i can't figure out which licence category I need for my lorry - help?

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blood_magik

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the dvla website has confused me (not hard to do :rolleyes:)
I can't figure out what the difference is between a category c licence and a c1 - can anyone explain it to me?

my lorry will have a maximum weight of 7.5T
 
Cat C is for vehicles over 3.5 ton plus towing a trailer on the same vehicle. Cat C1 is for vehicles up to 7.5 ton without a trailer on the back. That's how I see it..
I have C1 so can drive a horsebox up to 7.5 ton. I don't have Cat C.
 
I don't agree mollyh

You can drive up to 3.5t MGW on your car licence - which is category B.

Category C1 is vehicles between 3.5t MGW and 7.5t MGW - so if you passed your car test after 1997 then you will need to take a further test to drive this vehicle.

Category C is vehicles over 7.5t (rigid vehicles only, so not articulated lorries). Again if you took your car test after 1997 you will need to take a further test. If you are doing a test, you can go straight to taking the full HGV test and get category C & C1 on your licence in swoop. You do not need to take a test for C1 and then another for C.

Towing a trailer adds a +E onto the category. Towing with a car will be B+E. Towing with a 3.5t - 7.5t will be C+E, and towing with an over 7.5t lorry will be C1+E.

I did my car test after 1997, and so had to do a further test. I chose to do the full HGV test as the price for the course was the same, and so I can now drive over 7.5t lorries if needs be. I may not very often do it - but as the price was the same, seemed daft to limit myself to 7.5t :)

Have a look here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_4022547

I agree it is a bit confusing to look at - but hope this helps.
 
Flo_Bell said:
I don't agree mollyh

You can drive up to 3.5t MGW on your car licence - which is category B.

Category C1 is vehicles between 3.5t MGW and 7.5t MGW - so if you passed your car test after 1997 then you will need to take a further test to drive this vehicle.

Category C is vehicles over 7.5t (rigid vehicles only, so not articulated lorries). Again if you took your car test after 1997 you will need to take a further test. If you are doing a test, you can go straight to taking the full HGV test and get category C & C1 on your licence in swoop. You do not need to take a test for C1 and then another for C.

Towing a trailer adds a +E onto the category. Towing with a car will be B+E. Towing with a 3.5t - 7.5t will be C+E, and towing with an over 7.5t lorry will be C1+E.

I did my car test after 1997, and so had to do a further test. I chose to do the full HGV test as the price for the course was the same, and so I can now drive over 7.5t lorries if needs be. I may not very often do it - but as the price was the same, seemed daft to limit myself to 7.5t :)

Have a look here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_4022547

I agree it is a bit confusing to look at - but hope this helps.
Click to expand...

From the link you give you are incorrect. Cat C is rigid vehicles over 3.5 tonnes with no upper limit.
 
think I've got it now, thanks..
might as well go for the cat c so I can drive over 7.5T if I ever have to. I did the two LGV theory tests on the dvla website and failed them both :p
 
As there appears to be a bit of confusion here I'll attempt to put matters straight;

Category C1 is a sub-category of Category C.

C1 allows you to drive a vehicle where the maximum authorised mass (MAM) or what the plate shows; exceeds 3500kg but does not exceed 7500kg. You may also tow a trailer where the MAM does not exceed 750kg. There is also a whole lot more about towing bigger trailers but I promised to keep it simple!!

If you passed your car test (category B) prior to 01/01/1997 you will have C1 as an acquired rights entitlement. In other words, you may drive a vehicle upto 7500kg without taking an additional test.

If you passed your car test on or after 01/01/1997 you will have to take a medical, LGV theory test and a test in a suitable vehicle to gain Category C1.

In my opinion it really isn't worth taking just the C1 test. Go for C instead. The course may cost a little more but the test is the same. If you pass the C test your licence will entitle you to drive any rigid vehicle with a MAM exceeding 3500kg. Although there is no upper limit to the driving licence weight, in reality the heaviest vehicle is 32000kg on four axles, although you will see very few horseboxes of this configuration. The more usual boxes are 18000kg on two axles of 26000kg on three axles. Like the C1 licence a C entitlement allows you to drive a vehicle towing a trailer with a MAM not exceeding 750kg.

If you want to drive with a bigger trailer, one where the MAM exceeds 750kg, then you will have to take a trailer test, which will add 'E' to either your C1 or C. With a C1+E you may go upto a MAM of 12000kg. With the C+E there is no maximum weight for the licence, but the heaviest vehicles commonly allowed on UK roads are 44000kg.

Hope that helps.
 
You want your C entitlement. Before I took my B+E I thought I would do my C as well but now I can't face the thought of another driving test so I'm stuck with trailering. Perhaps next year I'll have recovered enough to face some more lessons!!
 
I've just done my C, I'm in the same boat as you, so opted for the C instead of C1. It costs the same. I passed my theory, hazard perception and test first time so it can be done! I also managed to get my driving instructor to squeeze my driving into 2 days over the sat and sun and I took my test at 8.30am on the Monday...and haven't looked back! I love the new born freedom! Good Luck :)
 
Lisamd said:
I've just done my C, I'm in the same boat as you, so opted for the C instead of C1. It costs the same. I passed my theory, hazard perception and test first time so it can be done! I also managed to get my driving instructor to squeeze my driving into 2 days over the sat and sun and I took my test at 8.30am on the Monday...and haven't looked back! I love the new born freedom! Good Luck :)
Click to expand...

I had to ask my OH what half the answers were when I tried the mini test online :rolleyes:
Well done :D good to know it's possible to pass everything first time as I've got a bit of a time limit - picking my lorry up from Preston in November and my dad wants to split the journey up :eek:
I've ordered the cd from eBay so hopefully that will help
 
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