There are a number of factors that determine what you can or cannot drive on a public highway – and with changes to the way that driving licences have been described over the years, it’s no wonder that confusion can creep in.

 

The table below sets out exactly what each of the main categories covers you to drive (or ride) and how you might obtain the entitlement.

 

Category Description How To Obtain It / More Information
A Motorcycles Category A1, A2 or Direct Access test

 

Various restrictions apply for each and the tests available to you will depend on your age and the type of motorcycles you want to ride.

 
B Vehicles up to 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) and no more than 8 passenger seats (9 seats including the driver). Category B test.

 

Towing a trailer up to 750kg MAM is also permitted without a separate test, as is towing a trailer over 750kg where the combined MAM of the towing vehicle and trailer does not exceed 3,500kg.

 

Note: MAM is not the same as actual weight.

 
C1 Vehicles over 3,500kg but no more than 7,500kg MAM.
  1. Included as part of car (B) test prior to 1 Jan 1997.
  2. Category C1 test.
  3. Automatically added with a Category C test.

 

Includes a trailer up to 750kg MAM.

 
C Vehicles over 3,500kg MAM. Category C test.

 

Candidates will require a provisional lorry licence to be able to sit this test (requires a driver medical assessment).

 

The test can be taken in a manual or an automatic. If the candidate has a manual Category B entitlement then they will be entitled to drive all Category C vehicles. If the candidate has an automatic Category B entitlement then they will only be entitled to drive automatic Category C vehicles.

 
D1 Vehicles with more than 8 but no more than 16 passenger seats (17 including the driver) and no more than 8 metres in length.
  1. Included as part of car (B) test prior to 1 Jan 1997 but with a 101 (not for hire or reward) restriction.
  2. Category D1 test.
  3. Automatically added with a Category D test.

 

Includes a trailer up to 750kg MAM.

 
D Vehicles with more than 8 passenger seats. Category D test.

 

This overlaps partly with the D1 category although the 8 metre restriction doesn’t apply to the category D entitlement.

 

Includes a trailer up to 750kg MAM.

 
B+E Vehicles over 3,500kg with a trailer over 750kg MAM.
  1. Included as part of car (B) test prior to 1 Jan 1997.
  2. Category B+E test.
  3. Added automatically with a Category C1+E or C+E test.

 

Where the entitlement was obtained prior to 19 January 2013, there is no restriction on the weight of the trailer. Where it was obtained after this date, the trailer must be no more than 3,500kg MAM.

 

To take the B+E test, candidates must already have Category B entitlement.

 

If this test is passed in an automatic, towing will be limited to automatic vehicles only, even if the driver holds a manual Category B licence.

 
C1+E Vehicles over 3,500kg but no more than 7,500kg MAM with a trailer over 750kg MAM but where the towing vehicle/trailer combination does not exceed 12,000kg MAM.
  1. Included as part of car (B) test prior to 1 Jan 1997.
  2. Category C1+E test.
  3. Added automatically with a C+E test.

 
C+E Vehicles over 3,500kg MAM with a trailer over 750kg MAM
  1. Category C+E test.
  2. For some HGV tests prior to 1990, this was included with a 102 restriction (drawbar trailers only).

 

To take the C+E test, candidates must already have Category C driving licence entitlement.
D1+E Vehicles with more than 8 but no more than 16 passenger seats and a trailer over 750kg
  1. Included as part of car (B) test prior to 1 Jan 1997.
  2. Category D1+E test.
  3. Added automatically with a D+E or C+E test where D1 entitlement is held or later obtained.

 
D+E
 Vehicles with more than 8 passenger seats with a trailer over 750kg
  1. Category D+E test.
  2. Automatically added with a C+E test where D entitlement is held or later obtained.

 

To take the D+E test, candidates must already have Category D driving licence entitlement.