 
|
Vehicles
you
can
drive
and
how
old
you
must
to
drive
them
In
general,
the
minimum
ages
for
driving
on
British
roads
are
16
years
for
invalid
carriages
and
mopeds,
17
years
for
agricultural
or
forestry
tractors,
small
vehicles
and
motorcycles,
and
21
years
for
medium/large
sized
vehicles,
minibuses
and
buses.
The
basic
licence
allows
you
to
drive
most
cars
but
if
you
wish
to
drive
vehicles
not
covered
by
your
current
licence,
you
will
need
Driver
Training
in
the
appropriate
catagory.
Listed
below
are
vehicle
category
descriptions
for
driving
tests
passed
after
1
January
1997
and
the
minimum
ages
for
driving
them.
All
weights
refer
to
maximum
authorised
mass
(MAM)
unless
stated
otherwise.
|
|
|
| Description |
Category |
Minimum
age |
| Mopeds
with an engine capacity
not exceeding 50cc and a
maximum design speed not
exceeding 50km/h |
P |
16 |
|
Light
motorcycles with a cubic
capacity not exceeding 125cc
and a power output not exceeding
11kW (14.6bhp) |
A1
|
17
|
|
Motorcycles
up to 25kW(33bhp) and a
power to weight ratio not
exceeding 0.16kW/kg. Motorcycle
combination with a power
to weight ratio not exceeding
0.16kW/kg |
A1
|
17
|
|
Any
size motorcycle with or
without a sidecar
|
A
|
21*
|
*
Age 21 or 2 years from the date
of standard A test pass
|
3
or 4 wheeled light vehicles
| Description |
Category |
Minimum
age |
| Motor
tricycles / quadricycles, 3 or 4 wheeled
vehicles with an unladen weight not
exceeding 550kg |
B1
|
17*
|
Cars
| Description |
Category |
Minimum
age |
| Motor
vehicles with a MAM not exceeding 3500kg
having not more than 8 passenger seats
with a trailer up to 750kg. Combinations
of towing vehicles in category B and
a trailer, where the MAM of the combination
does not exceed 3500kg and the MAM of
the trailer does not exceed the unladen
mass of the towing vehicle |
B
|
17*
|
|
Automatic
cars
|
| As
cars, but with automatic transmission |
B
Automatic
|
17*
|
|
Cars
with trailers
|
| Combinations
of vehicles consisting of a vehicle
in category B and a trailer, where the
combination does not come within category
B |
B+E
|
17
|
*Age
16 if you are currently getting Disability
Living Allowance at the higher rate (mobility
component) Medium
sized vehicles
| Description |
Category |
Minimum
age |
| Lorries
between 3500kg and 7500kg with a trailer
up to 750kg |
C1
|
18*
|
|
Medium
sized vehicles with trailers
|
|
Lorries
between 3500kg and 7500kg with a
trailer over 750kg - total weight
not more than 12000kg (if you passed
your category B test prior to 1.1.1997
you will be restricted to a total
weight not more than 8250kg)
|
C1+E
|
21*
|
*Age
18 if combination weight is under 7500kg Large
vehicles
| Description |
Category |
Minimum
age |
| Vehicles
over 3500kg with a trailer up to 750kg |
C
|
21*
|
|
Large
vehicles with trailers
|
| Vehicles
over 3500kg with a trailer over 750kg |
C+E
|
21*
|
*Age
17 if member of armed forces
*Age 18 if member of the young drivers
scheme
| Description |
Category |
Minimum
age |
|
Vehicles
with between 9 and 16 passenger
seats with a trailer up to 750kg
|
D1
|
21*
|
|
Minibuses
with trailers
|
|
Combinations
of vehicles where the towing vehicle
is in subcategory D1 and its trailer
has a MAM of over 750kg, provided
that the MAM of the combination
thus formed does not exceed 12000kg,
and the MAM of the trailer does
not exceed the unladen mass of the
towing vehicle
|
D1+E
|
21*
|
Buses
| Description |
Category |
Minimum
age |
| Any
bus with more than 8 passenger seats
with a trailer up to 750kg |
D
|
21*
|
|
Buses
with trailers
|
|
Any
bus with more than 8 passenger seats
with a trailer over 750kg
|
D+E
|
21
|
*Age
17 if member of armed forces
*Age 18
a)
while learning to drive or taking a passenger
carrying vehicle (PCV) test
b)
after passing a PCV test when:
- driving
on a regular service where the route
does not exceed 50km
- driving
a PCV constructed to carry no more
than 16 passengers
- the
vehicle is operated under a public
service vehicle (PSV) operator's
licence or permit
c)
not engaged in the carriage of passengers Other
categories
| Description |
Category |
Minimum
age |
| Agricultural
tractors |
F
|
17*
|
|
Road
rollers
|
G
|
21**
|
|
Tracked
vehicles
|
H
|
21
|
|
Mowing
machine or vehicle controlled by
a pedestrian
|
K
|
16
|
|
Mopeds
|
P
|
16
|
*Age
16 for tractors less than 2.45m wide.
It must only pull trailers less than 2.45m
wide with two wheels, or four close-coupled
**Age 17 for small
road-rollers with metal or hard rollers.
They must not be steam powered, weigh
more than 11.69 tonnes or be made for
carrying loads
|
|
