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The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

S.R. 2020/188 · Made 27 August 2020

Original text. legislation.gov.uk does not revise statutory instruments, so later amendments are not shown here. Changes made to it are listed under each provision when known.

Road Traffic And Vehicles

Made 27th August 2020

Coming into operation 1st September 2020

The Department for Infrastructuref1 makes the following Regulations, in exercise of the powers conferred by Articles 5(2A), (5A) and 218 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981f2, and now vested in itf3.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

Formerly the Department for Regional Development; see section 1(6) and (11) of, and Schedule 1 to, the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (2016 c. 5 (N.I.)). Pursuant to section 1(9) of that Act, the Department of the Environment is dissolved

f2

S.I. 1981/154 (N.I. 1) relevant amending Regulations are S.R.1996 No. 426

f3

See Article 8(1)(b) of, and Part 2 of Schedule 5 to, the Departments (Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 (S.R. 2016 No. 76)

Contents

  1. 1Citation and commencement
  2. 2Amendment of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations
  3. Signature
  4. Explanatory note

1Citation and commencement

These Regulations may be cited as the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 and shall come into operation on 1st September 2020.

2Amendment of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations

(1)

The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996f1 are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4).

(2)

In regulation 36 (evidence of result of theory test) after paragraph (6) insert the following—

“(6A)

Notwithstanding paragraph (6)(a), the validity of a standard theory test pass certificate which, in accordance with paragraph (6), would otherwise have expired or would otherwise expire between 1st March 2020 and 31st October 2020 shall be deemed to be, or to have been, extended for a period of eight months from the date of expiry referred to in each such pass certificate.”.

(3)

In regulation 36B (large vehicle theory test pass certificate) after paragraph (4) insert the following—

“(4A)

Notwithstanding paragraph (4)(a), the validity of a large vehicle theory test pass certificate which, in accordance with paragraph (4), would otherwise have expired or would otherwise expire between 1st March 2020 and 31st October 2020 shall be deemed to be, or to have been, extended for a period of eight months from the date of expiry referred to in each such pass certificate.”.

(4)

In regulations 37A (evidence of the results of special manoeuvres test) after paragraph 2 insert the following—

“(2A)

Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the validity of a pass certificate issued under paragraph 1(a) which, in accordance with paragraph (2), would otherwise have expired or would otherwise expire between 1st March 2020 and 31st August 2020 shall be deemed to be, or to have been, extended for a period of six months from the date of expiry referred to in each such pass certificate.”.

Signature

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Infrastructure on 27th August 2020

L.S.

Chris Hughes

A senior officer of the

Department for Infrastructure

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 (“the 1996 Regulations”) in order to extend the validity of driving theory test and motorcycle special manoeuvres test pass certificates given the current suspension of practical testing due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) public health emergency.

Regulation 2 of these Regulations amends regulations 36 and 36B of the 1996 Regulations so that the validity of a theory test pass certificate that expires between 1st March 2020 and 31st October 2020, is extended for a period of eight months from the date of expiry shown on the certificate.

Regulation 2 also amends regulation 37A of the 1996 Regulations so that a motorcycle special manoeuvres test certificate that expires between 1st March 2020 and 31st August 2020, is extended for a period of six months from the date of expiry shown on the certificate.

An Explanatory Memorandum has been produced and is available from Safe and Accessible Travel Division, Department for Infrastructure, Clarence Court, 10-18 Adelaide Street, Town Parks, Belfast BT2 8GB or online alongside this Statutory Rule at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr.