Types of van you can drive
All vans up to 3.5 tonnes can be driven with a standard car driving licence. You may need to take extra tests before you can drive or tow certain vehicles types, including 7.5 tonne vans, if you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997.You can drive vehicles up to 3,500kg MAM with up to eight passenger seats. You can also tow a trailer of up to 750kg. You can tow heavier trailers, but the total mass mustn't be more than 3,500kg. If you're over 21 you can drive motor tricycles with a power output higher than 15kW.
DVSA warns 7.5-tonne entitlement no longer valid without Driver CPC. DVSA has reminded drivers that they now can't legally drive a 7.5 tonne truck professionally even if it's on their driving licence unless they have completed the Driver CPC.
Trucks you only need a car licence to drive
- Isuzu.
- Isuzu Advice.
- Isuzu Commercial range.
- Mitsubishi Advice.
- Mitsubishi Commercial range.
- Hino Advice.
- Hino Commercial range.
- Foton Advice.
Vehicles up to 8 tonnes GVM which can carry more than 12 adults, including the driver. There are no restrictions on the number of axles for the LR licence class.
Course
| Course | Price |
|---|
| Hourly Rate | £50 Per Hour |
| Module 3 Practical Driving Test Re-sit | £310 |
| CPC Module 4 Practical Demonstration Test | £220 |
| Weekends / Bank Holidays | £10 Per Day |
Column 10 shows the earliest date from which a driving category is valid from. Column 11 shows the date at which your driving category is no longer valid. Column 12 includes driving licence codes that show what restrictions are in place.
You can drive vehicles up to 3,500kg MAM with up to 8 passenger seats (with a trailer up to 750kg). You can also tow heavier trailers if the total MAM of the vehicle and trailer is not more than 3,500kg. You can drive motor tricycles with a power output higher than 15kW if you are over 21 years old.
Cost of a licence
If you apply for a new licence, or a (publishable) change to an existing licence, you must pay a one-off £254.00 application fee. If your licence application is successful, you will then have to pay a licensing fee of £449.00 which covers a period of five years.Most tow companies charge between $50 to $125 for a five or ten-mile local tow, or a $75 hook-up fee and $2 to $4 per mile for long-distance towing. The average 40-mile tow will range from $125 to $250. Before you call a tow truck company, check your car insurance policy.
Can I drive a recovery truck on a car licence? A category B licence, also known as the generic car licence, allows a driver to operate any vehicle up to 3,500kg with less than 8 seats, with or without a trailer weighing up to 750kg.
If your vehicle is exempt then you do not need an Operators' Licence. By doing so, your truck is no longer a recovery vehicle and you are transporting goods for hire or reward or in connection with a trade or business. In that scenario you would be operating without a licence and are liable to be prosecuted.
The only way that a recovery truck can be MOT exempt is if it is a purely spec lift and is not used for any purpose other than recovering disabled cars. Things that stop your truck legaly being MOT exempt. Using it for nipping to the shop. Using it to travel to or from work.
You need an operator's licence if you transport vehicles outside the definition of recovery, even if this is only for a short period such as a few weeks or even just one day.
Starting this kind of business is relatively easy, but there are certain factors you need to bear in mind.
- Draft a Business Plan.
- Buy a Tow Truck and Equipment.
- Make Yourself Aware of the Driver and Vehicle Safety Rules.
- Secure the Right Insurance.
- Promote Your Business in the Local Area.
As well as a tachograph, you might need an operator's licence if the Gross Combination Weight of the van and the trailer exceeds 3.5 tonnes and the purpose of your trip is for business, while the driver may have to adhere to drivers' hours regulations.
You will need a goods vehicle operator's licence if you use a goods vehicle of over 3.5 tonnes gross plated weight or (where there is no plated weight) an unladen weight of more than 1,525kg to transport goods for hire or reward or in connection with a trade or business.
If you hold a full car (category B) driving licence you can drive any of the following vehicles (known as exempted passenger carrying vehicles). A bus made more than 30 years before the date it is being driven, and not used for business purposes or for carrying more than eight passengers.
With a full licence you can drive all of the aforementioned vehicles plus:
- any motorhome, caravanette, ute or light van with a GLW of not more than 6000kg.
- a combination vehicle of not more than 6000kg which is not a tractor/trailer or agricultural tractor/agricultural trailer.
Did you pass your test before 1 January 1997? You may drive a category B licence minibus with up to 9 seats and weighing up to 3.5 tonnes and you can also drive a D1 minibus over 3.5 tonne and up to 17 seats.
You do not automatically have the D1 entitlement on your licence. However, you can still drive anything from a 9 seater minibus up to a 16 seater as long as the following conditions are met: You're driving voluntarily. You're driving for social purposes.
An operator's licence (or O licence) is the legal authority needed to operate goods vehicles in Great Britain.
C1 Licence
The C1 driving licence allows people to drive vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes. Drivers who pass the 7.5 tonne C1 test become entitled to drive C1 rigid vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes with a trailer up to 750kg.All vans up to 3.5 tonnes can be driven with a standard car driving licence. You may need to take extra tests before you can drive or tow certain vehicles types, including 7.5 tonne vans, if you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997.
As of September 2009 anyone who drives a 3.5 Tonne or above Van or Lorry to deliver goods for their business is legally required to complete 35 Hours Periodic CPC Training every 5 Years. Drivers who do not complete the Periodic Training will lose their entitlement to operate vehicles of this category.
You can drive vehicles up to 3,500kg MAM with up to eight passenger seats. You can also tow a trailer of up to 750kg. You can tow heavier trailers, but the total mass mustn't be more than 3,500kg. If you're over 21 you can drive motor tricycles with a power output higher than 15kW.
MAKE AND TYPE
- Citroen (27)
- Ford (134)
- Mercedes-Benz (77)
- Nissan (15)
- Peugeot (74)
- Renault (17)
- Vauxhall (123)
- Volkswagen (144)
Bear in mind, though, that some of the vans listed above, as well as the larger Volkswagen Crafter and Mercedes Sprinter, are available in high-capacity variants that might exceed the 3,500kg maximum weight that a Cat B licence entitles you to drive.
A B1 driving licence category would be motor vehicles not exceeding 550kg and a C1 category driving licence (large goods vehicle) allows you to drive vehicles weighing between 3,500 and 7,500kg. See below a list of the latest driving licence category codes and descriptions issued by the DVLA.
Examples of the large vans included in this list are the Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Fiat Ducato. The 3.5-tonne part - also shown as 3.5t or 3,500kg - refers to the gross vehicle weight.
Driving most vans is pretty simple, so if you have a full, B category car license, you're permitted to drive any van weighing up to 3.5 tonnes. But what does the weight of the van have to do with your ability to drive it? Well, vans are split into different weight categories called gross vehicle weight (GVW).
How old do you have to be to drive a van? You can drive a normal van that weighs less than 3.5 tonnes from age 17 providing you have a full UK driving licence (category B). However, you can't apply for a category C licence for heavier vehicles until you're 18.
