The renewal of driving licence cards will require applicants to undergo a test according to new regulations published by the department of transport for comment.

Until now‚ the renewal of cards has only required an eye test.

The new regulations include a new section‚ 107D‚ which says: “An applicant for the renewal of a driving licence card shall before obtaining a new driving licence card be evaluated by an examiner for driving licences.”

This examination would be performed by “observation‚ inquiry and practical test”.

The examiner would have to satisfy themselves that the applicant “holds a driving licence which authorises him or her to drive the class of motor vehicle to which his or her application relates”.

The applicant would have to show that she “knows and understands the road traffic signs” and “has a sound knowledge of the rules of the road and the different signals which a driver of a motor vehicle is required to give when driving on a public road”.

The regulation says the test would not be a written test‚ but would be carried out by an examiner face-to-face.