Practice test
Practice Test 4
40 questions, just like the real test. Attempt them, then check the answer key below — or take the timed, auto-scored version in Theory Test Ireland.
Take this test timed and scored, with your predicted pass result — free to start in the app.
Download on theApp Store1. Which sound is a classic warning sign of worn brake pads?
- A. A low rumbling noise at high speed
- B. A high-pitched squealing or grinding noise when the brakes are applied
- C. A rattling noise from the exhaust when decelerating
- D. A clicking sound when turning the steering wheel
2. What does a spongy or soft brake pedal indicate?
- A. Normal operation that needs no investigation
- B. A possible fault such as air in the system or a fluid leak, which must be fixed
- C. That the handbrake is engaged
- D. That the ABS is working correctly
3. Which of these is a warning sign of a possible steering or suspension problem?
- A. The vehicle steers smoothly with no vibration
- B. The vehicle wanders or drifts without the driver making steering inputs
- C. The handbrake holds on a hill without the brake pedal depressed
- D. The speedometer needle vibrates above 120 km/h
4. Excessive vibration through the steering wheel at higher speeds most likely indicates:
- A. Worn wiper blades
- B. Unbalanced or improperly inflated tyres or worn wheel bearings
- C. A low engine oil level
- D. A fault in the vehicle's ABS sensor
5. Your vehicle bounces excessively after going over a bump. What could this indicate?
- A. Correctly functioning suspension
- B. Worn shock absorbers
- C. Over-inflated tyres only
- D. A low engine oil level
6. A knocking noise from the front suspension when going over bumps or when turning could indicate:
- A. Low engine coolant
- B. Worn or loose suspension joints such as ball joints or anti-roll bar links
- C. A discharged battery
- D. Brake fluid that needs replacing
7. When must your windscreen wipers be in good working condition?
- A. Only during the winter months
- B. At all times, as they are required for roadworthiness
- C. Only if the vehicle was manufactured after 2010
- D. Only if the vehicle is used on motorways
8. Why should you keep the windscreen washer fluid reservoir topped up?
- A. It is only needed to pass the NCT
- B. Because operating wipers on a dry screen can damage both the blades and the windscreen
- C. Because the engine cannot start with an empty reservoir
- D. Because washer fluid cools the engine
9. Which of these conditions would cause a windscreen to fail the NCT?
- A. Minor scratches outside the wiper sweep area
- B. A crack or chip within the driver's critical vision area
- C. Light water marks that can be cleaned off
- D. Tinted film on the rear window only
10. What colour is the exhaust smoke if engine oil is being burnt?
- A. Black
- B. White
- C. Blue/grey
- D. Clear
11. Black smoke from a petrol engine exhaust most likely indicates:
- A. Coolant entering the combustion chamber
- B. A rich fuel mixture — too much fuel is being burned
- C. Normal condensation on a cold morning
- D. Oil burning due to worn piston rings
12. On a cold morning, a small amount of white steam comes from your exhaust. What does this indicate?
- A. A serious engine fault requiring immediate repair
- B. Normal condensation that clears once the engine warms up
- C. Engine oil burning in the combustion chamber
- D. A failed head gasket
13. Continuous white smoke from the exhaust, combined with the coolant level dropping regularly, most likely indicates:
- A. A blocked air filter
- B. A failed head gasket allowing coolant into the combustion chamber
- C. Worn piston rings
- D. A faulty catalytic converter
14. What does the NCT stand for?
- A. National Compliance Test
- B. National Car Test
- C. National Certification for Transport
- D. National Component Test
15. What is the purpose of the NCT?
- A. To check a driver's road knowledge every few years
- B. To assess whether a vehicle meets minimum roadworthiness and safety standards
- C. To register the vehicle with the local council
- D. To set the annual road tax band for the vehicle
16. What happens if you drive a vehicle on a public road when its NCT certificate is required but has not been obtained?
- A. It is an offence that can result in a fine and penalty points
- B. It is allowed for up to 30 days after the test due date
- C. It is permitted provided the vehicle is taxed and insured
- D. It is only an offence if the vehicle fails a roadside inspection
17. What shape is an Irish regulatory sign?
- A. Yellow diamond with a black symbol
- B. White circle with a red border
- C. Blue rectangle
- D. Red octagon
18. What shape and colour are Irish warning signs?
- A. Red triangle with a white background
- B. Blue rectangle
- C. Yellow diamond with a black symbol
- D. White circle with a red border
19. What colour are motorway direction signs in Ireland?
- A. Green
- B. White
- C. Blue
- D. Orange
20. What colour are roadworks signs in Ireland?
- A. Blue
- B. Yellow
- C. Orange
- D. Red
21. What shape is the STOP sign?
- A. Circle
- B. Triangle
- C. Diamond
- D. Octagon
22. What shape is the YIELD (Give Way) sign?
- A. Upright red triangle
- B. Inverted triangle with red border
- C. Yellow diamond
- D. White circle with red bar
23. What does a white circle with a red border and a horizontal red bar across the centre mean?
- A. No overtaking
- B. Speed limit 40 km/h
- C. No entry
- D. No parking
24. A white circle with a red border showing the number '50' in black indicates what?
- A. Minimum speed of 50 km/h
- B. Maximum speed limit of 50 km/h
- C. Advisory speed of 50 km/h
- D. End of the 50 km/h zone
25. A circular sign with a red border shows two car symbols side by side — one black and one red with a diagonal line through the red one. What does this mean?
- A. No parking for large vehicles
- B. Overtaking prohibited
- C. Lane closed ahead
- D. No entry for motorcycles
26. You see a yellow diamond sign depicting children running. What type of hazard does this indicate?
- A. Playground area — parking prohibited
- B. School ahead — children may be crossing
- C. Children's hospital nearby
- D. Supervised crossing with a lollipop warden
27. A yellow diamond sign shows a circular arrow. What does it warn about?
- A. One-way street ahead
- B. Roundabout ahead
- C. Sharp bend ahead
- D. U-turn permitted
28. How do Irish warning signs differ from those used in most of continental Europe?
- A. Irish warning signs are yellow diamonds, whereas most of Europe uses red triangles
- B. Irish warning signs are red triangles, whereas most of Europe uses yellow diamonds
- C. Irish warning signs are blue circles, whereas most of Europe uses red triangles
- D. Irish warning signs are identical to the red triangles used across Europe
29. A single continuous white line painted along the centre of a road means:
- A. You may cross it only to overtake
- B. Overtaking is advisory but not recommended
- C. You must not cross or straddle the line
- D. The line marks the edge of the carriageway
30. A double continuous white line painted on the road means:
- A. You may cross from the right-hand line side only
- B. No vehicle may cross or straddle the lines under any circumstances
- C. Overtaking is permitted in good weather
- D. Cyclists only may cross the lines
31. A broken white line down the centre of the road indicates:
- A. No overtaking at any time
- B. A cycle lane boundary
- C. Overtaking is permitted when it is safe to do so
- D. A contraflow bus lane
32. What is a yellow box junction?
- A. A yellow-painted square at an intersection where you must stop before entering
- B. A marked area of criss-cross yellow lines where you must not stop unless your exit is clear
- C. A pedestrian crossing marked in yellow
- D. A bus stop indicated by a yellow box
33. When may you legally enter and wait in a yellow box junction?
- A. When turning right and waiting for a gap in oncoming traffic, provided your exit lane is clear
- B. When going straight ahead and the lights are green, even if traffic is queued beyond the box
- C. When turning left and your exit is blocked by stationary traffic
- D. At any time, because waiting briefly in a yellow box is always permitted
34. Double yellow lines painted along the kerb mean:
- A. No stopping at any time
- B. No parking at any time
- C. No parking during peak hours only
- D. Loading only permitted
35. Zig-zag white lines painted on the road are found near:
- A. Railway level crossings
- B. Pedestrian crossings
- C. Hump-back bridges
- D. School bus stops
36. Are you permitted to park on the zig-zag lines at a pedestrian crossing?
- A. No, parking on zig-zag lines is prohibited at all times
- B. Yes, if you are only stopping briefly to drop off a passenger
- C. Yes, provided no pedestrians are waiting to cross
- D. Yes, outside of peak traffic hours
37. What is the correct sequence of traffic lights in Ireland?
- A. Green → red → amber → green
- B. Green → amber → red
- C. Amber → green → red
- D. Red → amber → green → amber → red
38. You are approaching traffic lights and the signal changes to amber. What should you do?
- A. Accelerate to clear the junction before red
- B. Sound your horn and proceed with caution
- C. Stop unless it would be unsafe to do so
- D. Continue at the same speed — amber means caution only
39. Which describes the traffic light sequence used in Ireland?
- A. Red changes directly to green, with no combined red-and-amber phase
- B. Red and amber are shown together before the green light appears
- C. Amber is shown together with green before the red light appears
- D. Green flashes before changing straight to red
40. How many questions are on the Irish Driver Theory Test for a car (category B)?
- A. 30
- B. 35
- C. 40
- D. 50
Answer key
- 1. A high-pitched squealing or grinding noise when the brakes are applied — Most modern brake pads have a metal wear indicator that produces a squealing sound when pads are thin; a grinding noise means the pads are fully worn.
- 2. A possible fault such as air in the system or a fluid leak, which must be fixed — A spongy brake pedal usually indicates air in the hydraulic braking system or a fluid leak, both of which reduce braking effectiveness and must be fixed.
- 3. The vehicle wanders or drifts without the driver making steering inputs — Wandering or pulling to one side when the steering wheel is released can indicate worn steering or suspension components and should be inspected.
- 4. Unbalanced or improperly inflated tyres or worn wheel bearings — Steering vibration at speed is commonly caused by wheel imbalance, incorrect tyre pressure, or worn wheel bearings, all of which affect safe handling.
- 5. Worn shock absorbers — Shock absorbers dampen suspension movement. Worn shocks let the vehicle continue bouncing, reducing tyre contact with the road and compromising control.
- 6. Worn or loose suspension joints such as ball joints or anti-roll bar links — Knocking from the suspension area often points to worn ball joints, anti-roll bar bushes, or other linkage components that need replacement.
- 7. At all times, as they are required for roadworthiness — Working windscreen wipers are a legal requirement; worn or faulty wipers reduce visibility in rain and will fail an NCT inspection.
- 8. Because operating wipers on a dry screen can damage both the blades and the windscreen — Running wipers on a dry screen causes smearing, possible scratching of the glass, and rapid deterioration of the rubber wiper blades, so the reservoir should be kept topped up.
- 9. A crack or chip within the driver's critical vision area — Cracks or chips in the driver's forward vision zone are an NCT failure item because they distort or restrict the driver's view of the road.
- 10. Blue/grey — Blue or grey smoke from the exhaust indicates that oil is burning in the combustion chamber, which points to worn piston rings or valve stem seals.
- 11. A rich fuel mixture — too much fuel is being burned — Black smoke from a petrol engine usually means incomplete combustion due to an overly rich air-fuel mixture, often caused by a faulty sensor or injector.
- 12. Normal condensation that clears once the engine warms up — Condensation in the exhaust system produces harmless white steam when starting a cold engine; it disappears once the engine warms up.
- 13. A failed head gasket allowing coolant into the combustion chamber — A blown head gasket lets coolant enter the cylinders; it burns and exits as thick white smoke while the coolant reservoir gradually empties.
- 14. National Car Test — The NCT (National Car Test) is Ireland's mandatory roadworthiness test for private cars, administered by NCTS on behalf of the RSA.
- 15. To assess whether a vehicle meets minimum roadworthiness and safety standards — The NCT examines key safety and emissions items to ensure vehicles on Irish roads meet the required standard for safe operation.
- 16. It is an offence that can result in a fine and penalty points — It is a legal requirement to have a valid NCT certificate once the vehicle is due for testing; driving without one is an offence that can result in a fine and penalty points.
- 17. White circle with a red border — Regulatory signs in Ireland are circular with a white background and red border. They give legally binding instructions that drivers must obey.
- 18. Yellow diamond with a black symbol — Irish warning signs are yellow diamonds with black symbols. This distinguishes them from the red triangles used in most of continental Europe.
- 19. Blue — Motorway signs in Ireland have a blue background. This immediately identifies roads subject to motorway regulations where special rules apply.
- 20. Orange — Roadworks signs use an orange background to make them highly visible and to distinguish temporary hazard warnings from permanent road signs.
- 21. Octagon — The STOP sign is an octagon (eight sides) with a red background and white text. Its unique shape allows drivers to recognise it even when partially obscured.
- 22. Inverted triangle with red border — The YIELD sign is an inverted (upside-down) triangle with a red border and white background. Drivers must give way to traffic on the major road.
- 23. No entry — The no-entry sign — a white circle with a red border and a thick horizontal red bar — prohibits vehicles from entering a road in that direction.
- 24. Maximum speed limit of 50 km/h — A circular sign with a red border and a number is a maximum speed limit sign. Drivers must not exceed that speed.
- 25. Overtaking prohibited — The no-overtaking sign uses two car outlines — a coloured car passing a black car with a diagonal prohibition line — forbidding any overtaking manoeuvre.
- 26. School ahead — children may be crossing — A yellow diamond sign showing children running or a school-like symbol warns of a school ahead and the likelihood of children crossing the road.
- 27. Roundabout ahead — A yellow diamond with a circular arrow warns that a roundabout is ahead. Drivers should prepare to give way to traffic already on the roundabout.
- 28. Irish warning signs are yellow diamonds, whereas most of Europe uses red triangles — Ireland uses yellow diamond warning signs with black symbols, rather than the red triangles that are standard in most of continental Europe.
- 29. You must not cross or straddle the line — A single continuous white centre line must not be crossed or straddled. It is used where sight distances are restricted and overtaking is not safe.
- 30. No vehicle may cross or straddle the lines under any circumstances — Double continuous white lines create an absolute prohibition on crossing. No vehicle may cross or straddle them regardless of conditions.
- 31. Overtaking is permitted when it is safe to do so — A broken (dashed) white centre line means overtaking is permitted when it is safe. Drivers must still ensure the road ahead is clear before passing.
- 32. A marked area of criss-cross yellow lines where you must not stop unless your exit is clear — A yellow box junction is painted with criss-cross yellow lines. You must not enter the box unless your exit road is clear, to prevent gridlock.
- 33. When turning right and waiting for a gap in oncoming traffic, provided your exit lane is clear — The only permitted exception is when turning right: you may wait in the box for a gap in oncoming traffic, as long as your exit road is not blocked.
- 34. No parking at any time — Double yellow lines along the kerb indicate that parking is prohibited at all times. A single yellow line usually restricts parking at certain times.
- 35. Pedestrian crossings — Zig-zag lines appear on either side of a pedestrian crossing. Drivers must not park, overtake or stop on zig-zag lines, keeping the crossing visible.
- 36. No, parking on zig-zag lines is prohibited at all times — Parking or stopping on zig-zag lines is prohibited at all times; they exist to keep the crossing clear and maintain sightlines for pedestrians and drivers.
- 37. Green → amber → red — The standard sequence is green (proceed) → amber (prepare to stop) → red (stop). In Ireland there is no red-and-amber phase before green.
- 38. Stop unless it would be unsafe to do so — Amber means stop unless stopping would be dangerous (e.g., you are too close to stop safely). It does not mean 'speed up to beat the red light'.
- 39. Red changes directly to green, with no combined red-and-amber phase — Ireland does not use the combined red-and-amber phase before green; the sequence goes directly from red to green, unlike some other European countries.
- 40. 40 — The car driver theory test contains 40 questions drawn from the official question bank covering all areas of the rules of the road.