Photo: Dev Raj / Pexels. Illustrative photograph.
If you pass the Irish driving test in an automatic car, your category B licence carries code 78, which restricts you to automatic vehicles. To drive a manual car you must pass the driving test again in a manual. Holding the automatic licence for a long time does not remove the restriction. This guide explains the NDLS upgrade route, the costs as of November 2026, and how to prepare.
Key facts
- Code 78 on your licence = automatic transmission only.
- To remove it: get a category B learner permit without code 78, then pass the test in a manual car.
- Learner permit fee: €45 (from 1 January 2025).
- Driving test fee: €85 (as of November 2026).
- If you fail the manual test: you can keep driving automatics on your existing full licence.
How do you upgrade an automatic licence to manual in Ireland?
- Apply for a category B learner permit without the code 78 restriction. Apply online through NDLS with a Public Services Card and verified MyGovID, or in person at an NDLS centre. The fee is €45.
- Learn to drive a manual. Book lessons with an RSA Approved Driving Instructor and practise clutch control, gear changes and hill starts.
- Book the driving test once the permit is issued, through MyRoadSafety. The fee is €85.
- Pass the test in a manual car.
- Apply to NDLS for your full licence without code 78. The standard full licence fee is €65; check with NDLS what applies to your upgrade.
Driving a manual before you pass
When you drive a manual car on the learner permit, you are a learner for that car. Plan for learner conditions: an accompanying driver who has held a full licence for 2 years, L plates, and no motorways. Your full licence still lets you drive automatics normally. Check with the RSA or NDLS how the conditions apply in your case before you drive a manual. See accompanying a learner driver.
Make sure you are insured to drive the manual car as a learner. See learner driver insurance in Ireland.
Do EDT and the six month rule apply again?
Check with NDLS or the RSA. EDT and the six month rule are linked to first learner permits, so ask how they apply to you if you already hold a full automatic licence. (Separately, NDLS says the November 2026 test condition for a third or fourth permit does not apply if you already hold a licence in that category.) Do this before you book, so you do not lose a test date. Background: Essential Driver Training and the six month rule.
What to practise for the manual test
| Skill | Why it catches automatic drivers out |
|---|---|
| Clutch control and moving off | Stalls and jerky starts under test pressure. See clutch control. |
| Hill start | Part of the Irish test, and rollback is easy without practice. See hill starts and Irish test manoeuvres. |
| Gear choice | Too high a gear at junctions and roundabouts costs progress and control |
| Reverse around a corner | Slow clutch control replaces automatic creep |
| Recovering a stall | See how to recover from a stall |
Your observation, positioning and judgement are the same as before, but expect the extra workload to cause old habits to slip at first. The car must meet the usual test car rules: see your car for the Irish driving test.
Should you learn in an automatic in the first place?
An automatic can be easier to learn in, but code 78 limits what you can drive later: hire cars, a work van or a family car may be manual. If you are likely to need a manual within a few years, learning in one first saves a second permit fee, lessons and a test.
Common questions
Does code 78 come off after a few years?
No. In Ireland it comes off only when you pass a test in a manual car.
Can I drive a manual car abroad on my Irish automatic licence?
Code 78 is an EU-wide licence code and travels with your licence. Treat yourself as restricted to automatics.
Do I need to resit the theory test?
The NDLS steps start with the learner permit and do not mention a new theory test. Check with NDLS if your theory certificate has expired.
What if I fail the manual test?
You keep your full automatic licence and can keep driving automatics.
How long is the wait for a test?
Waiting times vary by centre. Apply early. See booking the Irish driving test.
Related: Irish licence categories and getting a learner permit. Back to learning to drive in Ireland.
Sources
- National Driver Licence Service, “Upgrade an automatic car licence to manual licence” (ndls.ie)
- National Driver Licence Service, “Fee increases to take effect from 01 January 2025” (ndls.ie)
- Road Safety Authority, “Driving test vehicles: car” (rsa.ie)
- Road Safety Authority, “How to apply for a driving test” (rsa.ie)
- Irish Statute Book, “S.I. No. 719 of 2007, Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) (Amendment) Regulations 2007” (irishstatutebook.ie)