Vehicle Licensing Laws Vehicles you can drive and how old you must be to drive them The tables list the vehicle category descriptions for driving tests passed after 1 January 1997 and the minimum ages for driving them. All weights refer to maximum authorised mass (MAM) unless stated otherwise. This is the total weight of the vehicle plus the maximum load it can carry. Cars with and without trailers Description Category Minimum age Motor vehicles with a MAM not exceeding 3500kg having not more than eight passenger seats with a trailer up to 750kg. Combinations of towing vehicles in category B and a trailer, where the MAM of the combination does not exceed 3500kg and the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle B 17* As cars, but with automatic transmission B 17* Combinations of vehicles consisting of a vehicle in category B and a trailer, where the combination does not come within category B B+E 17 *Age 16 if you are currently getting Disability Living Allowance at the higher rate (mobility component) Medium sized vehicles with or without trailers Description Category Minimum age Vehicles between 3500kg and 7500kg with a trailer up to 750kg Combinations of vehicles where the towing vehicle is in subcategory C1 and its trailer has a MAM of over 750kg provided that the MAM of the combination C1 18* C1+E 21*
thus formed does not exceed 12000kg and the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle. (If you passed your category B test prior to 1.1.1997 you will be restricted to a total weight not more than 8250kg) *Age 18 if combination weight is under 7500kg Large vehicles with or without trailers Description Category Minimum age Vehicles over 3500kg with a trailer up to 750kg C 21* Vehicles over 3500kg with a trailer over 750kg C+E 21* *Age 17 if member of armed forces *Age 18 if member of the young drivers scheme
Driving licence information codes Your licence may include information codes which indicate what (if any) restrictions your driving entitlement is subject to. A list of the full descriptions of the information codes which appear on your driving licence can be found on the link below. Listed below are the full descriptions of the information codes which appear on your driving licence. They indicate what (if any) restrictions your driving entitlement is subject to. Code Description motorcycles 108 subject to minimum age requirements 01 eyesight correction 45 motorcycle only with sidecar 110 limited to invalid carriages 02 hearing/communication aid 10 modified transmission 15 modified clutch 70 exchange of licence 71 duplicate of licence 111 limited to 16 passenger seats 113 limited to 16 passenger 78 restricted to vehicles with seats except for automatic transmission automatics 20 modified braking systems79 restricted to vehicles in conformity with the specifications stated in 25 modified accelerator systems brackets 114 with any special controls required for safe driving 115 organ donor 30 combined braking and accelerator systems 101 not for hire or reward 102 drawbar trailers only 118 start date is for earliest entitlement 35 modified control layouts 40 modified steering 42 modified rear - view mirror(s) 43 modified driving seats 103 subject to certificate of competence 119 weight limit does not apply 120 complies with health 105 not more than 5.5m long standard for category D1 106 restricted to vehicles with 121 restricted to conditions automatic transmission specified in the Secretary of State's notice 44 modifications to 107 not more than 8250kg 122 valid on successful completion: Basic Moped
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Driving larger goods vehicles (LGV) on a car driving licence There are special licensing arrangements allowing you to drive larger vehicles without having to hold the higher large goods vehicle (LGV) driving licence entitlement. When driving larger vehicles, the maximum authorised mass (total weight of the vehicle plus the maximum load it can carry) determines the driving licence entitlement needed. If the vehicle has a maximum authorised mass, which exceeds 3.5 tonnes, but not 7.5 tonnes then a category C1 licence is needed. If the maximum authorised mass exceeds 7.5 tonnes then a category C licence is needed. Exempted large goods vehicles Holders of a full category B (car) driving licence may drive any of the large vehicles listed below: goods vehicle propelled by steam eg large vehicles with coal or wood burning engines road construction vehicles used or kept on the road solely for the conveyance of built-in road construction machinery, (with/without articles or materials used for the purpose of that machinery) engineering plant (vehicles designed/constructed for the purpose of engineering operations) works trucks (primarily designed for use in private premises or in the immediate vicinity eg dumper trucks/forklift trucks) industrial tractors (tractors used mainly for haulage work off the public road, the vehicle must not have an unladen weight exceeding 7370kgs and have a design speed not exceeding 20mph) agricultural motor vehicles which are not agricultural or forestry tractors (primarily used off the public road eg crop sprayer/combine harvester) digging machines (vehicles which are limited to travel on public roads only for the purpose of proceeding to/from sites - used for trench digging or any kind of excavating or shovelling work eg vehicles with digging buckets/shovels) goods vehicle which is not used on public roads or, if it is so used during any calendar week: i. is used only in passing from land in the occupation of a person keeping the vehicle to other land in the occupation of that person ii. is not used on public roads for distances exceeding an aggregate of 9.7 kilometres in that calendar week goods vehicle, other than an agricultural motor vehicle, which is used only for purposes relating to agriculture, horticulture or forestry:
i. is used on roads only in passing between different areas of land occupied by the same person ii. in passing between any two such areas does not travel a distance exceeding 1.5 kilometres on roads goods vehicles used for no purpose other than the haulage of lifeboats and the conveyance of the necessary gear of the lifeboats which are being hauled goods vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1960, used unladen and not drawing a laden trailer articulated goods vehicles not exceeding 3.05 tonnes unladen weight goods vehicle in the service of a visiting force or headquarters as defined in the visiting forces and international headquarters (application of law order 1965 (a)) goods vehicle driven by a constable for the purpose of removing or avoiding obstruction to other road users or other members of the public, for the purpose of protecting life or property (including the vehicle and its load) or for other similar purposes goods vehicle fitted with apparatus designed for raising a disabled vehicle partly from the ground and for drawing a disabled vehicle when so raised (whether by partial superimposition or otherwise) being a vehicle which i. is used solely for dealing with disabled vehicles ii. is not used for the conveyance of any goods or load other than a disabled vehicle when so raised and water, fuel, accumulators and articles required for the operation of, or in connection with, such apparatus or otherwise for dealing with disabled vehicles iii. has an unladen weight not exceeding 3.05 tonnes mobile project vehicles - having a maximum authorised mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes and constructed/adapted to carry not more than 8 persons in addition to the driver and carries principally goods or burden consisting of i. play/educational equipment and articles required in connection with the use of such equipment ii. articles required for the purposes of display or of an exhibition, and the primary purpose of which is used as a recreational, educational or instructional facility when stationary Drivers must be aged 21 and have held a category B licence for at least 2 years. A mobile project vehicle may only be driven on behalf of a non-commercial body. However, drivers who passed their car test before 1 January 1997 are not subject to these conditions.
How to add higher categories to your driving licence (staging and upgrading) If you hold a full car driving licence (category B), it may be possible for you to apply for provisional entitlements in a higher category. There are also circumstances that will upgrade a lower category on your licence if you pass the driving test in a higher category. Staging If you passed your driving test on or after 1 January 1997 and you want to learn to drive a larger vehicle, you may be able to apply for the higher category. Once you have obtained provisional entitlement on your driving licence you can take the test in that category. For example, a driver must hold a full car licence (category B) before being able to apply for a provisional licence to drive a lorry, minibus or bus. This is known as staging and will apply from the smallest to the largest vehicles. The table below shows the full licence that needs to be held before you can apply for provisional entitlement in the higher categories. Provisional entitlement required Full licence to be held B+E*, G*, H*, C1, C, D1, D B C1+E C1 C+E C D1+E D1 D+E D * Provisional entitlement granted automatically with full B licence Upgrading If you pass your test for a larger vehicle category, in certain circumstances a lower category will be upgraded. This does not apply, however, to a driver who has already passed a test which involves trailer entitlement for a larger or equivalent vehicle. The table below provides an indication of the vehicle category held, the higher vehicle category that has been passed and the vehicle category that will be upgraded as a result of the test passed. Full category held Additional test passed Upgrading
B, C1 C1+E B+E B, D1 D1+E B+E B, C1, D1 C1+E B+E, D1+E B, C1, D1 D1+E B+E B, C1, C C+E B+E, C1+E B, C1, C, D1, D D+E B+E, D1+E B, C1, C, D1, D C+E B+E, C1+E, D1+E, D+E As a general guideline: lorry entitlements can upgrade bus entitlements bus entitlements can not upgrade lorry entitlements both lorry and bus entitlements can upgrade car entitlements For further information regarding staging or upgrading of vehicle category entitlements, you can write to: Drivers Customer Services (DCS) Correspondence Team D12 DVLA Swansea SA6 7JL
Vehicle weights explained As well as your age, the different vehicle categories on your driving licence tell you what type of vehicle you are able to drive. These categories are also determined by the weight of the vehicle. Unladen weight The unladen weight of any vehicle is the vehicles own weight when not carrying any goods or burden. This is: inclusive of the body and all parts which are necessary to or ordinarily used with the vehicle or trailer when working on a road exclusive of water, fuel or accumulators used for the purpose of the supply of power for the propulsion of the vehicle Maximum authorised mass The term maximum authorised mass (MAM), which is also known as gross weight and permissible maximum weight, is the maximum weight of the vehicle that may be used on the road including the maximum load the vehicle may safely carry. This is normally shown on a plate fitted to the vehicle. If a vehicle is unlikely to be used at its potential maximum weight most vehicles may be downplated, i.e. the vehicles springs or other components can be changed, so that only a lighter load can be carried. The maximum authorised mass or gross weight is a factor in determining what driving entitlement is required. Plated weight The maximum authorised mass should be shown on the departments manufacturing plate fitted to the vehicle. This means the marking on a goods vehicle, by means of a ministry plate, showing the maximum weights for that particular vehicle eg maximum authorised mass, and in certain cases, train weight. Train weight Train weight is the combined MAM of the vehicle and the trailer it is pulling. Further information All enquiries concerning maximum weights of rigid vehicles, trailers and articulated combinations (but not driving licence categories) should be referred to: Transport, Technology and Standards Department for Transport Zone 2/01, Great Minster House 76 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DR
Your driving conduct for larger vehicles, minibuses or buses If you are applying for or currently hold a large goods vehicle (LGV) driving licence or a passenger carrying vehicle (PCV) driving licence you will have to meet a high standard of driving conduct. The Traffic Commissioner appointed for the area in which the driver resides, deals with the conduct of all large goods vehicle drivers and passenger carrying drivers. Any decision ie refusal, revocation or suspension of a driver's entitlement taken by a Traffic Commissioner is binding by the Secretary of State. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will then act on the Traffic Commissioner's decision. When applying for a licence, you must tell the DVLA if, within the last four years, you have any convictions for breaking rules about: driver's hours driver's records the roadworthiness of your vehicle overloading of the vehicle You do not need to tell DVLA about any convictions for the above if they were more than four years ago.