Yes. It is a requirement of the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) that an LGV test candidate has passed their theory test before they can undertake a practical driving test. We recommend the purchase of the DSA book “The Official Theory Test for Drivers of Large Goods Vehicles” and the DVD “Hazard Perception – Road Sense”. These publications are available from all good bookshops or on line at www.dsa.gov.uk or www.amazon.co.uk. Your Theory test can be booked on 0870 0101372 or on-line at www.dsa.gov.uk.
No. Here is the process to progress from Car (category B) to artic (category C+E):
1. Category B (Your full car licence)
2. Apply for category C provisional entitlement (You must be over 21 and will have to pass a medical but as from 1/3/2004 there is no fee!)
3. Pass L.G.V. Theory test (Congratulations!)
4. Pass category C practical test (Congratulations!)
5. Apply for category C full licence with category C+E provisional entitlement (As long as your provisional licence was issued after 01/03/2004 there’s no fee!)
6. Pass category C+E practical test (Congratulations!)
7. Apply for category C+E full licence (No fee for the licence upgrade!)
| Old Class | New Category | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Category C & E | Any goods vehicle with a trailer |
| Class 2 | Category C | Any rigid goods vehicle up to 32 tonne (8 wheeler) |
| Class 3 | Category C | Any rigid goods vehicle up to 32 tonne (8 wheeler) |
7.5 Tonne entitlement automatically given provided you passed your category B test prior to 1.1.1997
Category C 1 Goods vehicle under 7.5 Tonnes
Apply for a vocational licence application pack this is available from the DVLA. The pack contains a medical form (D4) to be filled in by a doctor after a medical examination and an application form (D2) to be filled in by you, the application form also includes an automatic up-grade to photo card driving licence if you haven’t already got one (remember to include a recent photograph). Send the completed pack to the DVLA at Swansea – it takes approximately 10-14 days for your application to be processed.
If you passed your driving test before 1 January 1997 you will automatically have “Grandfather Rites” to category C1 entitlement which means you can drive goods vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes and with a trailer of no more than 750kg. If you passed your test after 1 January 1997 you are allowed to drive vehicles up 3.5 tonnes (check the Gross Weight on the vehicles plate).
Age 18 for all categories (there are exceptions for members of the armed forces and those on the “Young Drivers Scheme”).
If you passed your driving test before 1 January 1997 you will automatically have “Grandfather Rites” to category C1 entitlement which means you can drive goods vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes and with a trailer of no more than 750kg. If you passed your test after 1 January 1997 you are allowed to drive vehicles up 3.5 tonnes (check the Gross Weight on the vehicles plate).