Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations further amend the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 by amending the fees in respect of driving licences so as to mirror the fees set in Great Britain.

The principal change is that the fee for a first licence is increased from £20 to £38, but that subsequent entitlements are free of charge.

Other changes are as follows –

(1) the fee of £20 for the grant of a licence following a period of disqualification ordered by a court is increased to –

(a) £75 where the disqualification is due to excess alcohol; or

(b) £50 where the disqualification is due to other circumstances.

(2) A new fee of £50 is introduced for the grant of a provisional Group 2 licence following disqualification by the Department on the grounds of conduct and where the person is required to pass a test of competence.

(3) A new transitional fee of £18 is introduced for the issue of a full Group 1 licence in exchange for (a) a first licence; or (b) a provisional licence (following the revocation of a full licence), where such licences were applied for before the commencement of these Regulations. This removes the anomaly of such licences being exchanged free of charge under the new fees structure.