If your provisional entitlement for a car started on or after 1 October 2026 and you live in Northern Ireland, you are learning under graduated driver licensing (GDL). That means at least six months of learning, a Programme of Training with 15 modules and a logbook that has to be signed off before you can book your test. This guide is a practical plan for learners and the parents helping them: what the modules are, how the logbook works and how to fit theory and hazard perception practice around it. GDL applies in Northern Ireland only, not in England, Scotland or Wales.
What you need to do before you can book a test
nidirect says a learner driver in Northern Ireland must do all of the following before taking the practical test:
- complete the six-month Mandatory Minimum Learning Period (cars only)
- complete the Programme of Training
- record it in the Logbook, with every mandatory module signed off by a supervising driver or an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI)
- pass the theory test
The six months run from your first category B provisional entitlement. nidirect’s example: an entitlement starting on 1 October 2026 means a test on or after 1 April 2027. Learners who can prove entitlement to Carer’s Allowance are exempt from the six months, but still have to finish the training and logbook. You also need a Northern Ireland provisional licence: from 1 October 2026, nidirect says GB provisional licence holders cannot book or take car theory or practical tests in Northern Ireland.
Step one: set up your GDL account
The Programme of Training and Logbook live in a GDL account, which you use through a mobile app or a web browser. nidirect says the account costs £17. To create one you need:
- your email address
- your postal address
- your driver number, from your provisional licence
- a debit or credit card
On 1 October 2026, nidirect said the Android app was available on Google Play but the iPhone app was not yet on the App Store because of delays in Apple’s approval process. iPhone users can use the web version in the meantime. A signed logbook stays valid for two years from the date it was signed, so there is no rush to book the moment you finish.
The 15 modules, by name
The Programme of Training has 14 mandatory modules and one optional module for cars. nidirect lists them, with subsections, on its Cat B modules page:
| Module | Title | What it covers (from nidirect’s subsections) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The driver | Attitude, health, licensing |
| 2 | The vehicle | Maintenance, checks, documentation |
| 3 | The law | The law and you, the Highway Code |
| 4 | Risk and hazard awareness | Static hazards, developing hazards, emergencies |
| 5 | Controls and checks | Seating, hand, foot and ancillary controls, mirrors, safety checks |
| 6 | Driving on the road | Moving off, junctions, roundabouts, traffic controls, positioning, speed |
| 7 | Road sharing | Anticipation, safety margins, communication, overtaking |
| 8 | Vulnerable and other road users | Children, pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders, buses, lorries |
| 9 | Speed awareness | Limits, conditions, rural roads, consequences of speeding |
| 10 | Manoeuvring your vehicle | Reversing into a side road, reverse parking, turning around |
| 11 | Driving in adverse weather | Rain, snow and ice, fog, crosswinds, sun and heat |
| 12 | Night-time driving | Eyesight, lights, built-up areas, other traffic |
| 13 | Driver distraction and in car technology | Distraction, collision avoidance systems, sat nav |
| 14 | Eco-safe driving and the environment | The environment, the journey, eco-safe driving |
| 15 | Motorway driving (optional) | Motorway signs and signals, driving on a motorway |
nidirect says the programme is arranged in four sections, but the official pages do not name them. For the optional motorway module, nidirect says a learner can only drive on a motorway with an ADI.
Who signs you off
Each mandatory module needs a sign-off, and a final sign-off is needed before the test. That can come from an ADI or a supervising driver. nidirect says a supervising driver must:
- be at least 21
- hold a full Northern Ireland driving licence
- have held it for at least three years
You can use a supervising driver, an ADI or a mix of both. One option is to split it: lessons with an instructor for new skills, practice with a parent to build experience. Check that your supervising driver meets all three conditions before they sign anything.
A six-month plan that works
The official pages set the minimum period and the modules, not a timetable. This is one sensible way to use the time, which you can adjust with your instructor.
Months 1 and 2: foundations
- Set up your GDL account and work through modules 1 to 5 (the driver, the vehicle, the law, hazard awareness, controls).
- Start revising for the theory test and learning road signs.
- Try some eyesight practice so the number plate check holds no surprises.
Months 3 and 4: real roads
- Cover modules 6 to 10: roads, junctions, sharing the road, vulnerable road users, speed and manoeuvres.
- Book and pass your theory test, so it is done well before you are eligible for the practical.
Months 5 and 6: conditions and polish
- Cover modules 11 to 14. Weather and night driving depend on the season, so plan around them rather than leaving them to the last week.
- Decide whether to do the optional motorway module with an ADI.
- Get your final sign-off, then book the test once you are eligible.
Fitting in the theory test and hazard perception
nidirect says the car theory test in Northern Ireland has two parts taken together: 50 multiple choice questions (pass mark 43) and a hazard perception part (pass mark 44 out of 75). You must pass both at the same sitting. You need a theory pass before you can book the practical.
The modules and the theory test overlap a lot. Module 4 on risk and hazard awareness matches the developing-hazard skills tested in hazard perception, and modules 3, 7, 8 and 9 match theory topics such as rules of the road, vulnerable road users and safety margins. Use the theory test guide, hazard perception practice and practice questions alongside each module rather than cramming at the end.
Looking ahead to the test from 1 April 2027
nidirect says the practical test changes from 1 April 2027: independent driving extended to about 20 minutes, sat nav use, and “show me, tell me” questions asked and answered on the move. The pass standard stays the same. Module 13 covers sat navs, and the show me, tell me guide and practical test guide help with the basics.
After passing, two more GDL rules apply: you display R plates for two years, and if you are under 24 there is a night-time passenger limit for the first six months.
Common questions
Can a parent do all my sign-offs? Yes, if they are 21 or over and have held a full Northern Ireland licence for at least three years. Motorway driving still needs an ADI.
Is there still a 45 mph limit while I learn? No. GDL removes the 45 mph limit for learners whose entitlement started on or after 1 October 2026.
Do motorcyclists follow the same plan? No. Riders have 10 mandatory modules plus an optional motorway module, complete CBT, and are not covered by the six-month minimum.
The bottom line
Under GDL in Northern Ireland, plan for at least six months: set up the £17 GDL account early, work through the 14 mandatory modules with an ADI or qualifying supervising driver, pass your theory test along the way and book the practical only once everything is signed off and the six months are up.
This is general information. Check nidirect for your own circumstances.
For a summary of every rule that changed, read what changed on 1 October 2026.
Sources
- nidirect, “What Graduated Driver Licensing means for learner drivers” (nidirect.gov.uk)
- nidirect, “The Programme of Training and Logbook” (nidirect.gov.uk)
- nidirect, “Cat B (car) Programme of Training modules” (nidirect.gov.uk)
- nidirect, “Create or access your Graduated Driver Licensing Account” (nidirect.gov.uk)
- nidirect, “Guidance for parents and supervising drivers” (nidirect.gov.uk)
- nidirect, “About the driving theory test” (nidirect.gov.uk)
- nidirect, “Taking the theory test” (nidirect.gov.uk)
- Department for Infrastructure, “Graduated Driver Licensing FAQs” (infrastructure-ni.gov.uk)
- legislation.gov.uk, “The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026” (legislation.gov.uk)