Any person who drives a motor vehicle on a public road must hold a driving licence showing an entitlement to drive the type of vehicle being driven.
Goods vehicle driving entitlements fall under the following headings:
• For driving cars and light goods vehicles (i.e, not exceeding 7.5 tonnes gvw) an entitlement covering vehicle Categories B and C1 is required
• For driving large goods vehicles (i.e. exceeding 7.5 tonnes gvw) an entitlement covering Category C is required
• For driving vehicles towing a trailer exceeding 750kg gross weight, a licence covering Category B+E or C1+E for cars and light vehicles towing trailers or C+E for heavy articulated vehicles and drawbar combinations is required.
Warning: It is illegal for any person who does not hold the correct entitlement (full or provisional) to drive a large goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes gross weight on the road. It is an offence to cause or permit (i.e to employ) any person to drive a vehicle unless they hold a correct and valid entitlement. Driving without a correct licence invalidates the vehicle insurance. Note that those drivers who passed their Category B test after the 1st January 1997 cannot drive vehicles over 3.5 tonnes without taking a further test (Category C1).
Note: The information above may differ for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
More information on driving licences including:
• EU vehicle categories
• Old-type licences
• Minimum age for drivers
• Vision requirements
• Medical requirements and examinations
• Licence validity
• Lost or defaced licences
• Application for an LGV driving entitlement
• Learner LGV drivers
• Production of driving licences
• Exemptions from LGV driver licensing
• Professional driver training
• Enforcement