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 clicking sound when turning the steering wheel
- B. A rattling noise from the exhaust when decelerating
- C. A low rumbling noise at high speed
- D. A high-pitched squealing or grinding noise when the brakes are applied
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 wanders or drifts without the driver making steering inputs
- B. The vehicle steers smoothly with no vibration
- C. The speedometer needle vibrates above 120 km/h
- D. The handbrake holds on a hill without the brake pedal depressed
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. A low engine oil level
- B. Correctly functioning suspension
- C. Over-inflated tyres only
- D. Worn shock absorbers
6. A knocking noise from the front suspension when going over bumps or when turning could indicate:
- A. A discharged battery
- B. Worn or loose suspension joints such as ball joints or anti-roll bar links
- C. Brake fluid that needs replacing
- D. Low engine coolant
7. When must your windscreen wipers be in good working condition?
- A. Only during the winter months
- B. Only if the vehicle was manufactured after 2010
- C. At all times, as they are required for roadworthiness
- D. Only if the vehicle is used on motorways
8. Why should you keep the windscreen washer fluid reservoir topped up?
- A. Because operating wipers on a dry screen can damage both the blades and the windscreen
- B. Because the engine cannot start with an empty reservoir
- C. Because washer fluid cools the engine
- D. It is only needed to pass the NCT
9. Which of these conditions would cause a windscreen to fail the NCT?
- A. Minor scratches outside the wiper sweep area
- B. Light water marks that can be cleaned off
- C. A crack or chip within the driver's critical vision area
- D. Tinted film on the rear window only
10. What colour is the exhaust smoke if engine oil is being burnt?
- A. Black
- B. Clear
- C. Blue/grey
- D. White
11. Black smoke from a petrol engine exhaust most likely indicates:
- A. Oil burning due to worn piston rings
- B. Normal condensation on a cold morning
- C. A rich fuel mixture — too much fuel is being burned
- D. Coolant entering the combustion chamber
12. On a cold morning, a small amount of white steam comes from your exhaust. What does this indicate?
- A. A failed head gasket
- B. Normal condensation that clears once the engine warms up
- C. Engine oil burning in the combustion chamber
- D. A serious engine fault requiring immediate repair
13. Continuous white smoke from the exhaust, combined with the coolant level dropping regularly, most likely indicates:
- A. Worn piston rings
- B. A faulty catalytic converter
- C. A failed head gasket allowing coolant into the combustion chamber
- D. A blocked air filter
14. What does the NCT stand for?
- A. National Car Test
- B. National Compliance Test
- C. National Certification for Transport
- D. National Component Test
15. What is the purpose of the NCT?
- A. To assess whether a vehicle meets minimum roadworthiness and safety standards
- B. To check a driver's road knowledge every few years
- C. To set the annual road tax band for the vehicle
- D. To register the vehicle with the local council
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 only an offence if the vehicle fails a roadside inspection
- B. It is an offence that can result in a fine and penalty points
- C. It is allowed for up to 30 days after the test due date
- D. It is permitted provided the vehicle is taxed and insured
17. What shape is an Irish regulatory sign?
- A. Yellow diamond with a black symbol
- B. Blue rectangle
- C. Red octagon
- D. White circle with a red border
18. What shape and colour are Irish warning signs?
- A. Red triangle with a white background
- B. Blue rectangle
- C. White circle with a red border
- D. Yellow diamond with a black symbol
19. What colour are motorway direction signs in Ireland?
- A. Orange
- B. Green
- C. Blue
- D. White
20. What colour are roadworks signs in Ireland?
- A. Yellow
- B. Orange
- C. Blue
- D. Red
21. What shape is the STOP sign?
- A. Circle
- B. Diamond
- C. Triangle
- D. Octagon
22. What shape is the YIELD (Give Way) sign?
- A. Upright red triangle
- B. Yellow diamond
- C. Inverted triangle with red border
- 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. Speed limit 40 km/h
- B. No entry
- C. No overtaking
- D. No parking
24. A white circle with a red border showing the number '50' in black indicates what?
- A. Maximum speed limit of 50 km/h
- B. Advisory speed of 50 km/h
- C. End of the 50 km/h zone
- D. Minimum speed of 50 km/h
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. Overtaking prohibited
- B. No entry for motorcycles
- C. No parking for large vehicles
- D. Lane closed ahead
26. You see a yellow diamond sign depicting children running. What type of hazard does this indicate?
- A. Children's hospital nearby
- B. School ahead — children may be crossing
- C. Supervised crossing with a lollipop warden
- D. Playground area — parking prohibited
27. A yellow diamond sign shows a circular arrow. What does it warn about?
- A. One-way street ahead
- B. U-turn permitted
- C. Sharp bend ahead
- D. Roundabout ahead
28. How do Irish warning signs differ from those used in most of continental Europe?
- A. Irish warning signs are identical to the red triangles used across Europe
- B. Irish warning signs are yellow diamonds, whereas most of Europe uses red triangles
- C. Irish warning signs are red triangles, whereas most of Europe uses yellow diamonds
- D. Irish warning signs are blue circles, whereas most of Europe uses red triangles
29. A single continuous white line painted along the centre of a road means:
- A. The line marks the edge of the carriageway
- B. You may cross it only to overtake
- C. Overtaking is advisory but not recommended
- D. You must not cross or straddle the line
30. A double continuous white line painted on the road means:
- A. You may cross from the right-hand line side only
- B. All traffic must keep to the left of the lines, except in an emergency or for access
- 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. A contraflow bus lane
- B. Overtaking is permitted when it is safe to do so
- C. A cycle lane boundary
- D. No overtaking at any time
32. What is a yellow box junction?
- A. A marked area of criss-cross yellow lines where you must not stop unless your exit is clear
- B. A bus stop indicated by a yellow box
- C. A yellow-painted square at an intersection where you must stop before entering
- D. A pedestrian crossing marked in yellow
33. When may you legally enter and wait in a yellow box junction?
- A. When going straight ahead and the lights are green, even if traffic is queued beyond the box
- B. At any time, because waiting briefly in a yellow box is always permitted
- C. When turning right and waiting for a gap in oncoming traffic, provided your exit lane is clear
- D. When turning left and your exit is blocked by stationary traffic
34. Double yellow lines painted along the kerb mean:
- A. Loading only permitted
- B. No parking at any time
- C. No parking during peak hours only
- D. No stopping at any time
35. Zig-zag white lines painted on the road are found near:
- A. School bus stops
- B. Railway level crossings
- C. Hump-back bridges
- D. Pedestrian crossings
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. Red → amber → green → amber → red
- B. Green → amber → red
- C. Amber → green → red
- D. Green → red → amber → green
38. You are approaching traffic lights and the signal changes to amber. What should you do?
- A. Stop unless it would be unsafe to do so
- B. Continue at the same speed — amber means caution only
- C. Accelerate to clear the junction before red
- D. Sound your horn and proceed with caution
39. Which describes the traffic light sequence used in Ireland?
- A. Green flashes before changing straight to red
- B. Red changes directly to green, with no combined red-and-amber phase
- C. Red and amber are shown together before the green light appears
- D. Amber is shown together with green before the red light appears
40. How many questions are on the Irish Driver Theory Test for a car (category B)?
- A. 40
- B. 30
- C. 35
- 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 tell you what you must or must not do under road traffic law. They are usually circular: white with a red border and black symbols, figures or letters for prohibitions and speed limits, and blue with white symbols for mandatory instructions such as the direction traffic must take. Some regulatory signs use other shapes — most notably the STOP sign (red octagon) and the YIELD sign (inverted triangle).
- 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. All traffic must keep to the left of the lines, except in an emergency or for access — Single or double continuous white lines separate traffic travelling in opposite directions, and all traffic must keep to the left of them. You must never cross or straddle them to overtake. The only exceptions are an emergency, or access — crossing to enter or leave a side road, premises or land on the right-hand side of the road.
- 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.