The Department for Infrastructure has made a Statutory Order entitled "The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment No. 2) (Coronavirus) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020" (S.R. 2020 No. 299), which comes into operation on 7th December 2020.

As a result of the suspension of practical driving tests due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) public health emergency, the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (S.R. 2020 No. 188) extended by 8 months the validity of driving theory test pass certificates that would otherwise have expired between 1st March 2020 and 31st October 2020.

The purpose of these Regulations is to further extend the validity of those pass certificates as practical driving tests have continued to be disrupted by the COVID-19 emergency.

The validity of driving theory test pass certificates that expired between 1st March 2020 and 31st October 2020 is extended by an additional 4 months (making 12 months in total) and the validity of such test pass certificates that expire between 1st November 2020 and 30th June 2021 is extended by 8 months.

Copies of the Rule may be purchased from the Stationery Office at www.tsoshop.co.uk or by contacting TSO Customer Services on 0333 202 5070 or viewed online at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr.