SPSV Driver Entry Test — practice questions and how it works
To drive a taxi, hackney or limousine in Ireland you must pass the National Transport Authority (NTA) SPSV Driver Entry Test. It has two modules: Industry Knowledge (the Taxi Regulation Act 2013, the SPSV regulations, fares, vehicles, passengers) and Area Knowledge (streets, roads, towns and places in the county you choose). Most applicants fail Area Knowledge first time because it is wide and local. TaxiPass gives you 330+ Industry questions and 10,000+ Area Knowledge questions for all 26 counties, with map-based answers and explanations in 9 languages.
How the test works
- Industry Knowledge: 54 questions in 54 minutes; some questions have two correct answers.
- Area Knowledge: 36 questions in 36 minutes on your chosen county.
- Computer-based, at NTA SPSV centres in Cork, Dublin (Greenhills and Northpoint), Galway and Sligo; book by phone on 0818 064 000.
- Fee and pass marks: check the NTA page below — they change.
- After the test: SPSV skills course, tax clearance, Garda vetting, licence application.
Sample questions
Tap a question to see the answer and the rule behind it. These are written by TaxiPass from the law and the official guidance, not copied from the official test.
1. What is the most passengers an SPSV may carry, not counting the driver?
- 12
- 8
- 6
- 9
An SPSV is a small public service vehicle: up to 8 passengers plus the driver. Anything larger is a bus, not an SPSV.
2. How many categories of SPSV are there?
- 4
- 3
- 6
- 8
Six: taxi, wheelchair accessible taxi, hackney, wheelchair accessible hackney, local area hackney and limousine.
3. Which of these is NOT an SPSV category?
- Wheelchair accessible hackney
- Local area hackney
- Limousine
- Minibus
A minibus is not an SPSV. The six categories are taxi, wheelchair accessible taxi, hackney, wheelchair accessible hackney, local area hackney and limousine.
4. Who grants SPSV driver licences?
- An Garda Síochána
- The NTA
- The Road Safety Authority (RSA)
- The local council
The Gardaí are the licensing authority for SPSV drivers: they vet applicants and grant and renew driver licences. The NTA licenses vehicles and dispatch operators and issues the driver ID cards.
5. Who grants SPSV vehicle licences?
- The NCT centre
- The NTA
- The Department of Transport
- An Garda Síochána
The NTA grants and manages vehicle licences and dispatch operator licences. Only the driver licence comes from the Gardaí.
Practise in the app
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TaxiPass is an independent study app, not a government app, and is not connected to any State body. Always check the official sources before you book, pay or act: