If you passed your Irish driving test in an automatic car and now have Code 78 on your licence, the question at some point becomes: can you get rid of it? The answer is yes — and the process is considerably simpler than most people expect. No new learner permit. No EDT. Just manual lessons and one driving test.

Note: Driving licence procedures in Ireland are governed by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and administered by the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS). Always verify current requirements at ndls.ie before starting the process. BP Driving School is an RSA-approved ADI based in Swords, North Dublin, offering both automatic and manual lessons.
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EDT sessions required — no repeat EDT for existing full licence holders
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New learner permits needed — your existing full licence stays valid throughout
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RSA driving test to pass — in a manual vehicle — and Code 78 is gone for good
In This Guide
  1. The Quick Answer
  2. What Changes on Your Licence
  3. The Full Process — Step by Step
  4. Why You Don’t Need a Learner Permit
  5. How Many Manual Lessons Will You Need?
  6. The Specific Skills to Learn
  7. Your Advantage Over a Complete Beginner
  8. Realistic Timeline
  9. Is It Worth It?
  10. Frequently Asked Questions

The Quick Answer

Yes — you can switch from an automatic-only (Code 78) licence to a full unrestricted Irish driving licence that covers both manual and automatic vehicles. The process is:

How to switch from automatic to manual licence in Ireland:
  1. Take manual driving lessons with an RSA-approved ADI
  2. Pass the RSA Category B driving test in a manual vehicle
  3. Apply at the NDLS to remove Code 78 from your licence

No learner permit needed. No EDT. No theory test. Your existing full licence stays valid the entire time.

What Changes on Your Licence

When you currently hold a Code 78 Irish licence, Column 12 (Restrictions/Information) on the back of your photocard reads B: 78 — restricting you to automatic transmission Category B vehicles.

After you pass the manual test and apply to the NDLS, a new licence is issued. Column 12 is empty — no restriction codes. Your licence now authorises you to drive both manual and automatic Category B vehicles. The change is permanent. Subsequent renewals do not re-introduce Code 78.

What stays the same: Your licence number, your licence expiry date, your driving history, and your no-claims bonus with your insurer are all unaffected by removing Code 78. It is simply an update to the restriction column — nothing else changes.

The Full Process — Step by Step

STEP 1 Manual Lessons With RSA ADI STEP 2 RSA Manual Test Book at rsa.ie STEP 3 NDLS Application Remove Code 78 RESULT Full Unrestricted Irish Licence Manual & automatic
The complete process for switching from automatic (Code 78) to a full unrestricted Irish licence — 3 steps. No learner permit or EDT required.
1
Take Manual Driving Lessons with an RSA-Approved ADI

Find an ADI who offers manual lessons and explain your situation — you hold a Code 78 licence and want to remove it. A good ADI will assess your starting point in the first session and give you an honest estimate of how many lessons you are likely to need. There is no mandatory minimum number of lessons before you can book the test, but do not rush — the test is the same standard regardless of your starting point.

2
Book the RSA Driving Test — Specifically as a Manual Test

Book at rsa.ie once your ADI confirms you are test-ready. When booking, ensure you are booking a manual Category B test — not automatic. You must bring or arrange a roadworthy manual vehicle for the test day. Consider hiring a dual-control manual car if you do not have access to a suitable one. A mock test in the manual car beforehand is strongly recommended.

3
Pass the RSA Driving Test in the Manual Vehicle

The test is the standard RSA Category B driving test — approximately 30 minutes on public roads near the test centre. In North Dublin, this is typically Raheny or Finglas. The examiner assesses the same competencies as for any Category B test: observation, road positioning, hazard response, MSMM routine, speed management, and general attitude to road safety. Your clutch and gear use is also observed — smooth, controlled changes are expected.

4
Apply at the NDLS to Remove Code 78

Book an NDLS appointment at ndls.ie. Bring your manual test pass certificate and your current driving licence. The NDLS updates your record, issues a new licence without Code 78, and posts it to you within a few working days. From that point, you are fully licenced to drive both manual and automatic vehicles.

Ready to Switch to Manual?

BP Driving School can prepare you for the manual RSA test — North Dublin, 7 days a week.

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Why You Don’t Need a Learner Permit

This is the most important thing to understand — and the source of most confusion. Many people assume they need to go back to the beginning and get a new learner permit before taking manual lessons. They do not.

The learner permit requirement in Ireland applies to first-time Category B licence applicants. You have already met that requirement — you hold a full Irish Category B licence. The Code 78 restriction means your licence is restricted to automatics, but it is still a full licence. You are not a learner.

This has two practical implications:

  • You can take manual driving lessons without displaying L plates or being accompanied by a full licence holder — you already hold a full licence
  • You do not need to wait for a learner permit before booking lessons or the test
One important exception: While you hold a Code 78 licence, you may not practise manual driving unsupervised in your own manual car on public roads — your Code 78 licence does not authorise you to drive a manual. All manual driving practice must take place with a qualified ADI in a dual-control vehicle, or in a private setting off the public road network. Once you pass the manual test and Code 78 is removed, you can drive any manual car freely.

How Many Manual Lessons Will You Need?

There is no regulatory minimum — you can book the RSA manual driving test at any time as a full licence holder. In practice, the number of lessons needed before reaching test-ready standard depends on several factors.

For most experienced automatic drivers, the realistic range is 6 to 15 manual lessons. The variables that affect where you fall in that range:

  • How long you have been driving. Drivers with several years of solid automatic driving experience tend to progress faster — their observation habits, road positioning, and hazard awareness are already well-developed. The clutch is the only genuinely new skill to add.
  • Hill start confidence. Hill starts are the most challenging element for automatic-to-manual switchers, particularly in hilly areas or Dublin city traffic on inclines. The biting point takes practice to feel consistently.
  • Stop-start comfort. Managing the clutch in slow Dublin traffic — queuing at junctions, roundabouts, and pedestrian crossings — requires repetition to feel natural without stalling.
  • Your individual coordination. Some people find the left-foot/right-hand coordination of clutch and gears clicks quickly; others need more repetition. There is no way to predict this in advance.
A realistic expectation: Most experienced automatic drivers who commit to 1–2 lessons per week typically reach test-ready standard within 6–10 weeks. Drivers who have been on the road for 5+ years often need fewer sessions than those who are 6 months post-test, simply because they have more automated confidence in the non-clutch aspects of driving.

The Specific Skills to Learn

As an experienced driver, you already have the majority of the skills the RSA examiner will assess. The skills that are genuinely new are all clutch-related. Here is what your manual lessons will focus on.

Finding the Biting Point

The biting point is the moment the clutch begins to engage the engine — where the car is about to move. Feeling it consistently, rather than stalling or lurching, is the foundation of all clutch control.

Tip: practise finding the biting point on a flat road before attempting hills. The sensation becomes instinctive within a few sessions.

Hill Starts

Holding on a hill without rolling back, then moving off smoothly, requires coordinating the clutch biting point with the handbrake and accelerator. This is the single skill that most automatic-to-manual switchers find most challenging.

Tip: use the handbrake method — hold on the handbrake, find the biting point, then release the handbrake as the car begins to pull. Your ADI will practise this repeatedly until it feels natural.

Smooth Gear Changes

Changing gear smoothly — depressing the clutch fully, selecting the correct gear, and releasing the clutch progressively — without jerking or hesitating. Block changing (e.g. from 4th to 2nd when slowing for a junction) is also expected.

Tip: listen to the engine. If it is labouring (too low a gear) or over-revving (too high), your gear selection is off. The engine sound is your guide.

Stopping Without Stalling

Coming to a smooth stop at traffic lights, junctions, or pedestrian crossings without stalling requires depressing the clutch before the engine speed drops too low. The timing is the skill.

Tip: in slow stop-start traffic, keep the clutch depressed whenever you are moving very slowly — release it only when you have enough speed to pull away cleanly without stalling.

Moving Off From Junctions

Junction move-offs — particularly at traffic lights and Give Way junctions with cross-traffic — require smooth, decisive clutch use without rolling back or stalling under pressure.

Tip: the examiner expects a brisk, confident move-off. Hesitating excessively at junctions is noted. Practise in your lessons until you can move off decisively without overthinking it.

Ready to Learn Manual and Remove Code 78?

BP Driving School offers manual driving lessons for Code 78 holders across North Dublin — Swords, Finglas, Raheny, Malahide, Artane, Clontarf and surrounding areas. No EDT required. Door-to-door pickup. 7 days a week.

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Your Advantage Over a Complete Beginner

Switching from automatic to manual as an experienced driver is genuinely different from learning to drive for the first time. Here is what you already have — and what is genuinely new.

Skill / Area As an Experienced Automatic Driver What’s New
Observation & mirrors Already strong — years of practice Nothing new
Road positioning Already strong — instinctive Nothing new
MSMM routine Already practiced Nothing new
Speed management Already confident Gear selection at different speeds
Hazard response Already developed Anticipating gear-change needs earlier
Roundabouts & junctions Already comfortable Managing clutch on move-off under pressure
Clutch control Brand new The biting point, hill starts, smooth changes
Gear selection Brand new Choosing the right gear for speed/conditions
Stall management Brand new Preventing stalls and recovering calmly if they occur
General confidence High baseline Temporary adjustment during clutch learning phase

The table makes the advantage clear. For a complete beginner, everything in the table is new at once — observation, road position, MSMM, speed, hazards, clutch, and gears all simultaneously. For you as an experienced automatic driver, the only genuinely new skills are clutch-related. Everything else is already embedded. This is why the lesson count is typically lower, and why the quality of lessons can be more targeted.

Not Sure How Many Lessons You Need?

Call or WhatsApp Bojan at BP Driving School — honest assessment in session one.

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Realistic Timeline

Week 1
First Manual Lesson — Assessment

Your ADI will assess your starting point. Expect to cover basic clutch feel, moving off, stopping, and simple gear changes in low-speed conditions. By the end of session one, most experienced drivers have a clear picture of how much work the clutch is going to take.

Weeks 2–4
Clutch Consolidation

Hill starts, junction move-offs, gear changes at road speed, and stop-start traffic management. This is the core learning phase — most of the lesson time is spent here. Book 1–2 sessions per week to keep the momentum without burning out.

Weeks 4–6
Test Route Familiarity & Mock Test

Once the clutch fundamentals are solid, your ADI will move to driving in test-route conditions — the types of roads, junctions, roundabouts, and manoeuvres that appear in the RSA test. A mock test in the manual car is strongly recommended before booking the real test.

Week 6–16 (test wait)
RSA Driving Test

Book the test as soon as your ADI confirms readiness. RSA test waiting times at Raheny and Finglas (North Dublin) are typically 8–12 weeks. Book early and use the waiting time for continued practice.

After passing
NDLS Application — Code 78 Removed

Book your NDLS appointment. Bring your pass certificate and current licence. Your new unrestricted licence is posted within a few working days. Total realistic timeline from first lesson to unrestricted licence: 3 to 5 months.

Is It Worth It?

Whether removing Code 78 is worth the investment of time and money depends entirely on your situation. There is no universal right answer.

It is likely worth it if:

  • You need to drive a manual vehicle for work — this is the single strongest reason, as Code 78 is a legal barrier to employment in manual-vehicle roles
  • You regularly travel and need to hire cars in continental Europe, where manual fleets dominate
  • You want to buy a second-hand car and want maximum choice at the best price
  • The psychological knowledge that you can drive any car — regardless of practical need — matters to you

It may not be the priority if:

  • You own an automatic and are happy with it — Code 78 has no practical impact on your daily driving
  • You are moving toward EV ownership — all EVs are automatic, making Code 78 progressively irrelevant
  • The cost of 8–12 lessons plus a driving test and NDLS application outweighs the benefit you would get from removing the restriction
A widely-used approach: Many Irish drivers learn automatic, pass their test efficiently, and spend a year getting comfortable on the roads. After 12 months of real driving experience, the manual test becomes much less daunting — the clutch is the only new thing, and they are bringing a full year of road confidence to the process. If you are in this position, the switch is genuinely straightforward.

Documents for the NDLS Application

  • Current Irish driving licence (with Code 78)
  • RSA driving test pass certificate — manual test
  • Completed D401 application form
  • NDLS application fee (verify current fee at ndls.ie)
Related guides on this site:
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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Take manual driving lessons, pass the RSA Category B driving test in a manual vehicle, and apply at the NDLS to have Code 78 removed. You do not need a learner permit or EDT. Your existing full licence stays valid throughout.

No. EDT applies only to first-time learner permit holders. As a full licence holder (even with Code 78), you skip EDT entirely. You just need lessons, the manual RSA test, and an NDLS application.

There is no mandatory minimum. In practice, most experienced automatic drivers need 6 to 15 manual lessons to reach test-ready standard. The clutch — particularly hill starts and junction move-offs — is the only genuinely new skill. Your ADI will advise based on your individual progress.

No. You already hold a full Irish licence. You do not need to obtain a new learner permit. You can book lessons and the manual RSA test directly. Note that while your Code 78 licence is still in place, you may not drive a manual car unsupervised on public roads — all manual practice must be with an ADI.

Less hard than starting from scratch. As an experienced driver you already have observation, road positioning, hazard awareness, and confidence — all developed over your time driving automatic. The only genuinely new skill is clutch control. Most experienced drivers find it naturalises within 4 to 8 dedicated sessions.

A new Irish driving licence is issued with Column 12 empty — no restriction. You are fully licenced for both manual and automatic Category B vehicles. The restriction is removed permanently and does not return on renewal. Your licence number, expiry date, and all other details remain unchanged.
Accuracy note: Licence procedures and NDLS requirements are governed by the RSA and are subject to change. Always verify at ndls.ie or rsa.ie. BP Driving School is an RSA-approved ADI in Swords, North Dublin, offering manual and automatic lessons across North Dublin.

Ready to Remove Code 78 and Go Manual?

BP Driving School offers targeted manual lessons for Code 78 holders across North Dublin — Swords, Finglas, Raheny, Malahide, Artane, Clontarf and surrounding areas. Door-to-door pickup. 7 days a week. Lessons in English & Croatian.

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Book Manual Lessons — North Dublin

BP Driving School — RSA-approved. 7 days a week.

Book Now 089 442 2444 WhatsApp