Module 1
Industry Knowledge
400 questions · 11 chapters
Licensing, fares, the Regulations, wheelchair accessible vehicles, customer care, the road. One topic per chapter of the Official Manual, with the section reference under every answer.
Practise
How the real test works
1
Book with the NTA
Call 0818 064 000 with your PPS number and driving licence. The fee is 90 euro. Five test centres: Dublin (two), Cork, Galway, Sligo. Bring photo ID and your booking confirmation.
2
Two modules on a computer
54 Industry Knowledge questions in 54 minutes, then 36 Area Knowledge questions in 36 minutes. Multiple choice; some questions ask for two answers.
3
75% in each
41 out of 54 and 27 out of 36. Fail one module and you resit only that module, but the fee is the same 90 euro. NTA figures for 2024: 36% passed first time, and those who passed needed 2.8 sittings on average.
Try it free, then one payment
No account needed for the demo: chapter 1 of the Manual, a sample of every Area topic for your county, one full mock and all the guides. The full course is one payment, no subscription.
Full access
Everything, for less than half of one resit.
€39once, 6 months of access. Not a subscription.
- All 400 Industry Knowledge questions, every chapter of Manual 8.1
- Every Area Knowledge question for all 26 counties, with maps
- Unlimited mock exams on the real clock
- Progress saved to your account, on any device
- Pass guarantee: fail the real test, get another 6 months free
Card payment by Stripe. One resit costs 90 euro; this is less than half of that. Fail the real test and we add another 6 months free. Refunds and guarantee
Before the test: the guides
Written from the NTA Official Manual 8.1 and nationaltransport.ie, with the Manual page for every number.
How to become a taxi driver in Ireland
Eight steps to an SPSV driver licence: who qualifies, the 90 euro test, the 250 euro fee, form PSV 15 and Garda vetting, taxi or hackney, timeline.
Taxi licence in Ireland: driver licence vs vehicle licence (taxi plate)
A taxi licence in Ireland is two licences: the SPSV driver licence (90 euro test, 250 euro fee) and the vehicle licence, now new only for WAV taxis.
The SPSV Driver Entry Test, explained
SPSV Driver Entry Test explained: 54 + 36 questions, 75% pass mark (41 and 27 correct), 90 euro fee, five centres, booking steps and what to bring.
How to book the SPSV test
How to book the NTA SPSV Driver Entry Test in Ireland: what you need before calling, the five test centres with Eircodes, fees, resits and ID rules.
How much is a taxi licence in Ireland?
A taxi licence in Ireland costs 340 euro for the driver: 90 euro test plus 250 euro licence. Vehicle licence 125 + 45 euro, renewal 150 or 75 a year.
Hackney licence in Ireland: cost and how to get one
Hackney licence in Ireland: no new standard hackneys, so the routes are wheelchair accessible (125 euro + 45) or local area (50 euro). Taxi vs hackney.
The FreeNow manual for the SPSV test: what it is, how to get it, what it leaves out
The FreeNow manual is a free online SPSV study platform, not the NTA Manual the test is set on. Where to get it, 10 counties, 7 Industry chapters, gaps.
Area Knowledge by county
The Area Knowledge module is set for the county you will be licensed in. Every county has a free sample of each topic and a place list to study from.
Questions people ask
What is on the SPSV Driver Entry Test?
Two modules taken on a computer at an NTA test centre. Industry Knowledge: 54 multiple choice questions in 54 minutes covering the whole Official Manual (Edition 8.1). Area Knowledge: 36 questions in 36 minutes about the county you want to work in (we cover all 26). You need 75% in each module (41/54 and 27/36). If you fail one module you only resit that one.
How much does the test cost?
The test fee is 90 euro per sitting, and the Manual is explicit that a resit costs the same whether you take one module or both. NTA figures (SPSV Bulletin 2024): 36% pass at the first sitting, and those who pass need 2.8 sittings on average, so a fail typically costs another 90 euro plus weeks of waiting for a slot.
What changed in the Area Knowledge test in October 2025?
The NTA rewrote the Area Knowledge module from 1 October 2025. It now tests whether you know where major places are (hospitals, hotels, stations, venues, colleges), which roads and districts they sit in, one-way streets and the main routes between towns. It no longer expects you to recite turn-by-turn routes from memory, because drivers use sat-nav.
Are these the actual NTA questions?
No. The NTA does not publish its question bank. Our Industry Knowledge questions are written directly from the Official Manual Edition 8.1 and every answer cites the section and page so you can check it yourself. Area Knowledge questions cover the real places in the NTA categories for every county, each with a map.
Is this free?
The demo is free and needs no account: the first Manual chapter, a sample of every Area Knowledge topic for your county, one full mock exam and all the guides. Full access is €39 paid once for 6 months, less than half of one resit. If you fail the real test while your access is active, we extend it by another 6 months for free.
Is this the Freenow Manual?
No. Freenow, the taxi app, runs a free study platform it calls "The Manual", with Area Knowledge for ten counties. SPSVexam.ie is independent, covers all 26 counties and cites the NTA Manual 8.1 page under every Industry answer. The Freenow guide on this site compares the two.