Road Safety Authority Ireland Reviews 

I was helping my daughter book a driving test this evening. It seems you cannot just book a driving test, you must, instead, book a place in a queue to be offered a date for a driving test at some later time. To get in the queue, to queue for an offer of a date, you must first queue to be allowed onto the website, in our case for one hour. Having got on the website we waited for thirty minutes watching the spinning timer while the site progressed at a snails space until we choose "My Goal". The site then presented a blank screen and would progress no further.
I had similarly frustrating experiences with the RSA when I previously had to deal directly with them years ago and it is incredible that they still operate with the same dysfunctional systems and the same gross inefficiency, an inefficiency and dysfunctionality that can stem only from a corporate culture of contempt for the citizens they are supposed to be serving.
A phone company or a bank one can change, but these untouchables operate with "customer service" being, it seems, some sort of an in-house joke.

With Alex in Carlow ndls today such a helpful patient women always has such a good attitude and always does her best to help

I applied to exchange my EU full driving license for an Irish one. However, after I submitted my documents, I realized that I was not eligible to do so because I had previously exchanged my license from a country that has no agreement with Ireland. I called customer service to request the cancellation of my application, as I knew I could not proceed. I have been in touch with them for about 20 working days, but my application is still under review. I have explained that I have upcoming trips outside the EU and must have my passport and license on hand, but they have ignored my appeal. I am frustrated with their lack of response.

Applied to change my EU licence to an Irish one. Enquired at the Garda and was told to do it online as that's the quickest. Did that. I move here and found a buyer for my left hand drive van and booked ferry tickets to drive over to sell it. 3 weeks before the departure date I called RSA and explained the situation. I needed a physical licence to be able to sell tbe van, a copy does not suffice. They told me it would be discussed with a manager and see what he could do for me. A week before departure I rang back, was told the exact same. The day before I was to leave I called again but this time I got a rude girl who sounded like she didn't have any interest in her work. She told me it could take 3 months. So now I'm nearly 2 weeks down the line, lost €430 on the ferry ticket, lost the buyer as he can't wait forever. Not only that I can't get my new van insured until the other one is sold so my work is affected too. Its a disgraceful service at RSA how they treat people who need to have a licence.
UPDATE 12/12:
Rang 3 weeks ago for an upade, was told they cannot give one and I remarked I am seriously thinking of cancelling because I have to have a valid -physical- licence to drive in the EU.
I received a letter saying the appliction was rejected because I didnt provide all the correct documentation. Called them for clarification. They told me I cancelled it, I said I did not cancel and they should listen to the phone recordings. That was last Thursday. Called again this morning and get conflicting answers. First they said they didnt have the reply from the licence country, then they retracted that. Then said I cancelled, they retracted that. Asked for a supervisor and waited 8 minutes, was told it was opened again and it was being processed but they could not give a timeline. Opened again? Your other collegue just said it was still closed. So many different stories, I dont think they actually know what they are doing there. They will only provide first names and refuse to give a sirname for reference ( Data protection ) but yet they know everything about me. When I said I was recording the conversation I was warned that I could be fined up to e100000 and the 'supervisor' hung up the phone.
This government body is a joke and there should be a complete overhaul of the sustem. It cant be possible that you have to wait up to 3 months to get a licence changed.

The person I dealt with at the NDLS centre in Leopardstown could have been a little more pleasant and mannerly,her job is obviously routine but it doesn’t justify her being short and to the point with people.

Worst experiance for the second time in Tallaght.
Driving Instructor shouting at me in the car park at the end of my test,got out of my car,slammed the door and walked ahead of me into the centre.made me feel so uncomfortable and nervous through the whole test.this is not the first time this has happened at this centre and for it to happen on two seperate tests is just beyond me how the instuctors get away with treating people like dirt is a disgrace.yes i get i may not be a pro driver but completed everything he asked of me what i tought was correct.these tests need to be recorded as people have no proof of how there been treated and to pay 85euro again to do it.very disheartning and my confidence is completely knocked after completing 14 lessons and paying for this twice I am disgusted.No professional what so ever.Wrong people in these jobs.

Applied for renewal in June 4 months ahead of expiration.
unavoidable out of the country in Asia in July couldn't get doctors appointment for medical
Engaged ndls all along by e mail 3 days late submitting medical
They closed my application charged me the full amount telling me to apply again.
Rip off merchants phoned and complained no engagement
NDLS HID BEHIND YOUR WEB ADDRESS DISGRACEFUL

Recently applied for IRISH drivers license and what a smooth process. Clare in Wicklow town was amazing!

Absolute shambles of an organisation , disgraceful service, unfit for purpose, should be thrown out entirely and rebuilt from the ground up. RSA leadership should be fired.

I lived abroad for a long time and Decided to move home to Ireland to settle down and needed to get my full license sorted. Little did I know that this would be, by far, the most annoying and difficult thing about getting settled.

Customer service non existent, website portal barely ever works, I was 5 months on a waiting list, failed which I’ll take the hit for but could definitely argue that the reason given was a little absurd, and 3 months wait for a resit. Thank god I passed the 2nd time and never have to deal with this organisation again.

There are no employment options without a car where I live, as is the case for many Irish people, and during this time I would have been bled of tens of thousands of euros in lost wages as I could not drive to a place of work.. legally. The stress of having to take the chance every day is one that people should not literally have to make, .. for months and months on end.

This stupid, inept, and wholly unfit for purpose organisation nearly drove me abroad again. Outrageous charlatans. How do people put up with this?

I have spent an hour on the website trying to book a motorcycle test. Utterly hopeless and I have given up trying. Apparently it is 'simple and easy' to do this online. It is not.

Terrible service, just renewed my license for a automatic car back in may as I have a medical condition they said I could only have a one year license but on the day had charged for a 10 year license to make matters worse they have failed to put the code on the license for automatic only. I was just informed by Customer service that it is not the fault of the person at the counter processing the application, so I have to expect to be Overcharged every year and in regards to the diving license itself I was told to send it back but not to drive till I get a new one. This is the second year running this has happened. Of note it took 2 months last year to get it sorted. Only in Ireland. Disgraceful

I called 3 times and kept on being hanged up on and l find it really disrespectful. I had to call 3 times again and again. This seems unfair to call for more than an 1hr. The worst experience ever. I am surely disappointed

Horrific customer service. The rudest man called Chris on the phone just hung up on me.
I was trying to explain I was overcharged and his tone was horrible towards me.

I after having had my invitation to book a test pushed back several times, pushed back to 38 weeks!! The website is unhelpful and there is seemingly no way around them continualy pushing this back even further, I can not call someone to reason with nor can I get an emergency test without commiting fraud (which I will not be doing). There are jobs I cannot obtain to further my career because of this
This place is a joke

Absolutely disgraced, I was laughed at by the instructor who failed me for driving too slow. I never went under 30mph and or over 50. Max speed limit of test was 50mph. My motor has traffic sign recognition so I'm 100% aware of the the speed limit. Its also a 3.3 tonne truck and automatic which needs more breaking distance. I feel this is a money grab and completely unprofessional, marked unfairly and treated unfairly.

Each time I called to enquire about the considerable time it was taking to issue driving-license renewal (which I had already paid for) always spoke to a different person, each time giving me conflicting information. Finally received an email advising I needed to send medical report through the post within 10 days. Three days later received email to say renewal request had been rejected as paperwork hadn't been received in time! Speechless!!!

RSA has cancelled the driving test now 3 times in less than one month since December 2022 at Mulhuddart Test Centre. They have shown nothing but contempt for people by canceling tests within 5 minutes and all without an apology. Weather used today even though roads are clear. Private companies are driving on the roads testing drivers.RSA need to shut down the service during the winter months to avoid any risk to their staff. In meantime, outsource all services to a private company. Fed up seeing my hard earned taxes going to services without any accountability. . RSA are not up to the job. Please get rid of them and let competent people run the show. In the name of road safety, serious intervention is required. Learner drivers cannot get tested. Shut them down immediately. Get rid of them, please, for all our sakes.

I have twice paid €35 to renew my license, sent all the documents required 4 times and they’ve sent me the same email Everytime saying my proof of address is not original when it clearly was on all 4 occasions. I have been trying to renew since early September, it’s now late December. 2 Separate applications, the same result.

For them to say documents is not original, there must be robots in that office making stupid decisions. Absolutely ridiculous.

If I could give less than 1 star, I would. I was on the waiting list to do my test for 11 weeks before I got an email to pick a slot. After 11 weeks of waiting I FINALLY get to book on for a test 3.5 weeks later. Now today, less than 24 hours before my test, the RSA cancelled it. I get an email to book back on and there is no availability at all, I have been put back onto the original waiting list (that I was on for 11 weeks previously). I have never been so ready to take a test and so incredibly frustrated in my life.