A Complete Guide on How to Obtain Your SPSV Driver Licence in Ireland
People looking to apply for a Taxi, Limousine, or Hackney Licence in Ireland may find it confusing to understand the whole process of obtaining the licence. There is a lot of information out there, but it can be quite unclear.
That is why we have put this guide together to show you step by step how to obtain an SPSV Licence and start your new career. Before you continue, make sure you fulfil all requirements to apply for your licence.
Definition
SPSV stands for Small Public Service Vehicle, which is an automobile that can carry up to eight passengers at a time for hire or reward. To drive one of these vehicles a person needs an SPSV Licence.
SPSV Exam
The first step for you to get your Taxi, Limo, or Hackney Licence is obtain an SPSV Skills Certificate. To obtain that certificate you must pass the SPSV Exam. There are two exams you need to pass: Industry Knowledge and Area Knowledge. The test contains 90 multiple choice questions (54 on Industry Knowledge and 36 on Area Knowledge).
For you to pass the SPSV Exam you must get at least 75% of the questions right on both exams. In case you pass one exam and fail the other, you have 12 months to sit the failed exam only. If you do not pass the failed module within 12 months you will have to sit both tests again.
The SPSV Entry Test consists of questions on the following subjects:
Industry Knowledge
- The SPSV Industry
- SPSV Driver Licencing
- Choose a Vehicle to Work as an SPSV
- SPSV Licencing
- Working as an SPSV Operator
- Finding Your Way Around
- Taxi Fares
- Delivering Customers Satisfaction
- Your SPSV Business
- Staying Safe
Area Knowledge (based on the county where you will be applying):
- Adjoining Areas
- Adjoining Streets
- Banks
- Between Roads
- Bridges
- Cathedrals and Churches
- Cinemas and Theatres
- Courthouses
- Embassies
- Pubs and Nightclubs
- Restaurants
- Garda Stations
- Hospitals and Health Institutions
- Hotels
- Housing Estates
- Industrial Estates
- Libraries
- Museums
- One Way Streets
- Parks
- Post Offices
- Railway and Bus Stations
- Routes
- Schools and Colleges
- Shopping Centres
- Sporting Venues
- Tourist Attractions
- Town Halls and Town Councils
Thankfully, you do not need to learn every single road, hotel, hospital, etc in your county. We know what information you should be concentrating on. Taxischool is proud to say we have the highest rate of students passing the test on their first attempt.
If hundreds of students could achieve that goal, so can you. Check out our course options or get in touch and we will be happy to assist you on your journey.
Booking the SPSV Exam
Usually, it takes a student between four and five weeks to study for the SPSV Exam. These are difficult exams to pass, so there are no shortcuts. Once you feel you are prepared you can book your exam directly with the National Transport Authority (NTA) by ringing the phone number 0818 064 000.
Here are the required information and documents needed when booking the SPSV Test:
- Your contact details
- Your PPS number
- A Full Driving Licence Class B or higher from Ireland or another EU, EEA, or recognised state
- Your credit or debit cards details for you to pay the €90 exam fee (also payable by postal order)
On average, you will be sitting your SPSV Exam five to six weeks after the date when you booked it. When you ring the NTA to book your Entry Test you can choose a date and a location that suit you. There are five SPSV Driver Entry Test Centres in Ireland: 2 in Dublin (Greenhills and Northpoint Business Park), Cork, Galway, and Sligo. Check here the addresses.
Applying for your SPSV Driver Licence
When you have passed both modules of your SPSV Exam you will receive an SPSV Skills Certificate, which is valid for 6 years.
Then you will complete the free, 30 minute online professional development course for Safeguarding and Disability Awareness. The NTA will send a link on successful completion of the SPSV Driver Entry Test. There is no pass/fail requirement for this course but it must be completed prior to paying the SPSV driver application fee.
You can then apply for the SPSV Driver Licence by following these steps:
1 - Get a PSV 15 Application Form at your nearest Garda Station
2 -Take 3 identical passport-size photographs (10 cm by 7 cm) that must be not more than 6 months old
3 - Pay the relevant fee of €250 by ringing the NTA on 0818 064 000 and informing your credit/debit card details (the NTA will issue you with a receipt that you must attach to your application)
4 - Fill out the PSV 15 form, and submit it to the Carriage Office if you live in Dublin or at your nearest Garda Station if you live outside Dublin together with the following documentation:
- A copy of your SPSV Skills Development Certificate (not needed if you are applying for a local area hackney licence)
- The receipt given by the NTA proving you have paid the licence fee
- The 3 photographs
- Your Tax Clearance Certificate (obtain it here)
- A copy of your Driving Licence
- A written undertaking that you will not drive an SPSV for more than 11 hours on any three consecutive days
- Details of any other occupation in which you are engaged, and, if that other occupation involves driving, evidence that you have informed the employer of your intention to apply for an SPSV driver licence
- A declaration that your health does not materially affect your ability to drive an SPSV
- A declaration that you have not been convicted of any of the offences specified in section 30(3) or the Schedule to the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016
- Any other documents An Garda Síochána may require
After you have sent those documents you will be submitted to the Garda Vetting process, that could take up to 12 weeks to be completed. If you pass the Garda Vetting process, An Garda Síochána will issue you with a paper licence.
You will then be able to apply to the NTA to obtain two forms of identification: the SPSV Driver Display Card and the SPSV Driver Smart Card. When you receive those two cards by post you are all set to start operating as a Taxi, Limo, Hackney, or Local Area Hackney Driver. The SPSV Licence for Taxi, Limo, and Hackney Drivers is valid for 5 years. The Licence for Local Area Hackney Drivers is valid for 3 years.
Our advice is that you rent a vehicle at the beginning of your career until you get familiar with the business. It does not require a big initial investment and you will be driving a fully licenced and insured vehicle. Check out how to obtain your SPSV Vehicle Licence.
Conclusion
It may sound like a lot of effort is required before you are able to be on the road driving passengers, but if you focus on the steps we provided one by one you will see it is simpler than you think. Once again here are the steps you need to follow to obtain your SPSV Driver Licence.
1 - Study for the SPSV Exam. Remember, if you don`t pass this test you are not going any further. This is the most important point.
2 - Book your SPSV Exam by ringing the NTA. This is when you will pay the €90 fee.
3 - Passed the test? Take the free, 30 minute online professional development course for Safeguarding and Disability Awareness and then apply for your SPSV Driver Licence at your local Garda Station.
4 - After the application, the Garda Vetting process begins. It could take up to 12 weeks to be completed.
5 - Apply to the NTA to obtain two forms of identification: the SPSV Driver Display Card and the SPSV Driver Smart Card.
6 - When you have received those two cards by post you are all set to start operating as a Taxi, Limo, Hackney, or Local Area Hackney Driver.
We wish you every success in your new career. And remember, Taxischool is here to help you prepare for your SPSV Exam with the most up to date study material for all 26 counties of Ireland and full support from our team of SPSV Exam experts.
Posted by Taxischool on 01/03/2021
Updated on 12/04/2024