner permit in that time.
• If you fail, wait at least 3 complete business days before re-sitting. There is no limit on attempts.

Truck licence categories

MAM (maximum authorised mass) is the design laden weight, often called gross vehicle weight. It is usually shown on a plate fitted by the manufacturer.

Learner permit rules

• You need a passed truck theory test and a D501 medical report. Truck and bus drivers are in Group 2, which has higher medical standards.
• You must be accompanied at all times by someone with a full licence in that category for at least two years.
• You must not drive on a motorway in the category you are learning.
• Show L plates: a red L on a white background, at least 15 cm high, at the front and rear.
• Truck learners do not have to wait six months before the driving test.

The truck driving test lasts about 90 minutes. When you pass, you get a Certificate of Competency, valid for two years. It is not a licence, so apply for your licence in that time.

Driver CPC

You need a Driver CPC to drive a truck for a living, and to use the lower minimum age of 18 for Category C. CPC candidates usually take a 30-minute practical knowledge test on the same day as the driving test. Penalty points from all categories add up over three years, and 12 points mean a six-month disqualification.

Speed limits and alcohol

Trucks have their own speed limits, which apply even when road signs show a higher limit.

Professional drivers, including truck drivers, have a lower drink-driving limit of 20 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood. It is illegal to hold a mobile phone while driving.

Drivers' hours and tachographs

Goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, including any trailer, follow the EU drivers' hours rules.

Tachographs

• Be ready to show records for the current day and the previous 28 days at a roadside check.
• You may hold only one driver card, and it is personal to you. Never lend it.
• Steering wheel = driving. Crossed hammers = other work, such as loading. Square with a diagonal line = availability. Bed = break or rest.

Driving a truck safely

• Check your mirrors often, especially before signalling, turning, changing lanes or stopping.
• Before a left turn, look for cyclists and pedestrians alongside the cab. The trailer cuts in on turns.
• Give cyclists plenty of room when you overtake them.
• Keep a much bigger gap than a car, and more again in rain. Spray from your truck also hides the road from others.
• On long downhill roads, use a lower gear and the engine brake or retarder. Riding the footbrake makes the brakes overheat and fade.
• Slow down in strong crosswinds, especially on exposed roads and bridges.
• Know your vehicle's height, including the load, and check bridge height signs.
• Never enter a level crossing unless you can clear it completely.
• Stop and rest in a safe place if you feel tired.

A damaged tyre or other serious defect means you should not drive until it is fixed. Switch off the engine when parked; idling wastes fuel and adds pollution.

Loads and incidents

The driver must make sure the truck is not overloaded and the load is secure before driving. Loads must not shift, fall or stick out dangerously. Overloading makes braking, steering and stability worse.

• If you break down on a motorway, get onto the hard shoulder if you can, turn on hazard lights and wait in a safe place away from traffic.
• Vehicles carrying dangerous goods show orange hazard warning panels. At an incident, keep well back and give the emergency services the panel details.

Why truck drivers have extra rules

A loaded truck is many times heavier than a car. It takes longer to stop, needs more room to turn and has larger blind spots. If it is involved in a crash, the harm to others is often greater. That is why truck drivers have their own licence categories, a higher medical standard (Group 2), lower speed limits, a lower drink-driving limit, and rules on driving hours and rest. Most questions on the test come back to one idea: plan ahead, leave more space and protect people who are more vulnerable than you.

Sharing the road from a truck

Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists can disappear from view beside or in front of a truck cab. Before moving off, look in every mirror and lean forward to check close to the cab. Signal early, and give other road users time to react. Remember that the trailer cuts in on turns, so a cyclist beside you at a junction is in real danger.

Key numbers at a glance

On test day

• Arrive 30 minutes before your test time to check in.
• Bring original ID. Photocopies are not accepted.
• Your result (pass or fail) appears on screen at the end, and a score report is emailed to you.
• If you think there is a mistake, you can ask for a rescore by phone within 10 days. The fee is €15.
• If you fail, wait at least 3 complete business days before you re-sit. There is no limit on attempts.

Test Day Assistance can help candidates who need support, such as language options. Ask about it when you book.

A simple study plan

1. Read this guide once from start to finish, without trying to memorise everything.
2. Read the matching chapters of the RSA Rules of the Road. Mark every number, limit and time you find.
3. Take the first practice test. Write down each question you get wrong and look up the rule.
4. Make a one-page list of key numbers, and test yourself on it every day.
5. Take the other practice tests until you score at least 80% every time.
6. Finish with the mock exam, timed if the real test is timed.

Short, regular study works better than one long session. Twenty or thirty minutes a day for two weeks will help you remember more than one long night before the test. Read each question to the end before you look at the answers, and watch for words like minimum, maximum, before and after.