Learning to drive
Vehicles you can drive and how old you must be 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.
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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. This is the total weight of the vehicle plus the maximum load it can carry.
Cars with and without trailers
| Description | Category |
Min. Age |
| Motor vehicles with a MAM not exceeding 3500kg having not more than eight 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 | B1 |
17* |
| As cars, but with automatic transmission |
B |
17* |
| 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 with or without trailers
| Description | Category |
Min. Age |
| Vehicles between 3500kg and 7500kg with a trailer up
to 750kg |
C1 |
18* |
| Combinations of vehicles where the towing vehicle is
in subcategory C1 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. (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 with or without trailers
| Description | Category |
Min. Age |
| Vehicles with between nine and sixteen passenger seats
with a trailer up to 750kg |
D1 |
21* |
| 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* |
*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 passenger
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