Digital Tachograph Driver Card (Ireland)

The digital tachograph card is one of the ways Ireland is improving its road safety conditions. It is an official legally requirements for all commercial bus and truck drivers. Learn more about it here.

Table of contents

• Digital tachograph driver card
• Digital driver card requirements
• How to apply for a digital tachograph driver card?
• Digital driver card photo requirements
• Make a photo for a digital driver online!
• Digital tachograph driver card cost
• Digital tachograph driver card validity
• Digital tachograph driver card renewal

Digital tachograph driver card

The card stores information about the holder’s daily work as a driver. Specifically, the card is used with the tachograph, a device fitted to a vehicle that digitally records its speed and distance, together with the driver's activity selected from a choice of modes. This encourages road responsibility and safety.

A personal tachograph driver card is a plastic card card with a microchip.

Digital driver card requirements

To apply for this card, these are the requirements:

• Your valid Irish or EU driving licence with a bus or truck category;
• You have not had a tachograph driver card before in any other country;
• You must be a resident of Ireland with a PPS number.

How to apply for a digital tachograph driver card?

There are two ways to apply: online and by post.

Online

1. Fill out your application and pay for it online here;
2. Print out your application form to a Garda station and get your photo and signature witnessed;
3. Send your complete application, including photo and supporting documents, to the RSA.

By post

1. Print out an application form and fill it out by hand;
2. Have your signature and photo witnessed in a Garda station;
3. Send your complete application, including photo and supporting documents, to the RSA. Pay using credit/debit card details.

Digital driver card photo requirements

Check your application photo against these requirements:

• Have a size of a minimum of 35mm x 45mm to a maximum of 38mm x 50mm;
• Have your face take up between 70% and 80% of the frame;
• The background must be plain light grey, white or cream;
• Glasses are allowed. The frame must not cover any part of your eyes. There must be no glare on the lenses. Dark glasses are not permitted;
• You can wear a head covering for religious or medical reasons. Your full facial features must be visible. You cannot wear head accessories for any other reason;
• Your photo must be in focus. Balance the lighting and colour, not too dark or too light;
• There must not be any shadows on your face or behind your head;
• 'Red eye' in photographs is not acceptable;
• Keep your facial expression neutral and look straight into the camera.

Here is an example:

Make a photo for a digital driver online!

Do you need to submit a photo to apply for your digital tachograph card? Then make sure your image fulfils all the specifications required as explained above.

Visafoto can help you edit your photo to subtler parameters like head proportions. Just take a picture of yourself following the required posing and dress code and upload it to our tool below.

Take an image with a smartphone or camera against any background, upload it here, and instantly get a professional photo for your visa, passport, or ID.

You will have two types of photos. Digital - for electronic applications and a template for printing.

Digital tachograph driver card cost

The fee depends on which way you apply:

• €45 for online applications;
• €60 for applications by post.

Digital tachograph driver card validity

Each card is valid for five years and can store 28 days' worth of data. Upon expiry, it will need to be renewed.

Digital tachograph driver card renewal

Once your card expires, you must apply for a new one. The application methods are practically the same, except that photos may be optional (photos are required to be renewed every ten years). Apply at least 3-4 weeks before your card’s expiry date.