Driving licences

Driving Licences are issued by Isle of Man Post who are the licensing agents for the Department of Infrastructure. The licensing office at the Department of Infrastructure deals with applications for driving licences from new residents to the Island and also deals with questions regarding fitness to drive.

Driving licence application forms may be downloaded from this page or obtained from Isle of Man Post Offices and the Department of Infrastructure's licensing office:

Counter opening times:
Monday to Friday - 9am to 4.30pm

Costs as at 1 April 2014

Full licence

• aged under 66 the fee will be £36 valid for 10 years
• aged 66 the fee will be £33 valid for 9 years
• aged 67 the fee will be £30 valid for 8 years
• aged 68 the fee will be £27 valid for 7 years
• aged 69 the fee will be £24 valid for 6 years
• aged 70 the fee will be £21 valid for 5 years
• aged 71 the fee will be £18 valid for 4 years
• aged 72 or over the fee will be £15 valid for 3 Years

A licence issued on medical grounds for reduced term:

• 3 years:  £15
• 1 or 2 years: £10

Provisional licence

The fee for a first provisional licence is £22 to reflect the cost of supplying a theory and hazard perception test DVD with an initial provisional licence. The cost of a subsequent provisional licence is £18

Exchange licence

Adding groups:  £18

Removing endorsements: £18

Duplicate licence

The cost of a duplicate licence is £18

Emergency licences

Driving licences issued in an emergency (for example the production of documentation for the Police or Courts) is £33 in addition to the standard fee.  Driving licences issued in an emergency are issued at the Post Office Licensing Office, opposite Ocean Village, Cooil Road, Braddan, Isle of Man. The counter is open Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) 9am to 5pm. Telephone +44 1624 698525.

Renewals

Reminders are issued 1 month before the expiry of a driving licence, however you may apply for a renewal up to 2 months in advance of the expiry date.

Reminders are issued to the address shown on the driving licence system, therefore if you’ve changed address and not notified the licensing office you will not receive a reminder that your driving licence is due to expire.

See downloadable documents for Driving licence application forms.  They are also available at any Post Office.

Please note - Driving Licence Application Form can be used for:

• Provisonal driving licence
• Upgrade from provisional to full licence
• Exchange non IOM driving licence
• Renew driving licence
• Add category to current licence
• Duplicate of current driving licence (lost)
• Update photograph
• Change of name or address

Payment

Please make cheques payable to IOM Post, unless you are returning the application to the Department of Infrastructure and then it will be payable to the 'Isle of Man Government'. Please ensure the cheque is crossed and that your name and address is written on the back of the cheque.

You may also hand in applications at any Post Office counters and payment can be made by debit card, cheque, cash or postal order.

Identification

The address must be the address where you reside in the Isle of Man. A business, club or hotel address cannot be accepted if you do not reside there. First time provisional and new applications require two forms of identification including proof of age and photographic identification for example, birth certificate and passport. An endorsed photograph (see below) may be used for photographic identification. The identification will be forwarded with the application to enable security checks to be completed. Bank cards will not be accepted as proof of identity without exception.

Photographs

All applications must include a recent colour passport size photograph taken full face and without hat or dark glasses, printed on photographic paper and un-mounted. Please put the name of the applicant on the reverse of the photograph. First provisional and new licence applications must include a colour photograph that has been endorsed on the reverse with 'I certify that this is a true likeness of (title or name)'. The endorser must complete the relevant section on the application form.

This may be completed by a British citizen, British subject or citizen of the Commonwealth, who has known you for at least 2 years. He or she should be one of the following: a member of the legislature, justice of the peace, minister of religion, advocate, bank officer, police officer, school teacher, established civil servant, doctor or person of similar standing. Please note, a person of similar standing will only be accepted at the discretion of the Licensing Office. A relative should not countersign. The Licensing Office will check authenticity of counter-signatures and in certain cases may ask for further documentary evidence of identity.

Driving while we have the application form

Full licence applicants can continue to drive unless they have been disqualified or advised by a doctor not to drive. Also those who have expired licences must not drive until you receive your new one, so please apply in advance for renewals.

Provisional licences. First Time applicants must not drive until they receive their licence. If renewing then you may continue to drive as long as your licence is still in date otherwise you must wait for your new licence to arrive.

Changes to personal circumstances (change of address)

Please inform the Licensing Office of any changes to personal circumstances (change of address), using the application form. The address must be the address where you reside in the Isle of Man. Failure to notify any relevant changes of medical conditions is a criminal offence, punishable by a fine of up to £1000.

Age related licence applications

Age 16

• Invalid carriage. An invalid carriage is a vehicle not exceeding 254kgs in weight unladen, which is specially designed and constructed and not merely adapted, for the use of a person suffering from some physical defect or disability and used solely by such person
• Agricultural tractor
• Motor car (which includes a goods vehicle not exceeding 3050kgs in weight unladen)
• Learner motor bicycle not exceeding 125cc, mowing machine, pedestrian controlled vehicle

Age 17

Motor tricycle (for example, Reliant Robin), and motor bicycle (other than a learner motor bicycle).

Age 18

Intermediate goods vehicles 3500kgs – 7500kgs

Age 21

Any other vehicle, and any PSV (minibus or bus). A licence from the Road Traffic Licensing Committee is also required to drive a public service vehicle.

Provisional licence conditions

When driving you must:

• display the prescribed L plates clearly at the front and rear of the vehicle and change to R plates when you pass your test.
• be accompanied, until you pass the test, by a qualified driver over the age of 21 who has had a full licence for the class of vehicle you are driving for 3 years or more.

You must not:

• carry a passenger when riding a solo motor bicycle until you pass your test.
• drive a vehicle to which a trailer is attached (other than an agricultural vehicle or if it is required for the instruction and test).
• drive at more than 50mph.

R plate restrictions for newly qualified drivers

The holder of a temporary restricted FULL licence must for the 12 months from issue:

1. Display the prescribed R plates clearly at the front and rear of the vehicle.
2. Not drive at more than 50mph.

Driving vehicles over 3500kgs, minibuses and buses

If you have passed your test in a car after 31 December 1999, a provisional licence for:

1. Category C1 allows you to learn to drive medium sized vehicles (over 3500kgs up to 7500kgs) and a trailer C1+E.
2. Category C allows you to learn to drive large vehicles (over 3500kgs ) and a trailer C+E.
3. Category D1 allows you to drive large minibuses (with up to 16 passenger seats) and a trailer D1+E.
4. Category D allows you to learn to drive buses (with more than 8 passenger seats) and trailer D+E.

Penalties

A person who for the purpose of obtaining a licence, knowingly makes a false statement, is liable to a fine not exceeding £1000.

A person who uses a motor vehicle on public roads without there being in force a policy of insurance or a security against third party risks in respect of personal injury is liable to a fine not exceeding £2000 and is also liable to be disqualified from holding or obtaining a licence.

NHS Organ Donation Register

Whilst either applying for or renewing a driving licence, you will have the option to express you wishes to be added to the NHS Organ Donor Register. Alternatively, you can register directly onto the NHS Organ Donor Register. Registering takes as little as 2 minutes.