Mock Theory Test

Practice Your RSA Theory Test

Our mock theory test allows you to practice your category 'B' (Car) theory test. We cover the five core areas that you will be tested on:

Control of the Vehicle
Legal Matters / Rules of the Road
Managing Risk
Safe and Socially Responsible Driving
Technical Matters

You have forty-five minutes to answer forty questions and must answer at least thirty-five correctly to pass.

Want to brush up on just your road signs before your test? Try our Irish Road Sign test.

Good luck!

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1 / 40

Category: Technical Matters

1. What is the primary purpose of the battery fitted to a petrol - or diesel - powered motor vehicle?

To reduce fuel consumption

To provide heat to the engine

To provide braking

To start the engine

2 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

2. Where can drivers locate the Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) of their vehicle?

On the insurance disc

On a metal plate on the vehicle

On the tax disc

On the NCT disc

3 / 40

Category: Managing Risk

3. When should tyre pressure be checked?

At service intervals only

When the tyres are part-worn

When the tyres are hot

When the tyres are cold

4 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

4. What does this sign mean?

With-flow bus lane on the right.

Buses may block the driver’s view of cyclists.

Contra-flow bus lane ahead.

With-flow bus lane on the left.

5 / 40

Category: Safe and Socially Responsible Driving

5. A driver who is about to undertake a journey is upset or angry. What should they do?

Drive slower than normal for a distance

A driver should not drive until they are calm

Drive faster than normal for a distance

Being upset or angry does not affect driving

6 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

6. How should an L-plate be composed?

A green L on a white background

A red L on a transparent background

A white L on a red background

A red L on a white background

7 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

7. When wanting to stop temporarily in a congested area where should the driver park?

Park on the footpath so as not to impede the free flow of traffic in the road

Double park in a convenient place with your hazard lights on

Park in a safe, legal and convenient place

Park slightly up on the footpath with the hazard lights on

8 / 40

Category: Managing Risk

8. What traffic may use a contra-flow bus lane?

Buses, taxis and cyclists.

Buses on a scheduled service.

Buses and motorised wheelchairs only.

Buses, taxis and motorcycles.

9 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

9. How would a driver calculate the maximum overall permitted weight of their vehicle?

By calculating the unladen weight of the vehicle plus the weight of the fuel

By checking the unladen weight of the vehicle

By checking the weight of the load which may be carried

By adding the unladen weight of the vehicle to the load permitted to be carried

10 / 40

Category: Managing Risk

10. What should a driver do when involved in an incident where nobody is injured but the vehicles are causing a danger or obstruction on the road?

Take care when moving damaged vehicles and make every effort to warn other traffic

Wait for the Gardaí to arrive before moving the vehicles

Move all passengers and put a red warning triangle on the road

Halt all traffic until it has been established who is at fault

11 / 40

Category: Technical Matters

11. What is the purpose of engine oil?

It lubricates the wheel bearings

It lubricates the braking system

It lubricates the engine

It lubricates the exhaust system

12 / 40

Category: Technical Matters

12. If driving a vehicle with automatic transmission, what in particular should a driver be aware of?

That wheel-spin occurs more often

That engine braking power is reduced

That the gear box may overheat while being driven in low gear.

That driving on a motorway is not permitted

13 / 40

Category: Safe and Socially Responsible Driving

13. When driving at night the dipped headlights of a typical car should enable the driver to see for a distance of how many metres?

40 metres

20 metres

50 metres

30 metres

14 / 40

Category: Safe and Socially Responsible Driving

14. What phrase is recommended for drivers to help them determine a safe distance from the vehicle in front on a dry road?

Only a fool breaks the four second rule

Only a fool breaks the one second rule

Only a fool breaks the two second rule

Only a fool breaks the three second rule

15 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

15. What does this road marking and information plate together mean?

Parking not allowed at the times shown

No parking at any time

Taxi rank at times shown

Loading bay at times shown

16 / 40

Category: Safe and Socially Responsible Driving

16. What danger can arise during daylight when a driver enters an area that is heavily shaded by overhanging trees?

Visibility could suddenly be reduced

The vehicle engine could suddenly run cold

The tyre pressure could be reduced

The vehicle's windscreen could fog up

17 / 40

Category: Safe and Socially Responsible Driving

17. What should a driver do when travelling downhill on snow or ice?

Keep close to the left and brake sharply to reduce speed

Select an appropriate gear and brake gently to control speed

Avoid using the brake and use a high gear

Use a higher gear than normal in order to avoid wheel spin

18 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

18. Unless otherwise indicated, what is the maximum permissible speed of a car towing a trailer on a motorway?

60 km/h

80 km/h

100 km/h

120 km/h

19 / 40

Category: Managing Risk

19. When driving on a motorway, what should a driver do if they miss their exit?

Stop on the hard shoulder, switch on their hazard lights and reverse back to the desired exit.

Leave the motorway at the next exit and cross to the other side using the fly-over (or underpass).

Wait on the hard shoulder until a suitable gap appears in traffic from both directions and then cross to the opposite side of the motorway.

Cross to the opposite side of the motorway when there is a suitable gap in the oncoming traffic.

20 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

20. Is a driver still insured to drive their vehicle after their insurance policy has expired?

The driver is insured up to 7 days after the expiry of the policy

The driver is insured up to 10 days after the expiry of the policy

The driver is not insured after the expiry of the policy

The driver is insured up to 14 days after the expiry of the policy

21 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

21. When is parking permitted at a sharp bend?

Parking is never permitted at a sharp bend

When drivers coming from behind can see the parked vehicle

When parking no more than 45 centimetres from the kerb or edge of the road

When the hazard warning lights of the parked vehicle are on

22 / 40

Category: Safe and Socially Responsible Driving

22. When a driver is driving behind another vehicle that they do not intend to overtake, what should the driver do?

Keep well back to allow following traffic to overtake

Signal to following traffic to overtake both vehicles

Keep well back and to the centre of the road

Drive close behind it in order to let following traffic overtake both vehicles

23 / 40

Category: Managing Risk

23. Is it permissible to drive a vehicle on a public road when the brake lights are not working?

Yes, during lighting-up times

No, unless driving in a built-up area

No, it is never permitted to be driven

Yes, outside of lighting-up times

24 / 40

Category: Managing Risk

24. In general, where two lanes are provided on the approach to a roundabout, which lane should a driver select when they intend taking an exit to the right (past the 12 o’clock position) of the roundabout?

Either lane.

By straddling both lanes.

The right-hand lane.

The left-hand lane.

25 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

25. What does this sign mean?

The driver must stop when vehicles ahead show brake lights

The driver must stop when red lights show

Stop and wait for green light before proceeding

Emerging vehicles have priority. The driver must stop if necessary

26 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

26. What does this Garda signal mean?

Traffic approaching from the front may proceed

Traffic approaching from behind must stop

Traffic approaching from the right may proceed

Traffic approaching from the front must stop

27 / 40

Category: Safe and Socially Responsible Driving

27. What effect does a wet road surface have on a vehicle?s braking ability?

Modern tyres provide grip on a wet road as effectively as on a dry road

It reduces the braking distance of that required on a dry surface

Generally, it doubles the braking distance of that required on a dry surface

It makes no difference to the required braking distance

28 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

28. What does this sign mean?

T-junction ahead with roads of equal importance.

T-junction ahead with road of less importance.

T-junction ahead with merging traffic.

T-junction ahead with dual carriageway.

29 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

29. What should a driver do when approaching traffic lights that change from green to amber?

Stop, unless it is unsafe to do so.

Stop the vehicle immediately.

Sound the horn while proceeding through the junction.

Accelerate to clear the junction.

30 / 40

Category: Safe and Socially Responsible Driving

30. When should a driver use fog lights on their vehicle?

Use fog lights to improve visibility during light rain.

Use fog lights only in dense fog and falling snow.

Use fog lights on a badly lit country road.

Switch on fog lights as a warning to pedestrians.

31 / 40

Category: Managing Risk

31. What is the main reason for maintaining the correct tyre pressures?

To help provide optimum road holding

To reduce engine wear

To stop the vehicle from sloping to the left

To help maintain the correct ground clearance

32 / 40

Category: Managing Risk

32. A driver wishes to go straight ahead at a cross junction of equal importance. If they encounter other traffic, what is the general rule that applies?

Give way to traffic approaching from the left only.

Carry on as normal as they always have the right of way

Traffic approaching from the driver’s right has right of way.

Give way to traffic approaching firstly from the left and then the right.

33 / 40

Category: Managing Risk

33. What is the immediate effect of a head-on collision between two cars at speed?

Only front seatbelts will activate.

All persons in each vehicle are thrown violently forward.

All persons in each vehicle are thrown violently backwards only.

Only rear seatbelts will activate.

34 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

34. What does this sign mean?

Railway bridge ahead.

Level crossing ahead protected by lights and barriers.

Level crossing ahead unprotected by lights and barriers.

Railway station ahead.

35 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

35. When must the holder of a learner permit display L-plates on their car?

When driving to and from work

During daylight hours

When driving on their first learner permit

At all times when driving

36 / 40

Category: Managing Risk

36. What effect can overloading a vehicle have on its road-holding?

Provided the load is evenly distributed, it improves the stability of the vehicle

The load can make the vehicle more difficult to control

The load can make the vehicle more difficult to control, but only when going downhill

The load can make the vehicle more difficult to control, but only when reversing

37 / 40

Category: Technical Matters

37. What does Anti-lock braking system (ABS) do?

ABS locks the brakes to prevent skidding during harsh braking

ABS deploys the airbags during a collision

ABS prevents the wheels from locking under harsh braking conditions

ABS displays the name of the radio station playing on the car radio

38 / 40

Category: Legal Matters/Rules of the Road

38. When must drivers stop at an automated railway level crossing with barriers and red flashing lights?

When the barrier is fully up

When there are no lights visible

Stop safely when the amber light shows, or when red lights start to flash

When the red and amber lights stop flashing

39 / 40

Category: Safe and Socially Responsible Driving

39. What should a driver do if another vehicle blocks their right of way at a junction?

Sound the horn and flash the lights to show your frustration

Be patient and show restraint.

Flash the headlights to express displeasure

Pursue the vehicle and express displeasure

40 / 40

Category: Managing Risk

40. What should a driver do if involved in an incident where there is damage to property only?

It is only necessary to report the incident to the Gardaí within 10 day

It is not necessary to report it to the Gardaí provided it has been reported to the property owner

There is no need to report the incident if there is no damage to the vehicle

Report the incident both to the property owner and the Gardaí within 48 hours

Your score is

Disclaimer

This is completely free to use as often as you like. We try to ensure all the questions' accuracy and validity and keep them updated with the official RSA theory test questions. The tests try to simulate the real experience as much as possible. Like the actual test, you are given 45 minutes to complete the test. At the end of each test, you are given your result and can review your incorrect answers to see where you went wrong. If you see any errors or omissions, please get in touch with us.

Version Control

Date	Changes	By Whom
25/10/2023	Theory test created.	MC
14/03/2024	Questions Updated / Added	MC
29/05/2024	Questions & Explanations Updated / Added	MC
04/06/2024	Questions & Explanations Updated / Added	MC
18/06/2024	Questions & Explanations Updated / Added	MC
23/09/2025	Questions & Explanations Updated / Added	MC
27/01/2026	Questions & Explanations Updated / Added	MC
03/06/2026	Corrected a bug Where 14 Questions Would Display any Chosen Answer as Wrong	MC
31/08/2026	Questions & Explanations Updated / Added	MC

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