The short version
Two things hold across the provider pages: you register with an ID document, and you must bring the same document on test day. What counts as valid ID is where the pages differ. Always read the current rule on the page of the provider and venue you are booking with, because this page only reports what those pages said when we read them.
Which ID each side accepts
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| IDP Ireland, test day | Bring the same passport or national identity card that you used to book. |
| Dublin and Galway venue site, test day | Only a passport or EU National ID card is accepted. |
| Same site, registration | Says the British Council accepts only valid passports or EU National Identity Cards. |
The venue site's registration page shows a past copyright year, so treat it as a guide and confirm with the venue. The British Council side lists other venues in Ireland on ielts.org; we did not find their ID rules on a page we could read, so ask the venue you choose.
What is not accepted
The Dublin and Galway venue site lists what it does not accept:
- copies of passports
- driving licences
- student cards
- birth certificates
- national ID documents from non-EU countries
IDP's page speaks only of a passport or national identity card, so if your document is something else, ask before paying rather than assuming.
At booking: the upload
IDP's booking checklist says you upload a clear copy of your ID document when you book, so have a valid one to hand. The venue site says that if you did not upload the document during registration, you email a scanned copy, and that processing can take up to two working days. Do not leave this to the last day.
If you have no passport
The Dublin and Galway venue site has a line for people who cannot supply a passport, such as asylum seekers or refugees: it tells them to contact its office, which says it will assist with registration. Read that page for its exact wording. It is the only no-passport route we saw on the pages we read.
We did not see the Irish Residence Permit card, or any other residence card, mentioned on the pages we read, so we cannot say whether it is accepted. Email the centre, ask in writing, and keep the reply. This is general information from the provider pages, not immigration advice.
Under-18 candidates
The venue site says IELTS can be taken from the age of 16, and that under 18 you need permission from a parent or legal guardian. IDP says you supply written consent from a parent or guardian to book successfully. Ask the centre how and when it wants the consent provided.
That is the test providers' rule. Lessons here have a separate one: if the student is under 18, a parent or guardian first agrees to a short consent letter before the lesson booking is made.
Special arrangements
The venue site says a modified version of IELTS needs three months' notice to the test centre, and other special arrangements six weeks' notice. IDP's checklist says it is best to contact your test venue before booking. Start early, because these notice periods can be longer than the time you have before a deadline.
On the day
- Bring the same ID you registered with; the venue site says staff also take candidates' photographs and finger scans.
- IDP says belongings go in a locker or secure area, and phones, pagers and smartwatches stay switched off there. Keeping a device with you leads to disqualification.
- The venue site lets you take pencils, an eraser, a sharpener and a drink in a transparent bottle into the room.
- Arrive early; the venue site says latecomers may not be allowed to sit.
Fees and dates are not covered here; see where to check dates and fees, the listed centres and changing or cancelling a booking.
How lessons with Mike can help with this
Mike does not register you or choose your venue. Once the test is booked, he teaches one-to-one, live on Google Meet, in English. He marks Writing Task 1 and Task 2 against the public band descriptors, runs Speaking Parts 1 to 3 in the real format with feedback in the moment, and leaves written progress notes in your account. The booking calendar shows each slot in your own time zone; Hanoi is seven hours ahead of Ireland in winter and six in summer. Mike is CELTA-certified and scored 8.5 in Speaking himself. You can read about Mike and book a lesson. A paid 30-minute trial is available once, on a first booking.
