Category C HGV Licence, Explained

#What Cat C lets you drive

A Category C licence permits you to drive any rigid goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes maximum authorised mass (MAM), with no upper weight limit on the rigid itself. In practice, that means everything from an 18-tonne curtainsider to a 32-tonne tipper, as long as the body is fixed to the chassis and not a separate trailer. You can also tow a small trailer behind a Cat C vehicle as long as the trailer itself is no more than 750 kg MAM. Anything heavier on a trailer requires Cat C+E.

Cat C is sometimes called "Class 2" by drivers and recruiters, harking back to the pre-1997 licence system. The terms are interchangeable in everyday use. If a job ad says "Class 2 driver wanted", they mean Cat C.

#Who needs a Cat C licence

• Refuse truck and recycling drivers
• Multi-drop delivery drivers operating rigid lorries above 7.5 tonnes
• Skip lorry and grab truck drivers
• Tipper drivers in construction and aggregates
• Concrete mixer drivers
• Recovery drivers operating heavy recovery trucks
• Any commercial driver moving on from a 7.5-tonne (Cat C1) role

#Age and pre-requisites

You can apply for Cat C from age 18, provided you already hold a full Cat B (car) licence. Drivers aged 17 can begin training as part of an approved HGV apprenticeship, but most candidates train and test at 21 or older when employers are willing to take them on. The minimum age for the test itself is 18 outside an apprenticeship scheme.

You must hold a current Cat B licence. The DVSA requires this because Cat C builds on the basic on-road driving skills covered in your car test. There is no shortcut around it. If you let your car licence lapse, you cannot test for Cat C until you renew.

#The D4 medical

Every Cat C applicant must pass a D4 medical examination, completed by a registered doctor. The D4 form covers eyesight, blood pressure, neurological conditions, sleep apnoea, diabetes, and a few other categories the DVLA considers safety-critical for commercial driving. Most GPs will perform a D4 for £60 to £150. Some specialist medical clinics charge more but see you faster. The full breakdown of what the doctor checks is in the D4 medical guide.

Pass the medical and the doctor signs the form. You then submit it to the DVLA along with your Cat C provisional application. This is the longest single step in the licence process, often taking four to eight weeks for the DVLA to issue the provisional, so start it before you book any training.

#Theory test

The HGV theory test is two parts: a 100-question multiple choice test and a hazard perception test using video clips of professional driving scenarios. You must pass both at the same sitting. The pass marks are 85 out of 100 for multiple choice and 67 out of 100 for hazard perception. Material is more technical than the car theory, covering load distribution, vehicle dimensions, drivers hours, and tachograph rules.

If you are doing initial Driver CPC alongside your Cat C, theory module 1a and 1b are taken at the same sitting and the certificates are issued together. See Driver CPC modules explained for how the four modules interact.

#Training and the practical test

Cat C training typically runs 30 to 40 hours of on-road instruction, delivered as a one-week intensive or spread across several weekends. Most candidates use a JAUPT-approved training school that provides the vehicle, route familiarity, and test booking. The DVSA fee for the practical is £115 on a weekday and the test follows the format described in the HGV test explained guide.

Pass rates for Cat C run higher than C+E because the vehicle is easier to manoeuvre and there is no coupling exercise. Expect a national pass rate around 60 percent, with local variation visible at LGV pass rates UK.

#After you pass

You receive a provisional pass certificate at the test centre. The DVLA issues your updated photocard licence within two to four weeks. You can drive Cat C vehicles immediately on production of your interim certificate, though most employers want to see the photocard before they put you on insurance. Initial Driver CPC must be in place too if you are driving commercially. CPC then renews on a five-yearly cycle, see Driver CPC renewal explained.

#Cost summary

Realistic total cost for a Cat C licence including medical, theory, training, and test fees is £2,500 to £3,000. Add another £400 to £600 if you are stacking initial Driver CPC modules 2 and 4 on top. Bursaries from logistics employers and trade associations occasionally cover the full cost in exchange for a service commitment of 12 to 24 months.