Guide
Can I drive a 7.5 tonne lorry on my licence?
Updated
The 7.5 tonne question has exactly two answers, and which one you get depends on when you passed your car test.
The short answer
A 7.5 tonne lorry sits in category C1, which gov.uk defines as vehicles between 3,500kg and 7,500kg maximum authorised mass, with a trailer up to 750kg (gov.uk). If you passed your car test before 1 January 1997, C1 was normally granted alongside category B and is probably already on your licence. If you passed on or after that date, it is not, and you have to take a test for it.
Do not assume, check the record
Pre-1997 entitlements vary with the exact issue date and with what was on the licence when categories were renumbered in 2013. gov.uk publishes a comparison of old and new driving licence categories covering licences issued from 1976 onwards, and the definitive answer for your own licence is at view or share your driving licence information. Look for C1 in the list of categories, and read the restriction codes beside it: code 107 means not more than 8,250kg, and code 97 means you are not allowed to drive C1 vehicles required to have a tachograph fitted (gov.uk driving licence codes).
If you need to add C1
- Apply for provisional C1 entitlement using form D2. You may also need form D4, a medical examination report completed by a doctor; gov.uk says to check form D2 to find out whether you do.
- Pass the lorry theory test, then the C1 driving test. gov.uk confirms you do not have to pass a lower category first (gov.uk).
- Add Driver CPC if this is your job. gov.uk requires the full Driver Certificate of Professional Competence where driving an HGV is the main part of your job, plus 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years (gov.uk). Driving for personal use, or where driving is not the main part of the job, can be exempt.
- Remember the trailer. C1 alone allows a trailer up to 750kg. C1E takes the combined weight up to 12,000kg MAM.
What happens at 70
From 70 a GB licence has to be renewed every 3 years. gov.uk states that you cannot use the online renewal service for C1 or D1 entitlement, you must renew those by post (gov.uk), which means form D2 and a D4 medical report from a doctor, against the higher Group 2 medical and eyesight standards. Plenty of pre-1997 drivers renew online because it is quicker, and quietly lose the 7.5 tonne entitlement they had held for decades.
Not sure where the vehicle sits? The plate is the answer. MAM, not the weight on the day, is what puts a vehicle in C1. Run the checker with the plated figure.