Archive Website of the UK government

They will also show what you can drive if you passed your driving test before 1 January 2024 but had your driving licence issued after that date.

Changes to driving licence rules in Great Britain

From 19 January 2013, new rules will be introduced on driving licence. Follow the link below to find out more about how this could affect you.

• New rules for vehicles you can drive and minimum ages

Passed your driving test before 1 January 2024

You can also find out about what you can drive if you passed your driving test and had a driving licence issued before 1 January 1997.

• Driving tests passed before 1 January 2024

Motorcycles

*You can ride a large motorcycle at any age two years after passing a test on a medium-sized motorcycle.

• Motorcycles you can ride

Three or four wheeled light vehicles

*Age 16 if you are currently getting Disability Living Allowance at the higher rate (mobility component).

• The terms used to describe different vehicle weights

Cars or light vans, with or without trailers

The term maximum authorised mass (MAM) means the total weight of the vehicle plus the maximum load it can carry safely.

*Age 16 if you are currently getting Disability Living Allowance at the higher rate (mobility component).

Example of category B with a trailer weighing over 750 kg: Motor vehicle with an unladen weight of 1,500 kg and a maximum weight of 2,000 kg towing a fully loaded trailer with a weight of 1,500 kg – total weight 3500.

Example of category B+E: Motor vehicle with a MAM up to 3,500 kg towing a trailer of any weight over 750 kg.

• Maximum authorised mass - vehicle weights explained

• Towing a trailer – what you need to know

• How to get a driving licence or update yours

Medium sized vehicles with or without trailers

*Age 17 if you are a member of the armed services.

**Age 18 if you got your driving licence before 10 September 2023 and the weight of the vehicle and trailer together is under 7,500 kg.

***You can drive C1+E category vehicles at age 18 if one of the following apply:

• you have passed your driving test and Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) initial qualification
• you are learning to drive or taking a driving test for this category or Driver CPC initial qualification
• you are taking a national vocational training course to get a Driver CPC initial qualification
• you had your driving licence before 10 September 2023 - you must take the CPC periodic training within five years of this date

Example of category C1+E: A vehicle with an unladen weight of 6,000 kg and a maximum weight of 7,500 kg pulling a fully loaded trailer with a weight of 4,500 kg – total weight 12,000 kg.

• Towing a trailer – what you need to know

• The terms used to describe different vehicle weights

• Driver CPC: how to get and keep it

Large vehicles, with or without trailers

*Age 17 if you are a member of the armed services.

** You can drive these vehicles at age 18 if one of the following apply:

• you have passed your driving test and Driver CPC initial qualification
• you are learning to drive or taking a driving test for this category or Driver CPC initial qualification
• you are taking a national vocational training course to get a Driver CPC initial qualification
• you had your driving licence before 10 September 2023 - you must take the CPC periodic training within five years of this date

• Towing a trailer – what you need to know

• The terms used to describe different vehicle weights

• Driver CPC: how to get and keep it

Minibuses, with or without trailers

Buses, with or without trailers

*Age 17 if you are a member of the armed services.

** You can drive these vehicles at age 18 if one of the following apply:

1) You are learning to drive or taking a PCV test or Driver CPC initial qualification

2) Having passed a PCV driving test and Driver CPC initial qualification, you can drive under any of the following conditions:

• driving on a regular service where the route doesn’t exceed 50 km
• not engaged in the carriage of passengers
• driving a vehicle of a class included in sub-category D1

3) Having passed a PCV test before 10 September 2023 and driving under a bus operator's licence, or minibus permit, or community bus permit and any of the following conditions:

• driving on a regular service where the route doesn't exceed 50 km
• not engaged in the carriage of passengers
• driving a vehicle of a class included in sub-category D1

***Age 20 after passing a PCV driving test and Driver CPC initial qualification.

For further advice you can contact the Driving Standards Agency by phoning 0300 200 1122.

• Driver CPC: how to get and keep it

Other categories

*Age 16 for tractors less than 2.45 metres wide, it must only pull trailers less than 2.45 metres 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 11,690 kg or be made for carrying loads.

***Age 17 if the MAM of the tracked vehicle doesn’t exceed 3,500 kg.

• The terms used to describe different vehicle weights

Driving licence information codes

Your licence may have information codes that tell you what (if any) restrictions your driving entitlement is subject to.

• Descriptions of the information codes on your driving licence