The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012

26.  In regulation 42 (exemption from theory test)—

(a) for paragraph (1) substitute—

“(1) A person is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising that person to drive a motor vehicle of a class included in sub-category A1 if that person—

(a) holds a valid standard theory test pass certificate in respect of a motor vehicle of a class included in category AM or A; or

(b) has held, for a period of not more than two years, a Northern Ireland theory test pass certificate corresponding to the certificate mentioned in sub-paragraph (a).”; and

(b) after paragraph (1) insert—

“(1A) A person is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising the driving of a motor vehicle of a class included in sub-category A2 if that person—

(a) holds a valid standard theory test pass certificate in respect of a motor vehicle of a class included in category AM or A;

(b) has, for a period of not less than two years, held a full licence which authorises the driving of A1 motorcycles; or

(c) has held, for a period of not more than two years, a Northern Ireland theory test pass certificate corresponding to the certificate mentioned in sub-paragraph (a).

(1B) A person is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising the driving of a motor vehicle of a class included in sub-category A3 if that person—

(a) holds a valid standard theory test pass certificate in respect of a motor vehicle of a class included in category AM or A;

(b) has, for a period of not less than two years, held a full licence which authorises the driving of A2 motorcycles; or

(c) has held, for a period of not more than two years, a Northern Ireland theory test pass certificate corresponding to the certificate mentioned in sub-paragraph (a).

(1C) A person is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising the driving of a motor vehicle of a class included in category AM or A if that person has held, for a period of not more than two years, a standard theory test pass certificate issued before 19th January 2013 in respect of a motor vehicle which—

(a) is of a class included in former category P; or

(b) is a motor bicycle.

(1D) A person who has held, for a period of not more than two years, a Northern Ireland theory test pass certificate corresponding to a certificate mentioned in paragraph (1C) is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising the driving of a motor vehicle of a class included in category AM or A.

(1E) A person who is a full time member of the armed forces is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising the driving of a motor vehicle of a class included in category A if that person has passed a test for a licence authorising the driving of motor vehicles of another class included in category A.”.