Great Britain. DVLA categories
What can you drive on your licence?
A category B car licence issued from 1 January 1997 covers vehicles with up to 8 passenger seats and a maximum authorised mass of 3,500kg, or 4,250kg for electric and hydrogen vehicles. Since the towing rules changed you can also tow a trailer of up to 3,500kg MAM with it, provided the combined MAM stays at or below 7,000kg. A licence issued before 1 January 1997 usually goes further. Answer a few questions to see where your licence stops.
Question 1
Where was your driving licence issued?
This checker covers Great Britain licences issued by DVLA. Northern Ireland licence categories are set out separately by DVA.
Scope of this checker
- Category B limits before and after 1 January 1997
- The current towing rules, including the removal of the separate car and trailer test
- 7.5 tonne lorries (C1) and lorries over 7,500kg (C)
- Motorhomes by maximum authorised mass
- Minibuses, and the not-for-hire-or-reward conditions
- What happens to C1 and D1 entitlement at 70
- Based on the DVLA licence categories published on gov.uk
What Can I Drive is an independent information site operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd. It is not affiliated with DVLA, DVSA or any government body, and nothing here is legal advice. Licence entitlements vary with the exact issue date and with any restriction codes on your record, so confirm your own position on gov.uk before you drive anything larger than a car.
UK driving licence categories and what each one lets you drive
Last updated
The DVLA categories that matter to people who already hold a car licence, with the weight and seat limits attached to each, and the trailer allowance that goes with it. This is the table the checker walks through in order.
Every row is taken from the DVLA driving licence categories published on gov.uk and was checked against that page on the updated date above. Weights are maximum authorised mass (MAM), which gov.uk defines as the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load it can carry safely on the road, also known as gross vehicle weight. Entitlements shown for licences issued before 1 January 1997 are the usual position, not a guarantee: gov.uk directs you to view your own licence record to confirm what you hold.
| Category | What you can drive | Trailer allowance |
|---|---|---|
| B, passed on or after 1 January 1997 | Up to 8 passenger seats, 3,500kg MAM for petrol and diesel including hybrids, 4,250kg for electric or hydrogen | Trailer up to 3,500kg MAM, combined vehicle and trailer not over 7,000kg |
| B, passed before 1 January 1997 | Usually a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg MAM, and a minibus with a trailer over 750kg | Included in the 8,250kg combined allowance |
| BE | A vehicle with a MAM of 3,500kg with a trailer | Any size within the towing limits if the BE valid-from date is before 19 January 2013, otherwise up to 3,500kg MAM |
| C1 | Vehicles between 3,500kg and 7,500kg MAM, the 7.5 tonne lorry class | Trailer up to 750kg |
| C1E | C1 vehicles with a heavier trailer | Trailer over 750kg, combined MAM not over 12,000kg |
| C | Vehicles over 3,500kg MAM | Trailer up to 750kg |
| CE | Category C vehicles with a heavier trailer | Trailer over 750kg |
| D1 | No more than 16 passenger seats, maximum length 8 metres | Trailer up to 750kg |
| D1E | D1 vehicles with a heavier trailer | Trailer over 750kg, combined MAM not over 12,000kg |
| D | Any bus with more than 8 passenger seats | Trailer up to 750kg |
- A category B licence issued from 1 January 1997 covers vehicles with up to 8 passenger seats and a MAM of 3,500kg, or 4,250kg for electric and hydrogen vehicles (gov.uk driving licence categories).
- The separate car and trailer test is gone: gov.uk states that a licence issued from 1 January 1997 can tow a trailer of up to 3,500kg MAM, and that DVLA will add category BE at the next renewal if it is not already on the photocard.
- The combined MAM of a car and trailer driven on a post-1997 category B licence must not exceed 7,000kg; a licence issued before 1 January 1997 usually allows up to 8,250kg combined.
- C1 and D1 entitlement carried over from a pre-1997 car licence cannot be renewed online at 70: gov.uk requires a postal renewal, using form D2 with a D4 medical examination report completed by a doctor.
Cite this page
“UK driving licence categories and what each one lets you drive”, What Can I Drive, https://whatcanidrive.co.uk/ (updated 2026-08-14). Every row is taken from the DVLA driving licence categories published on gov.uk and was checked against that page on the updated date above. Weights are maximum authorised mass (MAM), which gov.uk defines as the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load it can carry safely on the road, also known as gross vehicle weight. Entitlements shown for licences issued before 1 January 1997 are the usual position, not a guarantee: gov.uk directs you to view your own licence record to confirm what you hold.
Need to add a category to your licence?
Tell us what you want to drive and we will introduce you to a driver training provider covering your area, for C1, C1E, D1, HGV, PCV, Driver CPC or trailer training.
Questions, answered directly
What can I drive on a category B licence?
Vehicles with up to 8 passenger seats and a maximum authorised mass of 3,500kg for petrol and diesel vehicles including hybrids, or 4,250kg for electric and hydrogen vehicles. You can also tow a trailer of up to 3,500kg MAM, provided the combined MAM of vehicle and trailer does not exceed 7,000kg.
What extra can I drive if I passed my test before 1 January 1997?
gov.uk states that you are usually allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg MAM, and a minibus with a trailer over 750kg. Pre-1997 car licences were normally issued with C1 and a restricted D1 alongside category B, but this varies with the exact issue date, so confirm it on your own licence record at gov.uk.
Do I still need a trailer test to tow?
No. gov.uk now states that a licence issued from 1 January 1997 can tow a trailer weighing up to 3,500kg MAM, described as category BE, and that DVLA will add BE at the next renewal if it is not already on the photocard. The combined vehicle and trailer MAM must not exceed 7,000kg.
What is maximum authorised mass?
gov.uk defines MAM as the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load it can carry safely when it is being used on the road, also known as gross vehicle weight. It is the plated figure, not the unladen or kerb weight, and it is what sets the licence category.
What happens to my licence at 70?
Once you reach 70 you must renew every 3 years, and renewal is free. Car and motorcycle entitlement can be renewed online, but gov.uk states that C1 (medium-sized vehicles) and D1 (minibus) entitlement must be renewed by post, using form D2 with a D4 medical examination report completed by a doctor.
Do I have to tell DVLA about a medical condition?
You must tell DVLA if you develop a notifiable medical condition or disability, or if an existing one has got worse. gov.uk's examples include diabetes or taking insulin, fainting, heart conditions, sleep apnoea, epilepsy, strokes and glaucoma. Lorry and bus licence holders report by form or questionnaire rather than online.
What are the eyesight standards for driving?
You must be able to read a number plate from 20 metres, with glasses or lenses if you use them, and have a visual acuity of at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) on the Snellen scale using both eyes together, plus an adequate field of vision. Lorry and bus drivers face a higher standard: at least 0.8 (6/7.5) in the best eye and 0.1 (6/60) in the other.
Check the licence, not the folklore
One date, one plated weight, and you have your answer.
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