What size of van can you drive on a normal car licence?

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
5,381
Moving house soon and i will need to hire a van for the day for moving, now i just wondered what ype and size can you drive on a normal car licence? Do some of the bigger ones require a certain extra code on your licence?
 
Soldato
Joined
8 Mar 2006
Posts
13,300
Location
Near Winchester
Was Reading up on this last night.

If you have category B, you can drive anything up to 3500Kg (Merc Sprinter is in that limit). You can also tow a trailer up to 750Kg so long as the combination is under 3500Kg. There is an exception for towing cars on a rope.

If you have B+E you can drive anything up to 3500Kg plus any trailer.

If you have C1 you can drive anything up to 7500Kg, plus a trailer up to 750Kg as long as the combination is under 7500Kg.

C1+E is anything up to 7500Kg and any trailer.

C and C+E is anthing you want.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_4022547
 
Associate
Joined
10 Feb 2006
Posts
1,330
If moving house, a 7.5 tonne box body with tail lift will be fine. As long as you are old enough to drive it !!!
 
Soldato
Joined
10 Oct 2006
Posts
3,563
When I moved house a couple of months ago we got a long wheel base high sided transit which is under 3.5 tons there was plenty of space in this. Yours for the day for £65 from Hertz which I thought was pretty cheap, it was also surprising quick empty. A luton which has a tail left looked like it had the same space available as the big transit but I couldn't get one as they were all booked.
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
5,381
I have B and B1 on my licence, as for the question above im over 18 (28) but didnt pass before 2001 so that means i can get a merc sprinter which seems quite big.
 
Soldato
Joined
8 Mar 2006
Posts
13,300
Location
Near Winchester
schnipps said:
I have B and B1 on my licence, as for the question above im over 18 (28) but didnt pass before 2001 so that means i can get a merc sprinter which seems quite big.

Ignore B1, that's 3 wheelers.

B will let you drive a car with a maximum allowable mass of 3500Kg (Merc Sprinter), so long as you don't overload it. ;) ;)
 
Soldato
Joined
7 Feb 2004
Posts
3,070
Thought it might be interesting to post my licence catergories, I passed my test way back in 91 so mine may be different to more recent test passes.

pict0084pe9.jpg
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
5,381
Thanks lads know where i stand now, tbh a big transit will likely do as i dont have a huge amount to move, the king size matress likely being the largest item. Baffled why people who passed before a certain time can drive what looks like every vehicle bar a 747 jumbo and others are restricted to fiat panda's but doesnt really suprise me :)
 
Associate
Joined
10 Feb 2006
Posts
1,330
Iv'e got a full licence:
A1
A+
B1
B
C,C1.
D1, D.
B+E
C1+E
C+E
CE
D1=E
D+E

As well as a full 9 cat ADR Licence.... and no points. :p
 
Associate
Joined
7 Jul 2003
Posts
1,633
Location
West Country, England
ShiWarrior said:
lucky *** ;)

looking at mine, i got B,B1 and fkp.....
Lucky indeed!

I passed my test back in April '97, unfortunately I missed out on 7.5 ton automatically added to my licence. My birthday is in September and I didn't really get round to having 3 proper lessons (driven plenty with my dad beforehand) and the test till April (and that was only because I got a cancellation!). I think if i'd passed my test on my 17th birthday i'd still have missed out on it as I think they changed the law a few weeks before.

All I have on my paper licence (haven't got a photographic one) is B1, B, F, K, L, N, and P. Seems to drive a 7.5 ton legally i'll have to take a test for one. :(
 
Back
Top Bottom