1998 No. 379
ROAD TRAFFIC AND VEHICLES
Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998
Made 2nd November 1998
Coming into operation 14th December 1998

The Department of the Environment, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Articles 5(3) and (6) and 218(1) of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 and of every other power enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:
S.I.1981/154 (N.I. 1); see Article 2(2) for the definition of “Department” and “prescribed”; Article 5 was substituted by S.I.1991/197 (N.I. 3), Schedule 1 and amended by S.R. 1996 No. 426, regulation 3 and Schedule 1, paragraph 2

1 Citation and commencement
These Regulations may be cited as the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998 and shall come into operation on 14th December 1998.

2 Amendment of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
In regulation 31 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996, after paragraph (5) there shall be added—

“6 Where the Department has revoked a person’s licence or test certificate under Article 5 of, or Schedule 1 to, the Road Traffic (New Drivers) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 he shall not be exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test in respect of any class of motor vehicle by virtue of the foregoing provisions of this regulation until the day following the date on which he passes a relevant driving test within the meaning of Article 6(2) of, or paragraph 6 or 9 of Schedule 1 to, that Order.
S.I.1998/1074 (N.I. 7)”

.
S.R. 1996 No. 542; relevant amending Regulations are S.R. 1997 No. 383
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of the Environment on
J. Ritchie Assistant Secretary 2nd November 1998.

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)
The Road Traffic (New Drivers) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 introduced a probationary period of 2 years for newly qualified drivers. If, during that period, certain offences are committed, the Department shall revoke the driver’s licence or test certificate and a new licence shall not be granted until a relevant driving test is passed.
These Regulations amend regulation 31 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 so as to disapply any exemption from the requirement to pass the theory test until such a driving test is passed.