Northern Ireland to Introduce Graduated Driver Licensing for Young Drivers in October 2026
New phased driver training and post-licence restrictions aim to reduce disproportionate fatal and serious collisions involving younger motorists
Northern Ireland’s government has announced sweeping reforms to its driver licensing system that will introduce Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) from 1 October 2026, marking the first such system in the United Kingdom.
The Department for Infrastructure said the framework is designed to improve road safety by addressing the high incidence of fatal and serious collisions involving new and young drivers aged 17 to 23, who accounted for 24 per cent of such collisions in 2024 despite holding only 8 per cent of licences.
Under the new GDL regime, learner drivers will be required to complete a minimum six-month learning period before they can sit their practical driving test.
A formal programme of training must be completed and recorded in a logbook prior to testing, with instruction validated by an approved driving instructor or a supervising driver.
Learners will also be permitted to drive on motorways when accompanied by an approved instructor, while post-test conditions will allow ‘R’-plated drivers to use motorways at posted speed limits.
Following successful completion of the driving test, new drivers will enter an extended two-year restricted period during which they must display a distinguishing ‘R’ plate on their vehicles.
For the first six months after passing, drivers under the age of 24 will face night-time driving restrictions and limits on the number of passengers they may carry between 11pm and 6am, with exemptions for immediate family members or when accompanied by an experienced driver aged 21 or over who has held a full licence for at least three years.
The reforms also revise existing post-test conditions.
The current requirement for a restricted 45mph maximum speed for new drivers will be removed under the GDL system, aligning post-test driving privileges with standard speed limits once the ‘R’ plate period begins.
Penalties for breaches of the new GDL conditions could include fines and penalty points under amendments to the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order.
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins described the changes as the most significant reform to driver licensing and testing in nearly seven decades, emphasising the structured approach to training and post-test supervision.
The GDL scheme forms part of the Department’s broader Road Safety Strategy Action Plan and is intended to mirror phased licensing approaches used internationally.
A public information campaign will precede the rollout, and officials will work with Approved Driving Instructors, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other stakeholders in the months before implementation.
The Department for Infrastructure said the framework is designed to improve road safety by addressing the high incidence of fatal and serious collisions involving new and young drivers aged 17 to 23, who accounted for 24 per cent of such collisions in 2024 despite holding only 8 per cent of licences.
Under the new GDL regime, learner drivers will be required to complete a minimum six-month learning period before they can sit their practical driving test.
A formal programme of training must be completed and recorded in a logbook prior to testing, with instruction validated by an approved driving instructor or a supervising driver.
Learners will also be permitted to drive on motorways when accompanied by an approved instructor, while post-test conditions will allow ‘R’-plated drivers to use motorways at posted speed limits.
Following successful completion of the driving test, new drivers will enter an extended two-year restricted period during which they must display a distinguishing ‘R’ plate on their vehicles.
For the first six months after passing, drivers under the age of 24 will face night-time driving restrictions and limits on the number of passengers they may carry between 11pm and 6am, with exemptions for immediate family members or when accompanied by an experienced driver aged 21 or over who has held a full licence for at least three years.
The reforms also revise existing post-test conditions.
The current requirement for a restricted 45mph maximum speed for new drivers will be removed under the GDL system, aligning post-test driving privileges with standard speed limits once the ‘R’ plate period begins.
Penalties for breaches of the new GDL conditions could include fines and penalty points under amendments to the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order.
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins described the changes as the most significant reform to driver licensing and testing in nearly seven decades, emphasising the structured approach to training and post-test supervision.
The GDL scheme forms part of the Department’s broader Road Safety Strategy Action Plan and is intended to mirror phased licensing approaches used internationally.
A public information campaign will precede the rollout, and officials will work with Approved Driving Instructors, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other stakeholders in the months before implementation.
